How do I plan a NYC wedding within 5 months on an EXTREME budget? Need... EVERYTHING?

try this site they have great gowns.

www.onenightaffair.com

For 50 people you are going to have the problem of not meeting the minimum for many venues. I just did a lovely small wedding at Divine Studios, 21 East 4th St. last Friday. You may want to check them out.

http://www.nycityweddings.com/ is a great resource. The brides have scoured every place you can think of and are very forthcoming with the details of who has what for how much.... quality vs price...

Now on the bright side 5 months puts you in March which is cheaper than spring, summer and fall.

Would you consider a Thursday? One of the places I work at is $120 a plate on a Saturday night and $60 a plate on a Thursday. They often wave site fees and minimums, as it's usually you or an empty room.

Small restaurants that are closed during that day will usually open for a private party. Larger ones have private rooms.

David's Bridal always has sales at the end of the year to make way for the 2008 models or you can even rent a dress. Main Street in Flushing has a few places. Ask on "The wedding bee" very popular with asian brides for taking photos.

Don't get prints. Hire a photographer like "As You Wish" http://asyouwishphotography.net/ they shoot all digital, burn it to a disc then you can use mypublisher.com to have your own books made for a fraction of the cost.

Flowers, believe it or not I have seen some lovely ones come from supermarket florists. There are also all the little corner stands. You just go in the morning and wrap the stems with ribbon yourselves. Takes 5 min pr boquet.

The cruise ships do something too. There is a ceremony with guests a champaigne thingy then your guests get off and you go on the HM..... (tempting isn't it?)

I'm sure there's more but that's it for me now. Hopefully this has been helpful. Please feel free to call me if you have any questions or if you need an officiant. Of course another way to save money is to do the paperwork at city hall then have a friend who is good at public speaking read one of the samples from my website.

Wishing you both many healthy years of love and marriage, wisdom and wonder.

L&L, Pastor April

http://www.churchofancientways.org/

516-785-4191

PS, Maybe Galapagos Art Space if you're willing to do Williamsburg Brooklyn

NY is a very expensive wedding venue. For the dress off the rack, David's Bridal has $99 on Glen Cove Road, Carle Place, N Y. Or ebay (used wedding gowns) or Craigslist.com (wedding gowns) What you could do is find a restaurant that has an on-site room for occasions. I don't know if any in NYC right off hand, but it will be expensive. Instead of NYC (Manhattan), try the outskirts of Manhattan like Queens, NY, say like Flushing, NY, Long Island City, Carona, NY or the borough of Brooklyn, NY which is which is 1/2 hour from Manhattan but a world of difference in price. Long Island is another option, but a little further out of the city. I doubt that you will be able to do a wedding on $5K in Manhattan. Do searches as I did:

Call information and get phone numbers

New Leaf Cafe

1 Margaret Corbin Dr,

New York NY

Ramada Plaza at Laguardia Airport

Carona, NY

Al Di La Trattoria

248 5th Avenue

Brooklyn, NY (wedding venue) (great food)

Sand Castle

Franklin Square, NY

The Foundry

4238 9th St

Long Island City, NY

Good Luck to you. I believe you can find a wedding venue but you'd better start looking NOW!

For a cheap wedding that is in NY i would go outside of the city, rent a local winery with a great view. You can do it in the morning for cheap and keep it simple. If its a morning wedding you can have a breakfast buffet with eggs, pancakes something like that. Sort of like a brunch. It would be cheaper than paying for dinner. Also since its morning you are not required to pay for alcoholic drinks, dj, dancing or anything like that. Then, if you are in the mood to party have everyone back at your house for a simple get-together! Good luck! and Congrats on the wedding! As for a dress, davids bridal is always the cheapest place with beautiful clothes. You can usually get them altered pretty cheap!

I honestly don't see how you'll have a wedding for 50 people inside of Manhattan for under $5000. I agree with the others, you need to look outside the city, especially considering your time constraints you're under.

I agree w/ Susan F. Look outside the city. NYC is expensive and I'm sure a budget can be done, but not in such a short amount of time.

If you have a dream dress, check to see if you can get it cheaper on ebay. (they have some gorgeous vintage ones) Depending on how extreme your budget is, you could also try secondhand stores, Goodwill--I saw a pretty neat one at St. Vincent's once... Or you could try getting some quotes on how much it would be to have one made. (I had my mom make mine)

Location is going to be tough, though--NYC is going to be pricey! (church basement doesn't sound so romantic, but that might be the cheapest route?)