How to have a fun wedding for under $5K
Planning a wedding on a tight budget in the midst of an economic slowdown, high food prices and other rising costs would be a challenge for anyone.
But the way Angela Cornelius and George Heeg see it, it's just a matter of being creative. And in their case that has meant going Gothic.
(Rich Hein/Sun-Times)
(John J. Kim/Sun-Times)
The Chicago couple are planning a Gothic Halloween wedding. Cornelius, a billing assistant at a law firm, and Heeg, who works in shipping at a local factory, are creating what they envision will be "a fabulously original and unusual wedding for our guests to enjoy and remember for a very long time without breaking the bank," Cornelius said.
They decided a traditional wedding was out of their budget and not what they wanted.
"Most of our friends are in the same scene as us," she said. "We all love Halloween. We all love horror movies, so why not make it into a big Halloween party with a wedding thrown in?"
Their goal is to keep the wedding budget -- including the honeymoon -- under $5,000. A friend is planning a traditional wedding with $5,000 for the catering alone.
The nontraditional wedding does not require a church service or a sit-down dinner at the reception: They plan to wed in the bar where they met. "The reception is going to consist of pizza, cupcakes and beverages," Cornelius said.
Both experienced crafters, they made her headpiece, the cake topper and centerpieces and will make the floral arrangements. They're also creating their invitations.
They and their guests also will save money because their Halloween costumes will cost less than traditional wedding garb.
In lieu of gifts, friends, some in the entertainment industry, will donate their talents for the big day, including one who will be the DJ, she said.
As for the honeymoon, Cornelius and Heeg will stay in town.
"We barely have time to take advantage of what Chicago has to offer," she said. ". . . We now have a week to do so, and it is going to save a lot of money."
How are you saving money? Write to psmith@suntimes.com or comment at suntimes.com.