Ten months and only £1000 for my wedding venue and food. How can I do it?

purplefiona

Sooler wrote: »

Hope you're not bank rolling an ego trip.
He wants you to spend 2K on his mates, nice earner for them.

Half of what you spend on the band for everything else! - is the band the most important thing of the day to the extent that it's worth twice everything else put together?

I'm not critising or passing judgement on what you want to do - it's your day, entirely for you to have what you want. Just a passing comment in a public forum.

I hear what you are saying- but the whole point is the band are not his mates- his muso mates are actually invited to the wedding so they don't have to play. Which is why its full rate for the other musos- and don't forget thats a rehearsal budgeted in too- rehearsal rooms cost a bomb, and its a big band- and I'm sure he will contribute financially eventually. Its just that writing music is what he is good at. Money is what I'm good at, or trying to be. We do have ten months after all, and I've budgeted for the worst case financial scenario every month so as not to get my hopes up.
And I'm paying my jewellery mates to make the jewellery....because I'm a jeweller.... and his muso mates are playing the wedding march for nothing... its just the big band that costs.

purplefiona

paddingtondoo wrote: »

Ok first thing don't panic - easier said than done I know.

I would suggest finding out how much the registry office going to cost first as that can't be negotiated. If you get married at the office itself I would have thought it would be around the £100 mark.

Once you know post it on here and I'm sure we can all come up with something.

Could you ask guests to bring food rather than give you a present?
You haven't mentioned drink either.

Tell me about your ebay wedding challenge?

newlywed

We booked a village hall cost about £250 and held 130 seated for food or 200 for a party.

When we sent invites, we asked everyone (who wasn't traveling from too far) to bring some buffet style food to the reception.

We then bought salad, bread, soft drinks, tea, coffee and the wine from france (the wine cost us about £200).

We got friends to drive the wedding cars (as they had nice cars - though not white - who cares )

Our venue was decorated with balloons as a present for us. The tables were covered in ebay table cloths with fake rose petals scattered.

WE had a great day and there was loads and loads of really good food

floss2

purplefiona wrote: »

Good point. Register office seems pretty good place to start. I didn't mention booze- but we are going to get a load from France. I'm hoping it won't cost more than £200 which I know does not sound like much for booze- but it really is cheap in France! We will choose some that will be brought over by parents, then go get it nearer the time. I'm looking for super-in-advance ferry special offers soon.....!

Check the exchange rate before you book anything - current exchange rate is £1 to 1.26 Euro....also, costs are rising in Europe as well has in the UK.

newlywed

And I'd say spend the money on what is most important to you and scrimp and save on the rest.

So if music and jewelery are the most important and will make the biggest difference to you, then that's your decision.

I refused to scrimp on the flowers I wanted as they were important to me (not that they cost as much as 2k though )

floss2

purplefiona wrote: »

I hear what you are saying- but the whole point is the band are not his mates- his muso mates are actually invited to the wedding so they don't have to play. Which is why its full rate for the other musos- and don't forget thats a rehearsal budgeted in too- rehearsal rooms cost a bomb, and its a big band- and I'm sure he will contribute financially eventually. Its just that writing music is what he is good at. Money is what I'm good at, or trying to be. We do have ten months after all, and I've budgeted for the worst case financial scenario every month so as not to get my hopes up.
And I'm paying my jewellery mates to make the jewellery....because I'm a jeweller.... and his muso mates are playing the wedding march for nothing... its just the big band that costs.

Maybe you both need to sit down & write down exactly who's saving how much, which bit of family is helping by buying what things, what you are having in the way of reception and the price of every single thing so you can see the exact extent of what your wedding will cost and then think again about blowing 2/3 of the budget on a "big band". If he is in that field, surely he has contacts who can rent out rehearsal rooms cheaper, or the band would do it for less as it's "trade"?

floss2

purplefiona wrote: »

I hear what you are saying- but the whole point is the band are not his mates- his muso mates are actually invited to the wedding so they don't have to play. .....

Why can't his mates play? I would be proud to be asked to play. In fact, my son's band played at a joint 16/18/40 party for me & my 2 DS's - with my son on lead vocals & guitar and my then BF (now DF) on lead guitar for their own party...what's the problem with playing at a friend's wedding?

purplefiona

newlywed wrote: »

We booked a village hall cost about £250 and held 130 seated for food or 200 for a party.

When we sent invites, we asked everyone (who wasn't traveling from too far) to bring some buffet style food to the reception.

We then bought salad, bread, soft drinks, tea, coffee and the wine from france (the wine cost us about £200).

We got friends to drive the wedding cars (as they had nice cars - though not white - who cares )

Our venue was decorated with balloons as a present for us. The tables were covered in ebay table cloths with fake rose petals scattered.

WE had a great day and there was loads and loads of really good food

Sounds like my sort of wedding! So did you get married in a registry office or at the hall itself?

paddingtondoo

purplefiona wrote: »

Tell me about your ebay wedding challenge?

I basically cleared out the house to fund my dress shoes etc - was helped a lot by my mother selling a couple of paintings that I had as wedding presents last time round and then sold it on eBay.

There is a thread lurking around somewhere.

purplefiona

floss2 wrote: »

Why can't his mates play? I would be proud to be asked to play. In fact, my son's band played at a joint 16/18/40 party for me & my 2 DS's - with my son on lead vocals & guitar and my then BF (now DF) on lead guitar for their own party...what's the problem with playing at a friend's wedding?

I think that it would be a bit like me inviting my friends from work to come and instead of sharing the food and drink, sit in the corner writing spreadsheets and letters. I think its because they are all pro so playing at weddings is not fun anymore.