soundmotor

Here's what we did:

We had a little house (a hut really) & not much money so we spent the bulk on catering from a local trendy restaurant with the server included. We got decent wine & champagne for the tables which we set-up in our backyard. We spent ~$800 for food & drink. We invited our closest friends and our immediate family only. We had a family table & everyone else sat at the other 9 tables mixed. Tables & chairs were ~$75 delivered. All told, we had maybe 35-40 guests and they were people whom we wanted to be there. We used a justice of the peace to marry us @ $50. All the food & drink was consumed in about 1 1/2 hours & most of the family and a many with other obligations started to drift away.

We tipped the caterer's server $40. Maybe 12 stayed & we'd figured they would so we had cases of mixed beers, A few bottles of leftover wine, tequila, etc., so another $60 here. We stayed out in the yard with the stereo cranked. Later on we got Chinese but or friends paid. At 9:00PM, by what seemed unspoken agreement, everyone left en masse. Our wedding turned into perhaps the best party we'd ever had. I am probably forgetting something but I am sure all totaled we were well under $1200, '88 dollars.

Best of luck & congratulations too!

soundmotor