Realistic wedding plans or not? What do you think?

shelovestobuystuff

SugarSpun wrote: »

I think the cost of the venue hire is all yours - or at least it should be. You can decorate cheaply by using ebay, invitations can be incredibly cheap (halfcost.co.uk currently has a set that includes everything for £17), my dress was £90 including shipping from ebay and stunning, silk flowers are also cheap and you can make the most of candles and tea lights, you can organise a cold buffet (or one with minimal hot stuff if you have people who'll happily heat/reheat stuff for you after the reception) by renting trestle tables and covering them in sheets (again, ebay, you can buy muslin for 99p a metre, wine/beer/champagne can be ordered from an off-licence on a buy-back basis if it doesn't all get drunk and they'll probably do glass hire as well.

As I see it, venue/ceremony costs are £4255. That leaves you £2.5k to throw a party and get clothes you like for it. There's no way you can't manage that.

Absolutely possible to have a nice plush wedding on that budget.Budget for what YOU can save and dont add in any 'little extra with help from our families' funds(Dont expect or rely on it).
My venue is £3,500(incl £500 security deposit which I will get back after the wedding just as long as no-one does any major damage),my whole wedding budget is £6,000 so its costing £5,500 once I get the security deposit back.Thats including a 5 course sit down meal and a full string quartet so very do-able.I am not having many guests so thats how I can afford a luxury week for everyone,theres no way I could do it this way for a bigger wedding.

wench90

Thanks for all your useful tips, they'll definately come in handy and i am still giving very serious thought to the idea b/c i realise it would be a monumental task to organise. But you have definately helped me think it through more carefully.

It seems i caused a bit of a stir with my plan to charge my guests for their accommodation. What i should also say is that I am welsh and my partner is from Newcastle. However I havent lived in Wales for many years, and my OH's family all live up north. I obviously want to get married near home but have to bare in mind my OH's family and friends will be travelling from Newcastle as well as other parts of the country. So i wanted to find somwhere where we could all be together for a long weekend. We will be meeting the costs of a three night stay at this house but will only expect guests to pay for the evenings they are staying with us. Obviously we will pay for the wedding party and if we have to pay more then thats fine, it was just an estimate.

I would be inviting eighty people but only 35 staying overnight all of which would be coming some distant (so would have no choice!) The people paying to stay with us would be are closest family and friends, none of which would expect my OH and i to pay for their accommodation even if it is our wedding.

I have travelled around the country too many weddings and have always paid for hotel costs so i dont think its a big deal. We would be providing transport to all those who live in Wales to get to and from the wedding also.

I guess its a personal choice. I am seriously considering the free bar option b/c it would makes things a whole lot easier and the reason i want a venue like this is b/c we can do exactly what we want, in a relaxed environment and we get to celebrate over the course of a weekend instead of just one day.

chardonnay_2

glass hire from tesco also.

poundland do loads of party stuff like plastic / paper plates, plastic cutlery etc.

if you want fancier stuff how about trying car boots for vintage plates etc.

shelovestobuystuff

Think very carefully about the expense of having 35 guests for 3 days.It is a lovely idea and I am doing similar but on a smaller scale than you are.
You will not only have the wedding meal to sort out but breakfast,lunch and dinner,and possibly some entertainment for your 35 guests for 3 whole days.
You know your own family well enough to know that they would be okay with the request to pay towards their accomodation so thats fine.But will they expect waited on hand and foot or will they offer to help,prepare breakfasts,tidy up etc.Its not a hotel and you could be left to clean up after them all and do the work of a handfull of hotel staff.
I am only having 11 guests so 1/3 of your stay over numbers and I am having to hire breakfast cook,cleaner,chef etc for the entire stay,not just the wedding day,because I want to have a nice time too and dont want to spend most of my time working.We could self cater dinner with just 11 but can you manage 35?
Another thing to consider is if there are enough bathroom facilities for everyone.Can you imaging everyone trying to get ready in time for the ceremony with the facilities at the house?I am having to do up a rota with 3 bathrooms between 11 people and an afternoon ceremony.

JoolzS

I think that every wedding these days should include a simple card, it should say:-

"This is what it will cost you to attend our wedding:-

Accommodation:
Clothing:
Travel:
Present: if you have any money left"

Julie