wedding savings ideas....

Sallys_Savings

jacksma wrote: »

OK - I'm a definite lurker on here, and have been reading a lot of the information on here with great interest, and have picked up some excellent tips and ideas.

We are getting married in Stirling on May 28 and have a budget of £4,500, but after finding my partner might lose his job in April, we are trying to get it below the £4,000 tag....

So far this is where I'm at....

Got/Booked/Paid for
Venue - free
Drinks - no idea what to do here. Can't decide to offer drinks during reception or just offer tea/coffee, or whether to offer drinks during meal. We only have a budget for this for 60 adults of £250.
Canapes - £150 I wouldnt bother with these
Meal - £1800
Evening buffet - £150 Could friends/families do this as a wedding gift?
Invitations - made myself
Table plan, order of service, etc... - making myself £40
DJ - £100
Photographer - £300 Friends as a wedding gift ..with digital cameras now most people can make a good job of it if they take plenty of pics. OR how about trying your local college, newly qualified and students would be grateful to have your wedding to put in their profile.
Hair/make-up for me/bridesmaid - £120 - I never make an effort with how I look, and I've been really working hard at losing weight, and I really want to look my best on the day and surprise my OH, so this is something I don't want to lose. College students would do a great job....would your bridesmaid pay for her own (i know i wouldnt be offended if someone asked me to if i was a bridesmaid)
Wedding transport - free by father in law to be driving his nice merc.
Cake - sister in law making for free (I think...)
Humanist Registrar - £325

Still to organise
Wedding Dress - looking at a couple of online places in china, so under £200
Bridesmaid Dress - spotted one I like on ebay from china for £34 Would your bridesmaid pay for this?
Shoes - I saw a beautiful pair on ebay that are handmade sparkly shoes but they are £125 which is really expensive.... but I never dress up and find it really hard getting shoes that fit - so made to measure ones sound ideal.... I'd go for little ballet pumps or ALOT cheaper as you'll probably never wear them again. Try ebay and car boots.
Kilt - probably will hire for hubbie to be, and think my sons kilt is being hired by my dad - but not confirmed. Was maybe just going to buy him an outfit for £100, but know he can hire for around £70.
Flowers - getting fake ones and doing myself - 2 bouquets, 6 buttonholes - prob bout £100. -Supermarket flowers would probably be alot cheaper..a friend of mine bought bouquets from Tesco...one for her at £15 and bridesmaids £8 each...she just wrapped and tied them up in a bow with white ribbon at the bottom
Decor - wasn't going to do anything apart from some candles and sprinkly table confetti - keep it simple - but was hoping to maybe get some coloured balloons to tie in colour scheme and then kids can get them later to take home. Would also like some candles for outside in little lanterns or similar so they don't blow out in wind... Again don't have much budget.... Look out for lanterns at car boots...or how about getting crafty and use glass food jars. I have seen some really pretty ones on craft sites. You just pop tea lights inside and wrap lace or paper doillies on the outside..or make them rustic with raffia or garden twine around the top and then make a handle to hang from trees or to line the path. You can place candles into sugar in used food jars, then wrap wire around the lid and make a handle..the sugar glistens with the candle is lit. You could contact people who have had weddings or are due to have a wedding to see if you could share the cost of table decs. Or you could just make something really simply with flowers from the supermarket.
Live Music for reception - looking for a guitarist/duo to play for under £200. Is this necessary ..you could just have a disco
Rings - seen loads on ebay shops 2 palladium bands for £220, or 2 white gold for £180, or do I go for titanium or tungsten? not sure.... but like the look of weddingringonline for their rings and feedback score. My engagement ring is 18k white gold. OH wants 6mm and I want 4mm court shaped.
Mailbox - think seen some for about £15 as we have asked for cash gifts for our honeymoon. This would be so simple to make yourself or if you had some card making friends they may make it for you.
Passport - me and my little boy need passports so think that about £100
Legal docs for wedding - no idea!!

No idea what I've missed out - probably loads....

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!! As at the moment there is no room for error in costs....

Good luck for the future and hope it gos really well

debbie_debt

Hello and good luck for the wedding!

We're arranging a wedding on a budget too and have found that if you don't mind a rubbish label on your wedding dress then you can get some lovely gowns in bog-standard stores. Here's my favourite from trying loads on this weekend -

http://www.bhs.co.uk/mall/productpage.cfm/bhsstore/657600/91594

The pics don't do it justice though! and for £120 its just a bargain.

Good luck!

jacksma

Thank you everyone for all your replies, I don't get a lot of time to post, but I've read them all and taken note!! I've managed to get our budget down to £3943 and it's still coming down - OH was laid off a couple of weeks ago - so the savings have been a godsend!! From my original costs of £4,630 I've saved nearly £700!!! :T:j:T:j

Savings - new costs noted below!!

Thanks again :D:D

jacksma wrote: »

OK - I'm a definite lurker on here, and have been reading a lot of the information on here with great interest, and have picked up some excellent tips and ideas.

We are getting married in Stirling on May 28 and have a budget of £4,500, but after finding my partner might lose his job in April, we are trying to get it below the £4,000 tag....

So far this is where I'm at....

Got/Booked/Paid for
Venue - free
Drinks - 90 people £250.
Meal - £1120
Buffet/Canapes - £500
Invitations - made myself
Table plan, order of service, etc... - making myself £40
DJ - £120
Photographer - £300
Hair/make-up for me/bridesmaid - £132
Wedding transport - free by father in law to be driving his nice merc.
Cake - sister in law making for free
Humanist Celebrant - £320
Registrar costs - £80
Wedding Dress - Got a bargain in sale - Alfred Angelo 1136 new, with matching bolero and a beautiful tiara £505!!!!!
Bridesmaid Dress - £68
Kilt - £84
Flowers - Got excellent foam roses in a clearance sale to make 2 bouquets for £20, buttonholes for 8 men £22, flowers for tables £15 and still have a couple little bits to buy...
Decor - £18 for 12 tall glass vases from Au Natural
Rings - £160 for 18ct white gold ring for me and titanium ring for OH.
Passport - £126.50 for me and son
shoes and jewellery - £60 - prob will be less though!!


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