Ideas for cheap wedding?

caslates · 8 March 2007 at 3:52PM

Hi Everybody,

I'm getting married next year and my boyfriend & I are not exactly wallowing in cash so are wondering if you savvy people have any good ideas of how to keep the costs down?

I've got family all over the world and we would like to travel around visiting them after the wedding so we'll be saving up for that as well.

One thing we can do ourselves is the wedding invitations etc so that should help...but does anyone have any other ideas? (Other than eloping to Gretna Green

)

Thanks in advance
Colleen x

tanith · 8 March 2007 at 4:04PM

We got married on a teeny budget , we had a really nice large garden at the time and we used the house and garden for our reception, my brother and his wonderful wife supplied the food as a wedding present and even came and laid it all out beautifully..and everyone had a wonderful day and the two families mixed in together so well.... not everyone's idea of a blissful day even the sun shone from morning till night .....

caslates · 8 March 2007 at 4:13PM

Thanks for that idea - definitely saves on the costs of hiring a venue...

I don't know what people's thoughts are about the tradition of the brides family paying for the wedding, but we feel that my folks are struggling to afford to retire as it is and so would probably not be able to contribute much to the costs. They live in Australia so would need to buy an expensive plane ticket to get over here, so I would just be happy for them to be there on the big day.

Are the parents of the groom supposed to contribute at all? I've always heard that they pay for the drinks but I have no idea!

Thanks again x

tanith · 8 March 2007 at 4:26PM

Probably depends on the individuals involved some families still offer to help out and others either don't or can't afford to... We planned ours (2nd marriage for me) ourselves and then people offered to help with this and that.. my daughters and son paid for the flowers but it was their choice to do so... maybe a few subtle hints about :eek: the cost of flowers etc might not go amiss.. but it all depends what sort of wedding ours was registry office and very lowkey.... good luck anyway

Katie_Pink · 8 March 2007 at 4:51PM

Hi,

My sister has arranged an amzaing wedding on a budget. My main tips would be. Her budget is probably considered high by some but her wedding will seem much more expensive than it actually is.

Buy the plain white iced cakes from M&S or similar and decorate with fresh flowers
Buy bridesmaids dresses from ebay or Monsoon/Coast in the sales
Use the highstreet - my sister's dress was £150 from Debenhams in the sale and it is absolutely gorgeous
Rope your friends and family with any skills in to help - decorating rooms, floristry, neat handwriting for invitations and name places, musicians, people with nice cars to drive you, people with big gardens, photographers, needle workers to make dresses or cravats etc etc
Move flowers from the ceremony venue to the reception
Make your own favours
Have a hot fork buffet or similar instead of a sit-down meal

I hope this helps. You could also look at the confetti forums, they have loads of good ideas on them.

Good luck and congratulations

x

blue_monkey_2 · 8 March 2007 at 4:54PM

Yes, get everyone to help - but not financially. Someone has a ncie car - ask them to do the wedding day, get a 2nd hand dress. I did mine was £235 and £30 to take it up - I was told it was worth £1400 so I was very pleased. Bridesmaids dresses were £40 each - but if in doubt eBay as there will be loads of bargains there. Congratuations and good luck!!

caslates · 8 March 2007 at 4:56PM

Thanks for those fantastic ideas - I'll check out the confetti site, didn't know they had a forum.

I'm away for the next couple of days so won't be able to reply till I get back, but please continue to give me any other ideas you may have - it's so great to have sites like these, they really do save u a fortune! :-)

blue_monkey_2 · 8 March 2007 at 4:56PM

Oh, another thought, if getting married in registary office/church/etc.. ask the registar/vicar who does the flowers ad get them to do your flowers as well. Ours matched the registary office flowers to my own flowers on the day so they all matched. It was a nice touch and all for free!!

Nneave · 8 March 2007 at 5:11PM

One thing I would say is if photos are important to you, be careful about cheap photographers. Especially if you want photos of distant reletives you don't get to see often. A friends only regret it the 'photographer' she used damaged and lost most of her photos and the ones she has left have people looking every which way. Having said that a good amatuer is better than an expensive, but terrible profesional.

I don't know if you fancy it, but out local Oxfam sell second hand dresses etc and they are beautiful. It's definatly worth a look.

Get everyone you can involved, people love to help with weddings and celebrations and probably know someone who does hair, make-up, alterations etc.

Have a great time, and it will come together.

MrsTinks · 9 March 2007 at 11:20AM

Also worth a read is Martins MSE wedding article

alison6692 · 9 March 2007 at 7:30PM

Hiya

Here are a few tips.

........................................................

Don't bother with wedding favours.

Maybe ask for holiday vouchers as wedding presents - This will then pay for your honeymoon.

Buy a secong hand dress - Or get a shop bought one from possibly Marks and Spencer or Monsoon. Or you could try Oxfam Bridal shops - They sell new as well as used dresses.

Don't include RSVP cards with the invites.

Maybe ask for things like guest books and wedding albums to be your wedding presents.

Have candles instead of flowers as centrepeices.

Have an evening wedding - not only will this be really romanric but it also means that you can totally miss out the sit down meal.

Buy a shop bought cake - Marks and Spencer do a fab one.

Don't have BM's or Ushers.

Do your own make-up.

Erm ... I am sure I can think of more things later.

Feel free to PM me if you need more help. I run a wedding info site and would be happy to help you.

Love alison x

Ideas for cheap wedding?

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