MoneySaving Weddings Article Discussion

L.Jeffs

I normally find Martin Lewis's tips fantastic, but recommending brides to buy from eBay (China) is a disaster waiting to happen. What these factories are doing is illegal, and you have no way of getting your money back.

Please view Brides Beware on facebook for examples of why this is a bad idea.

AliBur

One way of saving money on flowers is to go to a florist who offers pick your own wedding flowers.

Not many places offer it but we used Blooming Green Flowers in Kent. We were limited to what's was in season but I really enjoyed picking and learning how to arrange the flowers, they looked amazing and we saved on the arranging costs and they lent us all of the vases too.

louisex13

Myself & my husband were on a very tight budget for our wedding with not much extra support from the family! I managed to get my dress from Preloved & it was such a stunning design, no body could even tell it was second hand! Our biggest issue was the page boy & flower girl outfits as it was always our plan to have all of out little siblings, nephews & nieces, etc included in the service.

We ended up being recommended an online childrens formal wear shop called Roco Clothing (rococlothing.co.uk). At first, we were a little bit wary because of sizing and being online only etc but they seemed very willing to help us with measurements and finding the right styles! Some of their suits and dresses start from as little as £15 so I'd definitely recommend these on to anyone here who's marrying on a budger! :j

anjybabes

we had the most amazing wedding in aug this year, for under £1000, we had everything we wanted including a bouncy castle. we asked 4 very good amature photographers to take some photos and out of the hundreds we received we managed to get a good album full of really good images!
the main thing we saved money on was making things ourselves, we did the decorations/invites and even the food & home made cordials/wine/beer.

bythes

Hi All,

Just wanted to let you know that we are willing to provide wedding photography for free this year.

We are experienced photographers, however we have only recently moved into wedding photography and need to build up a portfolio before we will start charging for weddings.

Further details can be found on our website - google photoma wedding photography

This would help anyone on a budget to typically save £500-1000

All the best planning your big day,
Scott
Photoma Photography

cheznal

We got married 'on the cheap' . We got married on 07/07/07 but I ensured that my day was great fun, a 'white wedding' and the day we dreamed of.
I bought my dress for £499.00 at a wedding shop. I did pay for the last half of it out of some money I was given by my uncle but I also paid half of it over a period of a year and a half from my 'tips' from working at the social club/pub I worked at.
I wanted to get married in a church near to my Grandas house - that cost me £425!!
*We got married at 3pm, which meant no 'wedding breakfast' and then evening 'do'
*Afternoon get together was in the back room of a local pub - free because my Granda knew the owners for a long long time and did work for them - I paid £15 for a buffet of hot roast spuds, sandwiches, seafood platter, cheese and crackers, sausage rolls - basic 'snack buffet'
*I walked to the church from my Grandas house (about 5 minutes away), and then walked to the pub across the road for our 'afternoon do' with family and very close friends only - apparently I was the only bride to have ever walked across the churchyard and into the church as of that time - don't know if I've been outdone yet
* Wedding rings - mine is a 9k white gold 'patterned' band - very unusual and I haven't seen another one yet anywhere! It cost me £42 from 'Half Price Jewellers' but I don't think they are trading anymore. My husbands is a plain, solid Titanium band, which cost a whopping £12!!
* I made my own bouquet, bridesmaids bouquets and all the buttonholes for the men (£15) - cost me the skin off my fingers and thumbs but it was worth it
* I made favours from small votive candles wrapped in cream/burgundy tulle and tied with contrasting ribbons (£15 to buy all the craft gear and candles)
* Bridesmaids dresses/flowergirls dresses were bought from ebay/charity shops - they were all different to suit each girls' style but all the same colour
* Tiaras, Shoes, bag etc were all bought on ebay
* I did my own hair and makeup
* Photographer was a friend of mine and it cost me £40 for 400 photos
* Evening do was held in a social club which my dad had been a member of for many many years, room was free
* DJ was a family friend and I gave him £30 for the privilege
* My beautiful 3 tier cake was made by a very dear friend of my mam and nanna and was gifted to us as a wedding present from their 'friday night girls'
* Husbands suit was £17 from PRIMARK!
* My ushers/best man were happy enough to wear their own suits, we just provided the matching ties
* Food at the evening do was all done by me, my mam, my sister and my aunt the night before and delivered at the venue by my aunt and uncle
* We were transported from the pub to our nighttime do by a local minicab firm, who I used every night when I was working at the pub to get home, and I got a deal on 2 minibuses for £15 to transport the 'wedding party' - most guests had their own cars and were happy to transport other guests
* We went home, to our own home, after the 'do' and sat on the living room floor with a brew, happily married, to open our cards and gifts.
* Bridesmaids and Ushers gifts were bought online, with the exception of my brothers gifts which were bought from the football club they support - I bought them the football clubs emblem as a necklace as it's what they'd expressed interest in - those cost me £20 each ! x

My whole wedding, without including my dress as I didn't pay for that all *technically*, cost me around £700 and it was one of the most amazing day of my life - (giving birth to my son was another amazing day!) It was a fab day and night, it's still the talking point of many get togethers with some very good friends - apparently weddings in social clubs are the best ever because the drink is cheap! I'd do it all again given the chance - I even made my sisters bouquets and button holes for her wedding too. £1.00 a bunch of silk flowers from local market, craft wire cutters, safety pins and 2 rolls of florists tape from a florists and you're laughing.

Happy weddings People, it CAN be done cheap and still have a mint day! x GOOD LUCK xx

i_love_choclate

Candy Cakes!!! AVOID THIS COMPANY!!!

Candy Cakes Group, Head Office, 114 Draycott Ave, London, SW3 3AE


I ordered four cupcakes from a company named Candy Cakes to be delivered to my partner’ office for Valentines Day.

I was hugely disappointed by the service I received from Candy Cakes:-

The courier arrived 3 hours later than scheduled,

Then the cakes were dumped on someone else’ desk, the box was open (as it the lid would not close properly) and everyone in his office read the personal note which I sent to him.

In addition the box was wet and the cakes were squashed.

I emailed the company and they refused to accept blame OR do anything about it!

In order to stop other people from being mistreated, I thought I would share my negative experience with Candy Cakes.

Thanks

RevdJames

I got married myself last year and also solemnise weddings as part of my role as a Vicar. Although prices are going up, it is possible to get married in a Church fairly cheaply. At our church, for an organist, myself, all the legalities even printing the service thrown in costs less than £500. We had a lovely service, highly personalised, and had a drink over in the Church Hall afterwards and this kept the costs down. In a church the flowers are already there and it is already a beautiful venue so no need for further decorations. HOWEVER, please be careful with the dates. Please contact the Vicar before any other arrangements as we are busy people these days and our availability, especially at weekends is booked up well in advance. Popular dates such as the summer are also booked up well in advance. Booking everything else before the Vicar gives the impression that the marriage ceremony is the least important part whilst it should be the most important..... And please please avoid Sundays (to keep costs down people often try an book Sunday weddings). We are busy doing lots of services then and churches are unavailable.

sarahj88

I'm getting married later this year and I've noticed there are quite a few websites to help you plan, and get suppliers etc, anyone had any good experiences with, and can recommend any sites?

Edit: I've found a website called UKbride, seems quite good for finding cheaper suppliers as you can submit a request for quotes from local photographers etc, should save a lot of time hunting around getting quotes!

FrugalWorker

We got our wedding rings made at a local jewellers - just plain gold bands. But I didn't want new gold for environmental reasons - also turned out to be very money saving. We brought in old jewellery that had been handed down to me from my granny, I needed a little more, so also threw in a gold chain that was given to me as a christening gift from my God parents. The jewellery I used had sentimental value, but wasn't jewellery that I wore. There was enough gold to get bands made for both myself and my husband and we get to continue to wear it on a daily basis and always remember where I got it from. It worked out about half the price of equivalent new gold rings because of the price of gold at the moment.