Congrats!!!! I am getting married in 3 weeks for a budget of 3k but I bet I could do it with 1k. Our budget breakdown is:
Rings £1k (you don't have to have platinum rings that's our biggest indulgence!)
Buffet £500 ish
Bar / starter rounds £500 see you could cut that £1k out right there
The rest:
Dress £100 (Monsoon)
Shoes £50 (Debenhams)
Flowers £50 local florist - just told her that's my budget stick to it!
Wedding approx £100 local registry office
Groom wearing a suit he has with a new shirt @ £50
Lunch: everyone to our local pub for lunch, pay for yourselves guys sorry we're skint - everyone is more than happy to do that.
Evening do - our local pub has given us the room free as we are bringing 50 or so drinkers in that evening!! Optional buffet & drinks as above
Photographer - his brother, DSLR camera = free!
Invites £20 made my own & printed off & a bit artsy used some craft shop cards.
Miscellaneous table decorations approx £100 (unnecessary)
Cake - £50 for two from our local cake shop. Cake topper to make them look a bit fancy, £20 Etsy.
The way we did it was to not go OTT on anything, & remember you do not need HALF the crap you see in magazines! In fact save money, dont buy magazines & use Pinterest instead for ideas! It will not make your day any happier, the more stuff you have to pay for the more there is to organise. Let everyone chip in & offer something. Register for gifts you need or ask for donations towards the wedding costs or a honeymoon (that's what we're asking for-cash!)
And most importantly - do everything the way you want to do it. Don't get carried along with everyone else. Bless my mum she really thought I needed a fancy car to drive me round @£300 for two hours - I simply said I'm not spending 10% of my budget on stuff I don't need. You both need to be strict and that way it'll be easier. Don't worry what people think either. Chris & I could afford to spend the average £12k on a wedding but we would be so unhappy to spend that cash unnecessarily. A few of our friends thought it was odd being so tightfisted it now it's a really simple day I think they get it!
A few more things:
Get bridesmaids & groomsmen to pay for themselves/outfits.I've been to plenty of weddings & had to do that in spite of the thousands being spent elsewhere.
And have fun!!!! You can still bring in loads of personal touches to the day without spending money
xxx