Share you best Budget Saving Tips

joanneinwonderland

Maysie thank you SO much for the Love and Lavendar link! I've just done my save the date cards just need to print now! That website is BRILLIANT! Can see me using it for bit of invites too! Much appreciated! Ok now to read rest of thread : )

emz118

Charity Shops!!!

I got my child bridesmaids dress from one yesterday, for £9!

It doesn't look like it's been worn! It's satin, lined with a net underskirt and it's got pretty sparkly bits around the neckline. Once I put a purple sash over the ivory belt and a purple bolero thing it'll be PERFECT!

It's way too big now, but if she doesn't grow into it it can be taken in nearer the time.

Fingers crossed I'll find her shoes in there too!

FuturemrsH

Wow there are some fantastic tips there, thanks everyone. We have just done our sums and we're coming to around £6K, i was really hoping to be nearer 4, but i must admit i havent done without anything, just tried to be a bit MSE, clearly not quite enough though.
Vista print have been a good site.
I have also found quite a few bit in the sale baskets in craft shops like ribbon ends etc that have come in useful.
Got my ring on ebay- bargain price for a new 18ct white gold band
Hoop underskirt i got from lightinthebox last week- smells a bit funny but cost only cost me £30.
Bridal pumps- Primark. Really pretty super soft pumps in champagne.

curlylou1986

Some good tips on here already - i agree 100% with vista print! They are amazing: got postcards, banners, mugs, leaflets for the invitations, pen - all great when they have the offers for just paying postage!

I made the invites myself: the range for £4.99 for 50 blank cards, brought a box of coloured card from papermill and picked our colours.
We had about 40 to send out to all family groups for the day, then for the other evening we used publisher - scanned the topper of the card in and printed it off on the card feature on there. Would been nice to have done all proper card ones, but saves money!

done the flowers myself (may not be able depending what you would like) but i got my flowers from dunelm mill and have arranged with ribbon and extra leave bits and they are looking lovely got gerberas / white roses)
got button holes from ebay-
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Wedding-20-Crystal-Rose-Buttonholes-all-colours_W0QQitemZ360331085511QQcategoryZ98734QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m263QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DDLSL%252BSIC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%252BDDSIC%26otn%3D8%26pmod%3D360287944973%252B360287944973%26po%3D%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D7502281489297902602
They are amazing foam quality ones - we got ivory, orange and pink. Am very pleased with them.

Asking friends if they know of anyone who DJ's, photographers etc things like that is always handy!

jacksma

We're doing our wedding and 2 week honeymoon to Cote d'Azur for £4,000!! That's for 85 day guests and another 20 at night and that includes a new passport for me and our son.

Passports - £126.50
Registrar Fees - £100 (although think only going to be £70)
Celebrant (we're having a humanist ceremony at our venue) - £320
Canapes, Meal and evening buffet - £1,620 (that is for canapes and then a BBQ and cold buffet, followed by dessert buffet and then an evening buffet with bacon butties, sausage rolls, crisps and wedding cake. The food is amazing here, they have won awards)
Drinks - £200
Dress, bolero & tiara, and dress cleaning and alterations - £550 for an alfred angelo 1136 in the sale with matching bolero!!! Over the moon!!!
Bridesmaid - £68 from Debenhams 20% off sale!! New stock dress too - really chuffed!!
Kilt for OH - £84
Kilt for son - free as my dad paying
Rings - £160 for a titanium 6mm ring for OH and a 18ct white gold 4mm ring for me - weddingringsonline on ebay and elma jewellery on ebay - cracking prices and service!!
Flowers - £100 for artificial foam bouquets, buttonholes and corsages from ebay florist - they look real and are amazing. Also buying some flowers for centrepieces too.
Music - £120 DJ
Transport - free - OH dad has a lovely limo style merc and will drive us.
Photographer - £300
Invites/table plan/place cards/order of service/etc... - £30 made myself
Shoes - £70 (not got yet - but will prob only cost £30 from BHS)
Hair make-up for me and bridesmaid - £132 (wee extravagance...)
Decor - £18
Cake - free - sister in law making
Jewellery - £20 for manufactured diamond necklace and matching bracelet off ebay - they look FAB!!!
Honeymoon - Free - asked for cash gifts for wedding list, and got £1000 from both sets parents which paid for 2 weeks in south France, in 3 bedroom chalet on a keycamp resort for me, OH and our son, plus car hire and direct flights. And we reckong from rest of guests we will get around £800 - 1200 spending money.

We could have easily done it for £400 - £700 less, but there were certain things we definitely wanted.

Could have got a nice dress for £99 - £200 - but I still have a lot of weight to lose and felt very uncomfortable in a white dress, so I spent more to have a dress that made me feel 'pretty'....

Could have spend about £500 less on meal by having a smaller selection on buffet and no canapes.

You probably wouldn't have passport cost - my passport ran out last year and our son didn't have one, so we had to pay this out.

Rings - could have gone for both titanium or 9ct gold and that would have saved about £100.

Music - could have saved £120 and just used ipod

Hair make-up - could have saved £80-£132 and done ourselves.

Photographer - could have used a student or start up and saved ourselves £150.

Piggo_2

Hi Definitely try IKEA for Candles, Vases, Bowls, Tealights, Table Cloths etc it's great and so cheap. They also have Orchids for less than £10 which can be great as centre flowers with some ribbon round.

Also how about Pebbles for table placings - simply write the name on in a gold or silver pen etc and then varnish over so its all silky. My cousin used a small piece of slate and stuck a small flower on it from a craft shop.

For favours you could make small little boxes from card (craft shop again!) fill with a couple of chocs and tie with a bit of ribbon (also from the craft shop). Crafts shops are great and really cheap for small bits and pieces like ribbon, card...you can also pick up small flowers and things which can look great in your hair - I know someone that did tis, they were simply pinned in her hair by her haridresser and cost less than a £1.

Why not have shoes you can wear again - try looking in the party section of shoe shops where there are always sparkly shoes, this can also look great when they peak out when walking & bonus if you get to wear them again. Then check prices on Amazon & eBay!

Hope this helps.