July 2012 Brides and Grooms

MrsDrink

I'm the same - I originally want to get everything in under £2500, but the more we've ironed out the smaller details the more we look to be spending. Like originally I think I only wanted to spend £300 on alcohol, but the lastest thoughts was it's going to be closer to £450. And our hen/stag dos I had budgeted £100 each, but mine is closer to £250. It all adds up unfortunately.

This is our budget just incase it helps anyone (the black things are still being organised, the red are things I've spent over on, and the green are things I've underspent on.)


220 Registry Office
67 Notice
15 Marriage Certificate
400 Rings
600 Wedding Dress
80 Hair
50 Makeup
200 Marks suit
40 Seating
450 Alcohol/Drinks
300 Catering
60 Cake
150 Decorations
0 Entertainment
40 Underwear
40 Flowers
50 Accessories
80 Invites & Thank you Cards & Stamps
50 Marks shoes
50 My shoes
60 Marque
250 Hen night
250 Stag night
100 Photos

Total: £3602

MrsDrink

I have been wondering - I was planning on just buying cheesecakes from Tescos (or Asda or wherever), and cutting them up. But if I was to make my own then I could do a great big rectangular one so there'd be less waste - plus I can control how thick they will be so whilst 5cm square doesn't sound very much I could actually make them twice the thickness of a normal shop bought one. But I'm now wondering how much extra that'll cost me to make my own when I can get New York Cheesecakes on a 2 for £3 from Tescos = £32. Eeeeek. Lol although it'd be a shame if I did make them myself cause obviously I'd need to practice to make sure they were worthy of having as our 'wedding cake'.

Lauralou

Welcome Laura:)

Tracey try and not get yourself stressed and worried. I'm sure everything will work out in the end.:)

LauraR Have you got everything ready for the new baby?

This weekend i'm going to have a play around with the wedding invites and look into hair and make-up.

PinkPrincess83

I seem to be saving money in most places but the budget/ balance to pay out for doesnt seem to be going down!! As long as it doesnt go massively up I dont mind!!

One thing I hadnt put into the budget was for drinks, I think I may just say to people they have to buy their own and we will just have something for the toast- the bar is cheap anyway and me and my oh dont drink wine- would you be offended if you were a guest and this was done??

Hen and stag do isnt factored into our budget- this will be paid out of our own money.

Natalie- I cant see it costing you much more to make- especially if it ends up being a lot thicker- I think you should make a small one,see how it goes then cost up the price of a how much to make a large one.

MrsDrink

Well I've costed up the price of doing a bog standard simple cheesecake for 5 x 12 and it comes to pretty much the same price as tescos shop bought ones. So I think in the summer - after I've been dress shopping and I can relax the eating regime I will make one and buy one and then see which is actually nicer. I do like the idea of it being super dooper thick, and also I like the idea of making them myself. I was thinking all I'd have to do is buy some large rectangular trays and fill them with cheesecake stuff. Freeze it. Then the night before defrost them, and cut them up into 5cm squares. And pop a slice of fruit on top. I'm thinking strawberries, orange pieces, cherries, maybe even grate some dairy milk. lol getting excited now - lol. I do love cheesecakes. I have searched for an Eton Mess Cheesecake - there's one (think it was on BBC good food or UKTV thingy) sounds delicious but would have to have a play around with that, and then there is the worry what if someone doesn't like strawberries. At least doing a bog standard vanilla cheesecake and doing different fruit on top people can pick and choose. But I do keep coming back to a strawberry type one.

Personally no I wouldn't be offended if I had to pay for my own drinks... lol but that's because I've seen first hand how bloody expensive it can be - and I've only got 51 guests coming (and some of them are kids). I think it'd be nice to have a toast (as you're planning) cause that is kinda something you and your groom want (the toast), as opposed to the umpteen drinkie poos people can choose to drink themselves... lol you're not forcing them to spend their money. If that makes any sense lol.

I keep looking at tomorrow's restaurant's menu (can't remember if I've said - we're taking my mum and granddad out for tea). I can't wait to go. *IF* I was having a formal sit down meal after the ceremony this is where I'd want to go. My favourite restaurant ever. Lol I keep telling MrD that I'm having a three course meal - sod the diet for a day. But if tomorrow's weigh in is good I won't want to ruin it!

PinkPrincess83

Oh your making me hungry with all this cheese cake talk! All of which sound yummy!

Well Im just a little against buying drinks that I dont like and that I know some friends and family wont like and then for others to get trollied on the free wine whilst the rest of us have to buy our own. The only thing I do really like is asti so as its my (our) day I may have that for the toast- and if people dont like it ill be the trollied one!!!:rotfl:Ive been to quite a few weddings were Ive had to buy my own drinks because I dont drink wine or water so I think this is why i dont feel bad about not paying out for wine!!

Surely if you have a good weigh in a 3 course dinner is so well deserved!!

I wont have lost any weight this week as ive been so terrible with my food1

MrsDrink

I *think* I'm going to have to make a normal cheesecake, try an eton mess one, and buy a New York one from Tescos and give MrD a bit from each to see which is the winner.

I absolutely agree with you about how yucky and nasty wine is, and how unfair it is when others get wine free but you have to pay for your own drink. Why anyone would want to drink paint stripper is beyond me - and there isn't a single wine that doesn't taste like paint stripper, lol or at least how I'd imagine.

PinkPrincess83

I think getting MrD to taste test them is a good idea. Make sure you have enough for you to try aswell!

If I liked it I may be a bit more willing to buy some for the tables but I dont and if it was on the tables my oh may drink it cos its there and that would result in him legless and home by 7 as he cant handle wine!!:rotfl:Ive been to our reception place before and a bottle of wine was reasonablly priced so if people (my mum and dad are wine drinkers) want wine they can buy it themselves and it wont be too expensive.

Oh aparently my charm has been dispatched- it said it would take up to 30 days so they must be quiet at the mo.:)

Silaqui

PinkPrincess83 wrote: »

One thing I hadnt put into the budget was for drinks, I think I may just say to people they have to buy their own and we will just have something for the toast- the bar is cheap anyway and me and my oh dont drink wine- would you be offended if you were a guest and this was done??

I wouldn't expect drinks to be paid for, I think it's fair enough to get your own. As long as you provide something for the 'forced' drinks (i.e. the toast) it's better for people to buy what they like!

My mum went to a russian themed wedding once where they had chilled bottles of vodka on the tables!!:rotfl: That's my kind of wedding!

MrsDrink wrote: »

Well I've costed up the price of doing a bog standard simple cheesecake for 5 x 12 and it comes to pretty much the same price as tescos shop bought ones. So I think in the summer - after I've been dress shopping and I can relax the eating regime I will make one and buy one and then see which is actually nicer. I do like the idea of it being super dooper thick, and also I like the idea of making them myself. I was thinking all I'd have to do is buy some large rectangular trays and fill them with cheesecake stuff. Freeze it. Then the night before defrost them, and cut them up into 5cm squares. And pop a slice of fruit on top. I'm thinking strawberries, orange pieces, cherries, maybe even grate some dairy milk. lol getting excited now - lol. I do love cheesecakes. I have searched for an Eton Mess Cheesecake - there's one (think it was on BBC good food or UKTV thingy) sounds delicious but would have to have a play around with that, and then there is the worry what if someone doesn't like strawberries. At least doing a bog standard vanilla cheesecake and doing different fruit on top people can pick and choose. But I do keep coming back to a strawberry type one.

If I remember rightly you have a layered cake stand, so why don't you do some Eton mess ones, and some with other non-strawberry fruits sliced on top, and just put them on alternate layers? To keep it looking 'right' just slice another strawberry on top of the eton mess ones.

Sorry I haven't been about for a while, had nothing to report and been really busy at work preparing for our new student induction programme as well as keeping up with exam marking so the internet has taken a bit of a back seat!

I need to get sorted with a to do list I think, I might wait till the first week of the holidays and then try and get organised.

Congrats on all the baby news - rather you lot than me, I can't think of anything worse What are you going to do with them during the ceremony if all your family are there with you?
xx

laurarobby

LauraL we are all ready for baby. we had everything saved from my son so not had to get anything other then a pram but that was because i didnt like our old one lol...

Silaqui My boys will be 1 and nearly 4 so they will sit with the family through the ceremony and then sit inbetween grandparents on the top table. lol.

not sure if we are going to the venue now as its a scorcher of a day so going to spend it sorting the garden i think... yey lol x