Planning a BUDGET Wedding

desperate+determined

Well, Hi folks.

I've been lurking in the background for a while now following posts and gaining inspiration.

My darling OH proposed last month and we're now starting to plan our budget wedding for August 2012. :T

Whe you mention BUDGET wedding to family and friends, they all go "gosh - its supposed to be happiest day of your life you cant do it on a BUDGET"

Well, when someone tells me you can't i turn it in to you can! :rotfl:

I'm planning on doing it all for under 1K. :j
I'm toying with idea of not having a wedding breakfast but a large evening buffet for all guests to keep costs low, whats your thoughts.

I know we're all MSE on here, but who else has got married on 1K or less? Would love to hear from you with feedback or advice. x

elvis86

First of all, congratulations!:D

I've not planned a budget wedding myself, but when OH does pop the question, I imagine our's will err on the side of budget, so it is something I have thought about. Saying that £1000, is a very ambitious budget, I don't envy you!

I think your idea RE substituting a buffet in place of a wedding breakfast is spot on. Depending on the number of guests, catering can quite well eat up the majority of your budget.

My friends are getting married later this year, and they have a pretty tight budget too. However, they got it into their heads that they wanted a sit-down meal, they also have large families. Result is, they've had to settle for a not brilliant venue, and in all honesty, the food looks like it'll be pretty average (sorry if that sounds harsh). Personally, if I had a limited budget I would rather have a better venue, more money for things like outfits etc, and just put on a buffet.

trying_2_b_good

You need to find out what the registry office/church costs are in your area. You'd be suprised how expensive this can be once you've posted notice and got spare certificates! We spent around £450 doing this - but we are getting married in a different district to our home, and the registrar is coming to our venue.

You also need to account for rings and a dress which might take up a chunk of your budget depending on what you're interested in. And decide if a photographer if something you can live without, as they don't come cheap!

But £1k for a big buffet and party should be more than doable!! Good luck!!

Hollie84

Congratulations.i take it u will have a registry office and not a church wedding as there is no way u could do that on £1000 im having a church wedding,wedding breakfast and buffet plus everything else to go with it for £3500.

You will really need to shop around,does this 1k include outfits for men,wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses? please dont me it doesnt lol as i have no idea how u would do that on the budget u have

double_mummy

congrats!!!!!

seeing as you have plenty of time i would start taking as many classes as you can (or that you can get other people to take eg get your mum to do one and then someone else to do another) such as cake decorating/ machine sewing outfits/ jewllery crafting/ flower arranging

by making the stuff yourself you can save loads but for everything you do if you make a couple of extras and then sell them to offset the costs of the ones that you will be keeping then you may be able to make alot of it cost neutral

also if you have any 16-19 year old relatives or family friends ask them to get friendly with the hair and beauty/ catering/ event management students/ photography /textiles (whatever they call it now) to possibly make some dresses etc (these ones as well as pics may also want a model for a show)

go for level 3 students and then u can have everything done pro for hardly any cash (most i know do it for a bottle of something and photos of their work and a little written reccomendation from you) so you could have a buffet at cost price but done by chefs your hair and make up and the BMs done by students with the make up you already have just for some before and after shots

look into things like local scrap stores charity and second hand stores - have a chat with them and if theres anything you are really looking for ask them to put it aside and give you a ring if they get it in - also great for decorations and lots of other things (eg cnetre pieces) very cheap

sweetsounding

Our budget was around £1500, think we have it for about £1300 for everything. Registry, venue, tables and chairs, outfits (no bridemaids/best woman paying own) wine (work in an offie, gets me 20% off but its 25% off in sainsburys come winter) and food. Biggest splurge is wedding rings at £150 each.
Its easy to do really, just be inventive. We just spent like a month trawling the internet for quirky ideas and then decided what we loved, then you either make it, haggle for it or bid for it (ebay is your greatest friend!).
We've basically got our outfits from TK Maxx, £40 dress (down from £120), £7 suit trousers (down from £89).
Buffet and making cupcakes we'll do ourselves / rope in sisters.
70 guests (12 children) ipod and big speakers sorts entertainment. Cute centerpieces, jars as cups, paper straws, ribbon everywhere and paper crane name places (making ourselves too). Invites are proving more difficult but we'll find a laser printer somewhere (possibly hijack university photocopier) as we've already designed them in gimp.
Venue is a converted victorian school, beams, huge windows, beautiful brick work. They supply chairs, table, kitchen with oven microwave, fridge and coffee brewer. £175 inclusive of insurance from 7am to 11pm.
Job sorted.

desperate+determined

elvis86 wrote: »

First of all, congratulations!:D

I've not planned a budget wedding myself, but when OH does pop the question, I imagine our's will err on the side of budget, so it is something I have thought about. Saying that £1000, is a very ambitious budget, I don't envy you!

I think your idea RE substituting a buffet in place of a wedding breakfast is spot on. Depending on the number of guests, catering can quite well eat up the majority of your budget.

My friends are getting married later this year, and they have a pretty tight budget too. However, they got it into their heads that they wanted a sit-down meal, they also have large families. Result is, they've had to settle for a not brilliant venue, and in all honesty, the food looks like it'll be pretty average (sorry if that sounds harsh). Personally, if I had a limited budget I would rather have a better venue, more money for things like outfits etc, and just put on a buffet.

Thank you for the congrats, well if i pull this off i'll be sure to give you tips and help when your OH does propose

desperate+determined

Hollie84 wrote: »

Congratulations.i take it u will have a registry office and not a church wedding as there is no way u could do that on £1000 im having a church wedding,wedding breakfast and buffet plus everything else to go with it for £3500.

You will really need to shop around,does this 1k include outfits for men,wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses? please dont me it doesnt lol as i have no idea how u would do that on the budget u have

Thank you, like you said, i do think that the church is going to eat up he majority of the budget.

I'm hoping the 1K will include all outfits - sorry lol

I've found my dress and the B/ maid dress. Will post a breakdown soon.

Doooford

Hi desperate+determined. Congratulations first off. Just saw this tread and realised that I'm in the same boat as you. Looking at a wedding next year for £1500 and looking at an evening do to keep costs down. We found a Tythe Barn for £600 for hire for 3 days. This way we plan that the attention to detail of friends and usspeding time arranging everything will cover up the fact that we are spending barely anything and all the flower vases are actually old jam jars.
We are going for a 1930's theme but relaxed. The guests are being asked to dress how they are comfortable as that's how we want everyone to feel. The charity shop hunting starts now!
Anyway, don't want to hijack your thread but just wanted to let you know that I may keep an eye for ideas to "borrow" and I'll let you know any brainwaves that we have!

MilneBay

Why not do a later wedding, say 3.30pm - then you can go straight into a buffet to keep costs down.

desperate+determined

double_mummy wrote: »

congrats!!!!!

seeing as you have plenty of time i would start taking as many classes as you can (or that you can get other people to take eg get your mum to do one and then someone else to do another) such as cake decorating/ machine sewing outfits/ jewllery crafting/ flower arranging

by making the stuff yourself you can save loads but for everything you do if you make a couple of extras and then sell them to offset the costs of the ones that you will be keeping then you may be able to make alot of it cost neutral

also if you have any 16-19 year old relatives or family friends ask them to get friendly with the hair and beauty/ catering/ event management students/ photography /textiles (whatever they call it now) to possibly make some dresses etc (these ones as well as pics may also want a model for a show)

go for level 3 students and then u can have everything done pro for hardly any cash (most i know do it for a bottle of something and photos of their work and a little written reccomendation from you) so you could have a buffet at cost price but done by chefs your hair and make up and the BMs done by students with the make up you already have just for some before and after shots

look into things like local scrap stores charity and second hand stores - have a chat with them and if theres anything you are really looking for ask them to put it aside and give you a ring if they get it in - also great for decorations and lots of other things (eg cnetre pieces) very cheap

I'm the ebay queen lol love it (spent 5 years getting out of debt refuse to go back into debt)

My mum can sew, flower arrange - chair covers and flowers sorted (home grown flowers)
I make cards - so making invitaions, etc
I'll be doing my own make up as trained as a bridal make up consultant 2 years ago.
My dad has access to a bueatiful car (with permission from owners hopefully will be the wedding car fingrs x'd)
My cousin is a hair dresser so she'll be doing my hair
My friend is offering to make me a wedding cake as our wedding present.