Planning our wedding

caz2003uk

Maybe the thread title should be changed to budget weddings! Lol.

Debbie: that's a very good point about the bad, I remember speaking to one of these mobile bars at a wedding fayre and he said if there is more than 80 people then they come for free so that will be worth finding more out about once we know where our hall will be! I am off work next week so can really get into ringing these places and getting more details!

Yummymummy: I see your reasons for worrying about the all day in the pub, this is why we are going to try to get the latest time possible at the registry office so we can go from the registry office to the venue (hall) is this something you could arrange? Is it too late to change the time of the ceremony? Then you wouldn't have a time issue!

katie1812

Definitely shop around, don't go with the first thing you see, google it, come on here and research research research! I'd say 90% of the time I've found 'it' cheaper the second or third time around

caz2003uk

Very true Katie, I normally do that with anything I plan on buying anyway so that's the norm! :rotfl:

I phoned the wedding dress shop that's for the larger woman yesterday, spoke to a very very nice lady and booked in there for next wednesday instead of the other place! I feel more excited now because I know how much more comfortable I'm going to feel at this shop as its owned by women who understand how I feel about it all!

Spoke to my bridesmaid at length last night, we discussed a bit more about what we would like her to wear! I was asking her if she would prefer knee length or full length, and she said well that depends on what me and h2b wanted...I then reminded her that we will make a joint decision and that I want her to be comfortable! She then went on to tell me that she knows and understands we don't have a lot of money and that as long as they aren't too expensive she will buy hers and her daughters bridesmaid dresses! Love her!

So now we are on the hunt for 2 lilac dresses, one a size 12/14 and for a 5 year old! Would be nice for them both to be in the same dress but not essential!

cord123

Remember that you can sell alot of stuff on after.... I sold my dress for more than what I bought it for! Same with my shoes, tiara and veil! So if you can afford the initial outlay then I would say bidget in the fact you may get 30 - 40% back - any extra will be a bonus!!

caz2003uk

cord123 wrote: »

Remember that you can sell alot of stuff on after.... I sold my dress for more than what I bought it for! Same with my shoes, tiara and veil! So if you can afford the initial outlay then I would say bidget in the fact you may get 30 - 40% back - any extra will be a bonus!!

That's very true too! But as you say you need to have the money to do it in the first place! Its all about bloody money :mad: lmao

I just hope we can get the registry office and the hall on the same day now we're making a start! Although I don't know if the registry office will let us book as it is more than 12 months

nuatha

caz2003uk wrote: »

I just hope we can get the registry office and the hall on the same day now we're making a start! Although I don't know if the registry office will let us book as it is more than 12 months

We've booked registry office for 21st June 2013. Technically its a provisional booking which will be held until the 21st July 2012 and will be confirmed when we've "given notice" at our local registry office - "notice" is only valid for 12 months.
This means we've been able to go ahead and book our first choice venue, notify people of dates and start planning.
429 days to go and we're currently ahead of schedule - no doubt that will change.

caz2003uk

nuatha wrote: »

We've booked registry office for 21st June 2013. Technically its a provisional booking which will be held until the 21st July 2012 and will be confirmed when we've "given notice" at our local registry office - "notice" is only valid for 12 months.
This means we've been able to go ahead and book our first choice venue, notify people of dates and start planning.
429 days to go and we're currently ahead of schedule - no doubt that will change.

Thanks for that!

At least with a provisional booking we can start making further arrangements!! Oh its all exciting!!!

Did you need any documents with you to provisionally book?

KJT_2

We too were on a tight budget and opted for a 4pm ceremony. We used a hotel for the ceremony and party saves on transport and cars. We had a room where I got ready in peace and had a glass of bubbly with the girls and I made a wonderful entrance down the stairs, we had photo's (inside and out) and had bucks fix in the bar and while the staff transformed the room. It was really nice and quite relaxed.
We made our own:

• invitations - some thick colour co ordinated textured paper, ribbon and glue and they looked great. I enjoyed doing them and the good comments I got back
• menu cards - to match the invitations
• flower arrangements - table centres were gold spray painted terracota pots with a big church candle in the middle, surrounded with trailing ivy (put into the garden planters afterward) and curled ribbon to match invites. We invested in 2 standard bay trees that we put white lights on and a big bow - they are now outside our front door and a wonderful reminder of our day and provided a great background for the photos of us signing the register. We also did the same on a cheap garden arch - covered it in ivy - from our garden, white fairy lights and ribbon it provided a great entrance for the 'aisle' and a great photo opp on our exit.
• We bought tall 'bunches' of sticks and put lights in them - and can be used as home decor afterward - made the room look soflty lit and romantic for the party after.
• We put floristry ribbons on the backs of the chairs - very cheap from your local wholesalers - but look great and add to the look.
• We made our own cake - made slabs of fruit cake and lemon drizzle cake (with help from a friend) and decorated with marzipan and pre rolled icing which we cut into squares, decorated with flowers and ivy leaves stamped out of icing. They were put into gold cases and displayed on a matching cake stand (that we also created from boards and stand and draped in ivy ...etc) very effective

We also bought a video camera and got a friend to video the ceremony and party for us - choosing to invest in a camera we could use later. The video is great - definitely not professional but .. captures the romance, fun and vibe of the party and is much more relaxed and interatctive with our friends and family than a regular one.
The whole look and day was individual, unique, romantic and got lots of great feedback.

It seems quite daunting to DIY and stick to a budget but I enjoyed it and when I consider how many people we are no longer in contact with after only a few years .. Im very glad I stuck to budget. All the best and Good luck

KJT

nuatha

caz2003uk wrote: »

Spoke to my Mum last night, her close friend has offered to do the buffet for us! He reckons £150-£200 will cover it, but he will do all the work involved which we think is fantastic! Im sure we wont find a caterer to do the same lol

I catered a friends wedding buffet in the summer of 2010, catering for 110 cost £130, just costed the same menu at £273, whereas I knew prices had gone up I was quite shocked by how much. It might be worth asking friend to double check his figures and then add a safety margin since we've a year of price rises still to go. (Saves any nasty surprises at the last minute)
I'm just starting work on our menus and wondering whether adding 20% to the costs will be sufficient margin
HTH

nuatha

caz2003uk wrote: »

Thanks for that!

At least with a provisional booking we can start making further arrangements!! Oh its all exciting!!!

Did you need any documents with you to provisionally book?

Provisional booking was done over the phone, no documents, no deposit. Just names, address and contact phone number. The phone call was to enquire how we booked it, five minutes later we had the time and date we wanted. Once we have the "notice" sorted at the end of June we have to go in pay deposit.