Made a decision about whether to postpone and...

Jo_R_2

...just wanted to say a quick thanks to those who replied to my post the other day about me being worried we couldn't afford to get married.

We've been doing some thinking and talking and have decided to... just go ahead Something that one of you wrote (sorry I can't remember off the top of my head who) was really the thing that swung it, the fact that if we put it off, we'll just end up spending more money

I thought that if we were in the position where I had no debt and we had our own house already, then I probably would put things off and save up; but we're not and the way I see it is that it's silly to spend loads of money that could go to something more 'constructive' iyswim? Ie I know we *can* do it on our budget.

So with renewed vigour I shall be arranging viewings for reception venues in January; the plan is register office ceremony, small informal meal for those at the ceremony, then larger reception with buffet.

Key things being:

• Christmas theme - colours being red and silver (I think!)
• red wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses
• asking guests to dress according to a 'theme' - thinking either asking guests to wear something red or to dress up in a formal dinner style as suggested by Linda, not sure yet
• small ceremony and meal, meal being informal to cut on costs and thinking of asking people to pay for their own (nothing fancy)
• big reception with buffet (this is OH's big thing)

Still can't decide about a photographer but going to budget on the flowers - need to look into Christmassy flowers and see what's out there. Not doing suits and hoping to dress up baby in a smaller version of what OH will be wearing

simpywimpy

you could always get married later in the day and ditch the meal and concentrate on the evening buffet reception instead. There isn't anything that says you really have to have both is there?

I bought most of my stuff from ebay (and sold them on afterwards) such as bridesmaid dress, both of our shoes, cufflinks, dolly bag, tiaras etc.

Jo_R_2

Wel what we're doing is having a 3.30pm ceremony then probs just going for tea somewhere in town, then onto the reception after. Not a formal sit down wedding breakfast but prob just a pub lunch-type thing.

Ebay is one of my most-used sites at the mo!

mightymolly

We didn't have the photographer after the ceremony, that saved a bit of money, plenty of guests with cameras, or put disposable cameras in the centre of each table!!

Snowmoredebt

Thats really good news, ebay is great for wedding bits

karen_newcastle

mightymolly wrote: »

We didn't have the photographer after the ceremony, that saved a bit of money, plenty of guests with cameras, or put disposable cameras in the centre of each table!!

As a wedding photographer I obviously couldn't advocate this option . It's always interesting to see the guests shots next to mine on FB - usually they are very poor images.

I would look for a photographer who will come along and cover your cememony and then take you (and your important people) for a photo session for half a hour or so. At least you will have some stunning photos of the two of you and let the guests capture the candid stuff.

By only having a photographer for a couple of hours only you will save a small fortune.

mighty_mondo

Glad to hear your going ahead with it Jo_R

we had put our plans on hold around novemberish last year for other reasons (sounds so long ago, but not really lol) and then we discussed it over christmas and realised if we put it off "for just a year" we might not ever get round to it at all

so we decided we were going for it too!

good luck with your plans

shellylovesshopping

A friend of mine went to a wedding the week before xmas. They had poinasettas (spelling?) as table decorations. The wedding itself took place in registry office - they went out for a set meal at a local pub - appx 20 of them then had a party at a local hotel in the evening. The venue had the room decorated for christmas - massive tree and they just added some personal touches to it. She said it was really lovely - it snowed too so it added that extra touch!

Pitlanepiglet

Ebay really is your friend, the majority of our wedding stuff was bought and then sold on via Ebay, I had great fun tracking down the bargains.

You really don't need to spend a fortune to have a good day. Good luck x

Jo_R_2

karen_newcastle wrote: »

As a wedding photographer I obviously couldn't advocate this option . It's always interesting to see the guests shots next to mine on FB - usually they are very poor images.

I would look for a photographer who will come along and cover your cememony and then take you (and your important people) for a photo session for half a hour or so. At least you will have some stunning photos of the two of you and let the guests capture the candid stuff.

By only having a photographer for a couple of hours only you will save a small fortune.

I actually know what photographer I want and I was thinking exactly what you suggested, about just having the photographer for a couple of hours. I've checked his website but it says his basic package is £499 - how can I go about it, should I explain what I want and get him to suggest a price or should I suggest a figure for what I want and what would be included?

I know a bit about wedding photography as ex-OH used to photograph weddings so I appreciate the costs involved, and don't want to appear stingy, but don't want to pay the same as someone who was having a full day's photography on a basic package iyswim?