So there’s a fun new store on West Vliet Street called Dandy, and it’s a pretty great spot. Yes, you’ll find some amazing vintage furnishings there – but you’ll also find a very casual and cool event space.
This Cost Breakdown is for the first wedding that took place in Dandy – and fittingly, it’s the super awesome owners’ wedding (congrats Jess and Ryan!!). Read on to see how they made their wedding #LiveDandy for just under $11,000.
How’d They Keep Their Costs Down?
The first thing you might notice is that this is a 200 person wedding for $11,000, which is pretty hard to pull off. However, this couple tapped into their network of fun, creative friends/family to make it happen. As you go through the Cost Breakdown, you’ll see several areas where the service/product was gifted. In addition, they own the venue, so there’s no extra fees there.
Quick Facts – Dandy Wedding:
- Guests: 200
- Ceremony/Reception: Dandy
- Total Costs: $10,979
Wedding Essentials ($2,400):
- Invitations: $0 (gift from friends)
- Cake: $0 (gift from bridesmaid)
- Desserts: $300 (variety of candy/cakes from the grocery store)
- Photographer: $2,000
- Flowers: $100 (live ferns from a friend’s yard for centerpieces; bridesmaid bouquets and corsages made by bride using artificial foliage from Joann Fabrics)
Reception and Ceremony Costs ($7,298):
- Venue Fee: $0 (they own the place)
- Food Truck: $1,600
- Catering: $5,218
- Drinks: $0 (gifted by groom’s parents)
- Officiant: $0 (gifted by a friend)
- Ceremony Music: $0 (wedding gift by Evan Lane Music)
- Reception Music: $0 (created own playlist)
- Rentals: $400 (tables)
- Photo Booth: $80 (cost is for film – borrowed an iPad photo booth from a friend, and used an instant Polaroid camera given as an early wedding gift)
Attire, Jewelry and Beauty ($381):
- Dress: $126 (groom’s aunt made and gifted the dress (Licketty Stitch). Bride paid for the material and dip-dyed the fabric on her own.)
- Shoes: $100
- Groom’s Attire: $15 (from Goodwill)
- Rings: $40 (CIVAL Collective made the bride’s ring, and the groom’s was his father’s)
- Hair: $100
Other Costs ($900):
- Rehearsal Dinner: $0 (gift from groom’s parents)
- Wedding Party Gifts: $100 (vintage goods from Etsy)
- Other: $800 (thrifted decor, tablecloths (bride hand-painted them), rugs, candles, string lights, accessories, tipping)
A Note from the Bride and Groom
We asked the bride and groom to tell us about their planning and budgeting process, and this is what they had to say:
Help From Friends and Family:
Step one: have a clown car full of thoughtful and talented friends. It keeps costs down and makes it way more special (designing/printing invites, loaning sound/decor, performing live music, foraging through their backyard for ferns, baking special desserts, even officiating). We were even able to pay off some of the vendors ahead of time using a monetary gift from Jess’s folks. The help of family and friends made it so unique and affordable for us.The Food:
Of course you don’t have to pinch on everything. We thought it’d be fun to add a food truck for apps during our cocktail hour. Meat on the Street provided our guests with some delicious egg-rolls and skewers while Carrot Bomb Catering set out a beautiful charcuterie spread inside. Both caterers were wonderful to work with when requesting vegan-friendly menu items.The Venue:
As for the venue, we cheated — the whole day went down at our vintage store/event space. I mean, we’re casual, the place is casual, so it allowed the gathering to breathe and take shape wherever fun was being had. In addition, it added to our overall industrial-vintage vibe and paired wonderfully with the assortment of funky couches, vintage rugs (found on Etsy and loaned to us from our friends at The Loom house), and eclectic decor.– Jess and Ryan, The Bride and Groom
A BIG thanks to the bride and groom for sharing their awesome Dandy wedding and to Dahli Durley Photography for the photos!
If you’re currently working on your wedding budget, make sure to read through our previous articles featuring real Milwaukee wedding cost breakdowns.
