We are excited about this Old World Wisconsin wedding! For just under $16,000, this couple had an awesome, rustic barn wedding at Old World Wisconsin, but that’s not all. They used some unique DIY and bartering to hold their costs down, which they said worked very well for their rustic-themed wedding.
As an added bonus, they used Married In Milwaukee Family Members Timeless Events, The Delafield Hotel and Sound By Design. We love that! Read on to learn more about this beautiful Old World Wisconsin wedding.
Comparing Wedding Costs
Not all weddings are created equal and this Old World Wisconsin wedding is no exception. For example, this couple received several wedding items as gifts from friends and family, did a lot of DIY and also bartered to keep their costs down. Keep this in mind with your comparisons.
Quick Facts – Old World Wisconsin Wedding:
- Number of Guests: 125
- Wedding Ceremony: St. Anthony On The Lake
- Wedding Reception: Old World Wisconsin
- Total Costs: $15,566
Wedding Essentials ($4,550):
- Invitations/Stationery: $175 (DIY)
- Wedding Cake: $214
- Desserts: $130 (DIY candy bar )
- Photographer: $3,153
- Videographer: $0 (gift from relative)
- Flowers: $283 (DIY)
- Wedding Planner: $595 (day of coverage only)
Reception and Ceremony Costs ($7,269)
- Ceremony Fee: $300
- Venue Rental Fee: $840
- Catering: $2,190 (included one entree with salad and bread)
- Drinks: $908 (included 1 barrel of beer and open soda bar)
- DJ: $1,807
- Officiant: $150
- Rentals: $1,074 (tables and chairs from Old World Wisconsin)
Attire, Jewelry and Beauty ($3,052):
- Dress: $420
- Groom’s Attire: $200
- Bride’s Shoes $30
- Rings: $2,312
- Hair and Make-up: $90 (hair was $90, makeup was bartered)
Other Costs ($695):
- Rehearsal Dinner: $0 (gift from parents)
- Wedding Party Gifts: $0 (makeup, which was bartered)
- Hotel Suite: $540 (The Delafield Hotel)
- Transportation: $0 (use of a 1956 Chevy was a gift from a relative)
- Other Costs: $155
- 8-day Ireland Trip: $2,298
Honeymoon ($2,298 – Not Included in Total)
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:
It was very important to Kris and I that we not burden our parents with the task of paying for our wedding. We ended up paying for 75% of the total wedding cost ourselves. Being fresh out of college, we didn’t have a lot of money to spend.
Our engagement lasted about 18 months and this gave us time to save up for the things we absolutely had to pay for, and to figure out ways to do other aspects of the wedding ourselves. I am a photographer and graphic designer, so I was able to barter my skills and design/order our invitations at cost, so that helped a lot.
Luckily the DIY approach works well for a rustic-themed wedding, and we had plenty of help from our family members in collecting decorations and figuring out how everything was going to look. The end result was everything we had hoped for and more!
– Kara and Kris, The Bride and Groom
A BIG thanks to the bride and groom, Kara and Kris, for sharing their awesome Old World Wisconsin wedding and to Laura Zastrow 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.
