Wedding money saving

Horace

Miles16v wrote: »

Just booked the registrar - he said it's about £380!!!!!!!!!!! Couldn't believe it, they are only there for about an hour tops!

Unfortunately that is the price - you have to pay for the licence which is about £70 and the registrar's time especially if he has to visit your venue, you may also have to pay for the venue licence as well hence the cost.

I would also recommend that you get flowers that are in season, wedding dress sales start again in March (they coincide with the trade fair that takes place in Harrogate in March and September) so you will be able to pick up a dress at reduced price, or even buy a sample dress or you can often hire dresses from the shop that way you don't have a dress hanging in the wardrobe unworn after the big day.

Wedding photography is totally different from your typical holiday snap type of photography. The photographer sometimes visits the bride at home to take pictures whilst she is getting ready, then they travel to the venue to take pictures as she walks in and then the family shots afterwards - this takes more than an hour plus they have to develop the photographs etc which is why they cost more than the average snapper.

Start going to wedding fairs - entrance is often free and they also have prize draws to try and win dresses, photographer etc. A wedding fair is a good place to get ideas, compare prices and maybe even get discounts.

As others have suggested you could make some things yourself eg. invitations, table plans etc. Another place to look is freecycle because sometimes people list their wedding decorations on there but you have to take pot luck as they may not fit in with the theme.

To save money you can always cut down on your guest list as well - don't invite work colleagues unless you socialise with them, don't invite partners/boyfriends or girlfriends that you don't know, don't invite family members that you never see e.g. Great Aunt Maud.

HTH

MORPH3US

Miles16v wrote: »

£600 a day for their time seems like a great deal for them!

That seems cheap compared to ones my girlfriend has been looking at... they were £1000+..... :eek: :eek:

Saying that, if there is a stupidly cheap option, rest assured my gf will find it.

bluezone

Unfortunately photographers charge so much due to problems that could arise. They have to pay out for masses of insurance in case anything goes wrong with equipment or anything on the day.

I am a photographer and I wouldn't do weddings due to the things that can go wrong and the pressure - maybe I'm just a wimp?

I have managed to book a photographer for £300 and thats just with him giving us all the images on discs with no album or reprints.

Sorry I cant offer much help towards your wedding and hope it all goes well.

xx

MORPH3US

To me it would be preferable to get all photos on disc and no prints.... however some charge more for this than anything else...

Suppose they can't make money from overcharging for the prints if they sell you a disc with them on...

Have been researching places that can make wedding picture books (is that what they're called, or story books?) today.

Loads of places do them for about £30 a pop....

*Louise*

Miles16v wrote: »

Photographer
Flowers - bunch for bride and bridesmaids?
Cake
Wedding Dress
Bridesmaids outfits
Groom and best man outfits
One car for bride
Rings
Table decorations
Invitations
DJ
What else?

If anyone can tell me what they spent on the above, and set me some challenging target prices it would be great. Hints and tips for doing it on the cheap!

Well, my photographer is FREE, so you can't beat that price lol (My dad is a photographer and he has a friend covering the ones he has to be in)

Flowers - for Bride, get on to ebay. my bouquet cost £28 plus £5 p&p for a teardrop bouquet made to my specifications.

Flowers for bridesmaids - they can be as cheap or expensive as you want. I am getting flowers for our mums, they will cost £20 each and they are gorgeous.

Cake - M&S. I am getting 2 tiers - one fruit, one sponge for £50. Decorating myself

Dresses - Check out Landy or Milly bridal.

Groom/Best Man outfits. Check out local hire shops - shop around.

Car - I don't need one for my venue, but when I was looking prices ranged from £90, £120 and upwards depending on the vehicle.

Rings - Look online, shop around. OH wants a particular ring that H.Samuel sells for £350. I found it at wholesale price for £200. My ring was £90.

Table Decs - Bought my stuff for around £60 and made 14 decorations myself - great fun.

Invitations - I bought from Studio catalogue - got 50 Invitations, 50 cake boxes, 50 thank you cards, 75 serviettes, 50 place cards - all personalised with our names and date...for £53, and they look brilliant.

DJ - again, mine is free, provided by the venue.

aimex

Louise do you have any pics of the table decs?

*Louise*

aimex wrote: »

Louise do you have any pics of the table decs?

Yep, they are in the wedding flowers thread:



http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=405712&page=3

aimex

they look great, well done!

Jem8472

if you want a really cheap wedding cake you could go to millers cookies, they do cookie cakes which I think would be a great idea. I think if my GF auntie was not doing us a cake for cost price then we might have actually gone for getting cookie cakes!

http://www.milliescookies.com/products/giantcookies.php

digii_dave

I too am a photographer, but part time. I have a “proper job” also part time and started Photography as a biz last April after 30 years as a hobby due to nagging from people wanting me to do some picks of the kids etc.
Because I have a “proper job” and money is not the be all and end all for me, I can live on the 1st job salary. Photography is more of a hobby/job that earns extra cash. I work from home and have low overheads so can be low priced, however, depends on what package you have.

When a photographer turns up to do the wedding it can take all day to shoot and the evening, and then another day processing them and another few hours sorting the proofs and then more time ordering the ones required plus the album etc etc. Rent /Buy the office/studio, then ad insurance in case something goes wrong, car, an assistant, camera and lighting eqp. This is where the cost for some is gathered and it has to be passed on.
You could end up paying nothing (if it’s a rellie or friend) to thousands and get similar results (if you are lucky).

Picks on CD/DVD are expensive cos the photographer gives away his copyright and does not get any reprint orders.

I also DJ'd for 9 years in the 1980's and NEVER doubled my prices just cos the Word WEDDING or CHRISTMAS came up unlike some. But maybe that’s why I worked for 9 years with only one advert! Mention the WEDDING word to Florist’s, Cake Makers, DJ’s, and mention half term to Holiday firms and to some, its yippee there’s Gold in them there hills.

I will say no more otherwise it looks like I am touting but just adding my input for what it’s worth. Shop round ask your friend who they had, ask to see proofs, and references.Got to local register office and ask who does the most here? They will know the name of a few.

Try the local camera club and ask if anyone wants a chalenge (see their work first)

Congrats and good luck