How to Tie the Knot with a 100K Wedding Budget in the Philippines

Now that the pandemic is over, large and lavish weddings are in style again. But this renewed trend has in no way dulled the popularity of intimate and micro weddings, which remain attractive options, especially for practical couples looking to celebrate their big day without breaking the bank. 

When working with limited resources, the first thing you must prioritize is setting a realistic budget that allows you to have the most fun on your wedding day without getting yourself in trouble financially. Set a budget that works for you—one that gives you a decent wiggle room without forcing you to start your married life low on cash, or worse, in debt. 

One of the wisest things you can do before your big day is to draw a line between what you can and can’t afford. If you have a ₱100K wedding budget in the Philippines, learn how to make the most of that and do your best to not go overboard. 

Is It Possible to Pull Off a Wedding With a ₱100K Budget?

Yes! There are many ways you can make your wedding day special and memorable even with a ₱100K budget ceiling. 

But first, take the time to sit down with your partner and discuss how you can make your budget work. Breaking down your finances may not be the most exciting pre-wedding exercise, but it’s an important one to test your financial compatibility as a couple. 

To help you make your dream wedding a reality with a budget of ₱100K or less, we listed some tips for you below. Make sure to check them out for a wedding to remember!

How to Achieve Your Dream Wedding with a ₱100K Wedding Budget in the Philippines

Pulling off your dream wedding while on a budget in the Philippines comes with a lot of advantages. For one, you can allocate your budget to wedding expenses that are really important to you. Also, a smaller wedding allows you to be more present and to enjoy the day from start to finish. 

There are ways to cut costs without taking away from the whole wedding experience. Again, note that this is a financial discussion you should have with your significant other.

🎀 Keep Your Guest List Small 

One of the most important items on your wedding checklist is deciding who gets to join you on your big day. 

While a budget of ₱100K can afford you some liberties, you can unlock most of them only if you have a smaller party to accommodate. Depending on what you want to accomplish, a budget of that size usually leaves you with no option but to have a micro or intimate wedding in the Philippines, comprising of guests not more than 50 in total.

To make the most of your wedding budget, make your guest list leaner and invite only those who you really want to be there to celebrate with you. There’s no need to invite distant relatives you see only once in a blue moon, or random coworkers you have a relationship with only at work. Limit plus-ones for single guests as well to keep your circle as tight as possible.

Plus, with a small and intimate wedding, you can opt not to have a wedding program or emcee.

🎀 Get Married Out of Season 

To achieve a budget wedding in the Philippines, you need to make compromises, like getting married out of season instead of tying the knot on a universally popular date. When it comes to weddings, not all months and days are created equal. 

Some are more in demand than others, hence the steeper price. In the Philippines, Saturday is the most popular day to get married, and December is the peak wedding season. 

If you have no strict preference date-wise, go for an off-peak date. Apart from a higher chance of booking your dream wedding venue and suppliers, you’ll also get cheaper deals with extra discounts and freebies.

Also, from a guest standpoint, off-season flights are cheaper, so this can work perfectly if you have friends or family members flying in from other countries. 

🎀 Hold the Ceremony and Reception in the Same Venue 

Plenty of wedding venues in the Philippines give you the flexibility of holding both the ceremony and reception in one place. This will help you save on time and transportation costs as you won’t have to shuttle guests from one venue to another. Getting a venue with a lot of inclusions can also go a long way in helping minimize intimate wedding costs in the Philippines, so make sure to find one that ticks a lot of boxes for you.

For example, you can hold a small and intimate wedding at Balai Yllana Garden Restaurant in Las Piñas with 20 to 50 guests for approximately ₱22,000 to ₱37,000, inclusive of a buffet setup and buffet service staff. The garden venue package also includes a ceremony arch; tables, chairs, and string lights; and even an elevated patio that can serve as a stage. 

If you want an even smaller wedding on a budget in the Philippines, consider restaurants in Intramuros where you’re guaranteed a cozy and intimate wedding ambiance. You can already have a lunch or dinner reception at Ilustrado Restaurant for 10 guests for only ₱15,000.^[1] Event packages are also available. 

Lola Café in Morato, Broadway, The Podium, and S’Maison also offers lunch and dinner packages for weddings, starting at ₱800, ₱900, or ₱1,000 per head. Event packages are inclusive of food, service, and venue. Other equipment and amenities like basic sound systems, screens, and projectors are also available upon request.^[2]

The Burrow Café in Antipolo is also a gorgeous spot for an intimate wedding in the Philippines. You can use the Burrow Café and Garden for five hours and pay ₱3,500 per head for a five-course meal. This already includes the use of wireless microphones, LCD projector, and speaker.^[3]

With so many beautiful gardens, beaches, cafés, restaurants, and museums in the Philippines, you won’t run out of options for cheap wedding venues. The trick is to keep the guest list small to stay within your ₱100K wedding budget.

🎀 Agree on Priority Expenses You Get to Splurge On 

To make the most of your wedding budget in the Philippines, shave off unnecessary expenses so you can prioritize more important things.

For example, you can splurge on wedding rings and wedding photos. Long after the wine and food are consumed and the wedding songs are sung, the rings will still be there on your finger. The most special moments on your wedding day will be forever captured in photos. 

If you’re finding it hard to decide which wedding element to go all out for or skimp on, ask yourself, “Can we still get married even without this?” 

Can you still get married without the string quartet, the drone wedding photography, or the luxury wedding car? If the answer is yes, then you can skip it and use the budget for something else. 

If other couples were able to get married with just a ₱100K wedding budget in the Philippines (some even get married for less), so can you! 

🎀 Forgo the Most Expensive Options 

There are lots of expenses you can forgo without sacrificing the quality of your wedding. Not everything has to be fancy and top-tier, especially if you’re working with a limited budget. The most expensive option is not always your best bet, so take the time to find the most ideal setup that works for you, whether it concerns the venue, food and drinks, or florals.

For example, when choosing your wedding band, there’s no need to go for pure gold. Apart from 24K gold not being ideal for a ring because it’s easier to bend and scratch, it’s also a lot more expensive. If you’re going for gold, a 10K, 14K, or 18K should do. 

Of course, the purer the gold ring, the more expensive it is, so limit your options to those within your budget. If you want affordable but high-quality wedding rings, you can find jewelry designers and stores in Meycauayan, Bulacan. Just do a Google search and you’ll find different stores selling beautiful and affordable wedding rings. 

For your lunch or dinner menu, you have plenty of options for dishes to serve, but an expensive steak is probably not one of them. Work within your budget and plan the menu carefully. 

Also, don’t limit yourself to looking at just either a plated setup, a buffet, or a family-style service. Depending on the vendor and the size of your party, one could be cheaper than the others, but you’ll have to compare all your options to know!

As for your wedding cake, there’s no need to have it custom-made. You can get a store-bought one for a lot cheaper—just dress it up a bit to match your wedding motif. Also, don’t bother with multiple tiers—a layer or two should be enough.

Another tip is to skip the expensive decor. For a one-day event that’ll last only a few hours, it’s impractical to spend more than a few thousands to decorate the venue, especially if you’re working with a ₱100K wedding budget in the Philippines. 

You can score secondhand items online for a fraction of their price than when bought new. For floral decorations, you can get them cheap by sticking to in-season displays instead of foraging for seasonal blooms.

Lastly, book upcoming talents for your wedding gown designer, hair and makeup artist, or photographer. Popular or established ones charge way higher rates. This way, you can save money but not skimp on quality. 

🎀 Opt for Minimalist Wedding Outfits

You can buy off-the-rack and ready-to-wear wedding dresses with prices ranging from ₱1,000 to ₱10,000. Whether you opt for a knee-length cocktail dress, a white linen pantsuit, or a floor-length gown, you can find the perfect dress if you’re patient and you know the right place to look. The same goes for the groom’s suit and tie or Barong Tagalog. 

If you want to save more, you can also buy pre-owned wedding dresses or just rent a gown for a day. These may not be popular options among romanticists, but if you’re practical, they’re great ways to save money. Also, to avoid last-minute alteration fees and rush fees, buy your dresses and suits early with plenty of time to spare for any necessary adjustments.

As for the entourage and guests, you can request them to wear a suitable outfit for your wedding that will go with your theme or motif. 

🎀 Make the Most of Readily Available Resources 

Not everything you use for your wedding has to come with a price tag. Don’t buy new accessories that you’ll use only once in a while. 

If you can borrow jewelry pieces from family members or close friends, do so. There are many ways to get glammed up for less—you just need to be resourceful!

Another way to maximize your resources is to use all the inclusions in the packages you pay for. Does the venue reservation come with tables, chairs, and lighting and sound equipment? Make the most of that. 

Will the catering provider take care of tableware like linens and dishes, as well as kitchen facilities like warmers and fridges? All the better, as there’s less for you to think about!

🎀 DIY as Much as You Can 

If there’s a wedding element you can DIY, go for it. For example, you can create and personalize your own wedding invitations—just go to websites like Canva to get free wedding templates. If you’re printing out your invitations, you can trim costs by choosing cheaper stationery that still looks elegant and stylish. 

If you go paperless and just send out e-invites, you can save even more. If you’re doing everything online, you can also create a beautiful wedding website using a site builder like Wix.com or TheKnot.com. Don’t buy the domain so you can build and keep your wedding website for free.

You’re also welcome to flex your creative muscle and make your own welcome board, guest book, or wedding souvenirs. Materials are quite cheap when you buy them on Shopee or Lazada, or even in Divisoria. 

For your wedding bouquet, why not use dried flowers, fabric, or even paper flowers? If fresh flowers are a non-negotiable for you, just get a few main blooms for your bridesmaids’ bouquets and use fillers to make them look fuller. 

Other DIY ideas you can explore include doing your own hair and makeup, designing your own wedding accessories, and baking your own wedding cake. Doing it yourself may take up a lot of time and energy, but you can definitely save money that you can re-allocate to more important wedding expenses.

Related: Plan Your Dream Wedding: Best Bridal Fairs to Attend in 2023 and 2024

More Tips on Planning an Intimate Wedding in the Philippines 

Here are more financial tips for couples who have a limited intimate wedding budget in the Philippines:

• Finalize your wedding date ASAP. Ideally, you should have at least three to four months to prepare for your small wedding. Last-minute changes and bookings come with extra charges! 
• More often than not, friends and family will offer to shoulder some of the wedding expenses as their wedding gift to you. Whether it’s the wedding photos, souvenirs, or the wedding dress, there’s nothing wrong with accepting their help, especially if it can free up your intimate wedding budget significantly. 
• Allocate a wedding emergency fund for unforeseen circumstances. Whatever budget you set, don’t use it all up in the planning phase. Have some funds ready in case there are mishaps you have to deal with or extra costs you have to cover. Things don’t always go as expected, so it’s best to have a contingency plan when minor inconveniences crop up.
• Make the most out of your credit card, especially if you have one with a generous rewards program. Certain cards also earn air miles, which you can then use for your honeymoon trip. Lastly, a cashback credit card helps you save money by earning rebates. Check out some of your options: 

Credit Card	Cashback Rates
Petron BPI Card	3% fuel rebate at Petron Maximum fuel rebate of ₱15,000 per year
BPI Amore Cashback Card	4% cashback on supermarkets and department stores 1% cashback on drugstores and utilities 0.3% cashback on other local spend
BPI Amore Platinum Cashback Card	4% cashback on restaurants and online food delivery services 1% cashback on supermarkets and department stores 0.3% cashback on other local and international spend
Security Bank Complete Cashback Mastercard	5% cashback on groceries, 4% on gas, 3% on utilities, and 2% on dining As much as ₱12,000 cashback annually

Final Thoughts

A lavish and extravagant wedding that costs hundreds of thousands to millions is great if you can afford it. If not, it’s one of the easiest and fastest ways to doom your married life. 

Working with more or less a ₱100K wedding budget in the Philippines is totally fine and doable, especially for a small wedding. If you pull out all the stops, you can certainly make your dream wedding happen without going overboard. 

Look up creative and unique budget wedding ideas in the Philippines. Do your research to find reputable but affordable wedding vendors, and agree on how best to allocate your budget. 

While you’re at it, consider getting a wedding loan to cover some of your wedding expenses and make your budget work for you. Compare your loan options and apply through Moneymax—we can take you a step closer to having the wedding of your dreams! 

Sources: 

• ^[1] Balai Yllana Garden Venue Reservation Rates (Balai Yllana Garden Restaurant on Facebook, 2023)
• ^[2] Lola Cafe Events Packages (Lola Cafe website)
• ^[3] Burrow Cafe In-House Set Menu (Burrow Cafe website)