Why is it....

clearing_out_my_pockets

The sad thing is that these kinds of attitudes aren't restricted to these boards - during the planning of our wedding, one of my bridesmaids kept saying "I think that's really frivolous - at MY wedding I was happy to do without that just so we could be married". She told me that her wedding cost £2,000... Well - it cost THEM £2,000. Her mum paid for the wedding breakfast. drinks & buffet, her nan made the cake and her mum paid for her wedding dress. Bridesmaids bought their own shoes, did their own hair & makeup etc and her dad provided the wedding car.

At our wedding, we had a marquee (normal hire price £2,500 plus VAT - we paid £420), we hired our own choir as we didn't like the one the church provided, we provided a coach for our London based guests, we had a sit down meal, a limited free bar (capped at £1k), I had two dresses (one for ceremony, one for dancing) and I paid for all bridesmaids hair and make up (as well as my mum's and gran's hair). The orders of service were hand made, as were the confetti cones and the table plan. Invites & other stationary came from vistaprint.

The main thing that people have said to us since the wedding is that you could see how much DH & I love each other - "The day was centred around family and love". Another friend said that when her OH proposes, she'd like me to arrange their wedding, although with a smaller budget. To which I asked "So how much do you think our wedding cost then???" She thought it was up there with the national average. Her chin hit the floor when I told her that (excluding the honeymoon) it was £9.5k. The bitter bridesmaid still maintains that we must have spent £20k plus.....

White_Sapphire

COMP, your bridesmaid was so rude!! I think I'd have sacked her...

And as for your MSE skills, I am in awe :T:T:T

Idiophreak

zcrat41 wrote: »

We were away for 4 weeks and I don't think I ever knew such luxury existed! The posh hotels were just incredible.

Sounds like you got very good value for money, tbh - luxury doesn't come cheap!

We spent over 10k on ours, but didn't live in the lap of luxury - we only had one slightly "naughty" night - which is when we had one of the swanky suites at the Gatwick Hilton the night before we flew (and even that we picked up in a half price sale ).

becca0417

I agree. We have a 5k budget but my parents have also helped out so the cost of our wedding will be higher than this. That's not including our Florida honeymoon. However, I feel we have got a lot for our money so far by using this forum so thank you all

workinginoz

Totally agree OP.
As I am organising my wedding in Scotland, from Australia, I will have to stump up for a "fancy" venue as I won't be there to hand make decorations and need a place with a proper wedding coordinator to just take care of it. I don't feel I can burden people with that on my behalf, despite offers of time and help. Also the control freak in me doen't want favours or centrepieces made that I can't see myself!
I am paying probably 1k over my budget for the meal and venue etc but it saves us stress. Our trip home for the wedding is also our honeymoon and we got a great deal on a brilliant wedding photgrapher.
I will be chancing the Chinese dress maker my friend used for her wedding dress (ended up stunning) and this will save us money again to go towards paying for that convenience.
We have been given some money by my OH's family, which is a fantastic help too.

I think there's a mix on this forum, yet many people seem to think there's only one kind of wedding, but it's what suits each bride and each family at the end of the day. I won't be having a band for example, as I can't think of anything more painful but, I enjoyed the bands at my friend's wedding as it was "her".

clearing_out_my_pockets

White_Sapphire wrote: »

COMP, your bridesmaid was so rude!! I think I'd have sacked her...

And as for your MSE skills, I am in awe :T:T:T

I almost did on several occassions but then her bridesmaid dress would have gone to waste

Cheeky mare even said to me recently that she needs a long, dark formal dress to wear for a ball in November but she hasn't got anything nice in her wardrobe. Erm.... your bridesmaid dress??? :mad:

(I don't speak to her much any more )