Small guest lists (think 20 people) are the way to go with a $5000 wedding budget. Photography by Julian Kanz.

Last week, our editor-in-chief, Alison McGill, appeared on Canada AM for a “how-to” segment. The topic? Hosting a wedding with a $5000 wedding budget. Impossible? Not completely. “It can be done. You just have to do your homework,” Alison advises.

When it comes to tight wedding budgets, the first thing you need to do is narrow down the big ticket items — that typically means the reception venue and catering costs. Once you’ve finalized those numbers, it’ll be easier to factor in and prioritize other wedding costs. Make things easier on yourselves and make a list of your top three must-have items, ensure that your groom does this too–it’s important that you’re both on the same page.

Working with a small wedding budget isn’t always an easy task (keep in mind most Canadian weddings cost between $20,000 and $30,000), but with the right amount of research and with a small guest list (think 20 people or less) it can be done, and with style too! To show you how, we did the legwork and have compiled a list of ways to host a budget-friendly wedding for just $5000.