cheap wedding?

Seanymph

OH and I have been engaged for years - and now feel the time is right to get on with it (new house etc).

Our options are;
Las Vegas - no guests, him and me, honeymoon thrown in - I need to know how to do this as cheaply as possible and cost it.
Local registry office, no guests, pop down there on a Tuesday morning. Problem is my kids would want to come, then we have to invite his who don't live with us, then his parents would find out...and so it would go on.
A 'small' local wedding - but these things spiral out of control (see guests above).
Not telling anyone, he and I on a Tuesday morning. Well, I'd feel like I should invite my girls to be honest.......

Any inspiration for cheap nuptials?

Lotus-eater

We're just doing exactly that :rotfl:

Registry office with only both our parents there, no one else knows about it, even the parents don't know yet. Then off to a restaurant for dinner.
Bought our rings online and nothing else to pay for. Only the registry office fees, which come to £215!! That's not cheap to start with tbh.

edit Our kids are coming too

lynzpower

How much really would it cost to have your daughters at your signing at the registry office? They can surely come down even in the clothes that they have? What extra does it cost?

I personally feel weddings are a family event, and what would it really cost for your nearest and dearest to have a pub meal or some sandwiches and music back at the house?

If you can afford a couple of loaves of bread, some fillings, and a cheap cake, and have a stereo you have the makings of a party.

I think, honestly, you can take things too far in the moneysaving department. This should be one of the most special and memorable days of your life.

JBD

How about a registry office do, then a party/reception in your home? Either a buffet or a barbecue, make it as relaxed as you like it then.

McKneff

Cost for a small family wedding with your children and both your parents would cost a sight less than a Las Vegas wedding.

Your choices seem to go from the sublime to the ridiculous. I really dont understand this.

Your quite happy to spend a lot on going to Las Vegas, but dont want to spend money on family guests to help you celebrate.

I have to agree with Lotus Eater, small family get together at the RO and a small buffet party at home.

Me personally, I would be really hurt and upset if my daughter just upped and got married without me and dad being there.
I know its their day but ...............

Seanymph

Ah, the missing piece of the puzzle is that I have no contact with my father and sporadic contact with my mother - invited her to my first wedding and she refused to come. So no family on my side at all I'm afraid.

His daughter will almost certainly refuse to come - stropped off the moment she turned 16, and if she DID come would cause a drama and want to be the focus of the day.

But I don't want to exclude her - if I invite the other 4 children she should be invited too.

It's the politics of inviting family, not the finance.

OH's parents have been divorced for about 20 years, the father is still with the woman he had the affair with......... if we invited his mum and dad then dad's partner of 24 years wouldn't come..... hence the attractiveness of las vegas.

It's the politics of family, not the money of inviting family that stops me wanting a 'family' do.

However, my first wedding cost over £15,000 and he moved out in less than 6 months. This time, all we want is to be married, no great public display, no orchestrated event, no me feeling terribly sorry for myself about my parents (who have been divorced 42 years and would NEVER be in the same place at the same time!)....

gingin_2

I got married in Vegas, it was fun but expensive. If you can afford a foreign honeymoon on top of your wedding then I thoroughly recommend combining your wedding and honeymoon and doing it there. The license and the actual wedding itself were as cheap as chips but the hotel on the strip, the flights, the nice, meal afterwards, the gambling, the shows, the drinks etc. etc. all add up. All I can suggest to keep costs down is to go at an off peak time. I still tell OH that I would divorce him just so I could do it again ( with him of course!). We took 10 people with us that we couldn't say no to but I would have preferred it to be just me and OH as I spent a lot of time organising and stressing about everyone else.

Seanymph

what's 'off peak' gingin?
To be honest we don't have anyone we would take - it would be him and I.

In fact, I think answering people is helping me to work out what my issues actually are.

gingin_2

Seanymph wrote: »

what's 'off peak' gingin?
To be honest we don't have anyone we would take - it would be him and I.

In fact, I think answering people is helping me to work out what my issues actually are.

Not at peak/ busy times - like school holidays. If you go in november/ early december, hotels, flights will be cheaper but you won't get the good weather or so much buzz but worth it if you are watching the pennies.

McKneff

Yes, I see, I suppose we dont know your family circs.

In that case, just you two and all the children, the 16 year old will probably not accept so just do it. Her Loss

Make it a special day for the six of you though, something really different, someone will come up with some suggestions.

Where abouts in the country are you.

flora48

If all you want is to be married then do it at RO with a couple of strangers as witnesses. You will never be able to please everyone.