You just got engaged! It’s supposed to be a very happy time, but it can also be overwhelming when you think about all of the details and planning to come.

Let me let you in on a little secret. Why not have a small wedding or just elope? 

For a lot of our couples, they just want to get married. They’ve been happy together for a lot of years and know the next right thing to do is to get married.  

Some couples get stressed by the thought of a large wedding, some come from big extended families from states that are thousands of miles away, other just want to sneak away and elope and others had the big wedding before and just want to keep things simple. 

Scrolling through Pinterest, Instagram and thoughts of your dream wedding is fun but it all costs time and money. 

So save your money and use in on something that lasts longer than one day! You can elope or have a small intimate wedding on a budget without compromising beauty or tradition. Here are a few suggestions on how to have a small wedding and save money:

Venue: Coastal California Weddings has some beautiful ocean front wedding locations. Some have small permit fees, while others are free. These ocean front locations are perfect for a small wedding. Bonus because they are naturally beautiful and you don’t need any extra flowers or other decorations. Mother Nature provides the beauty! 

Dress: Take a look at clearance racks at high end bridal stores. Or even some of the bridesmaids dresses may be a more casual option. I got my perfect wedding dress off the sales rack at David’s Bridal - I love it and it was a steal of a deal. Other brides get dresses from Amazon or a quick search on Google of white dresses could come up with the perfect, low cost dress for you. And, again, you will only be wearing the dress once. 

Food: Someone I follow on Instagram had her wedding catered by Chipotle. I know...sounds crazy huh?! It was a glam, Hollywood inspired affair. The bride wore a gorgeous, beaded dress and the venue was an art-deco dream, but burrito bowls were on the menu. RibLine also has options for catering and food to pick up. Another suggestion is a brunch wedding. Breakfast foods are less than dinner and you can include mimosas as a signature cocktail. Go for venues that provide all inclusive options so you don’t have to pay extra for the tables, chairs, linens etc. You could also have a large party dinner at a local restaurant so you are still celebrating with family and friends but aren’t paying large fees to rent out space.

For Chipotle catering click here. They have burritos, salads, and bowls and all come with chips and salsa. The closest Chipotle is in San Luis Obispo.  A few of our locations have picnic benches so you can enjoy a meal with family at the same location as your wedding ceremony.

Here the information for Rib Line. Rib Line is located in Grover Beach.

Music: That’s easy nowadays. Come up with your own playlist and have that playing on wireless speakers. One of your guests can gift you a bluetooth speaker as a wedding gift too. If you don’t have a playlist, Youtube has some great music options for free.

Flowers: Coastal California Wedding’s packages include a bride’s bouquet. We source local flowers to save on the cost of bouquets. We also don’t add on extra fees for our standard bouquets. Especially with covid, the price of flowers has gone up and their availability has been difficult at times. We make sure your bouquet is still your wow piece! 

Favors: It’s always nice to give a gift to those who celebrated with you. I always love getting gifts. :) For a plant themed gift, let nature do the work for you. I love using small potted succulents. Wildflowers in mini vases are also a lovely favor idea and you can write a special thank you tag around the vase. 

Here's how to make the succulent gifts:

Pots - I found these cute ones at Amazon

Succulents - your local hardware store or garden shop should have them. If you want to try a local garden store first, they may give you a discount if you were buying in bulk

Dirt - the same place you got your succulents from would be the place you get the dirt from

Tags - I found that Avery has some printable gift tags

Whatever you decide for your small wedding or elopement, remember that it’s really about the love the two of you share. If you decided to have guests, make those family and friends feel extra special. Think of your wedding more of a celebration of love - have fun, enjoy the special people you invited and don’t break the bank! Hope you enjoyed my ways to have a small wedding and save money.