Wedding Tips start here...

Amethyst_Spencer

mrschapman2be wrote: »

Hi - have been reading this blog for about a year (no kidding) its been invaluable whilst trying to arrange a money saving wedding. My problem is that I cannot find a shop anywhere near where either myself or my parents live, which stocks sample wedding gowns above a 12?!
I live in Sheffield, and my parents North London, and I travel between the two often. I am around a size 18 in bridal gowns. Im hoping someone could give me some advice as Im losing all confidence with it now. Every shop I have set foot in has been either really rude and/or have tiny samples. I have been left in my underwear on the shop floor in some cases! I have been sneered at by moody shop assistants who cant be bothered to even try to help me into dresses, some just held dresses against me or put the dress on and left it gaping at the back!
Am I the only one who is really frustrated with stroppy shop assistants/owners?!
Sorry not really a money saving question but is driving me nuts!!
Thanks in advance x

Hi MrsChapman2be,
You are the first Ive seen in this forum to mention North london, so i thought I would reply.

Dont loose faith, have you chosen your location for your big day? If north london I have a few tips for the local area of Tottenham/London.

I will probably get my dress on line, Ive found a site yourbridalwear.com doing dresses in + sizes from £140!!!! and they are beautiful!

Hope to hear from you soon

Soon to be Mrs Spencer

Toothfairy4

Amethyst, just to warn you it is seen as v suspicious when someone makes their first post here promoting a business!

mdhughes03

Okay so some are going to cringe when I tell you what I've done with my dress and I wouldn't reccomend it for the faint hearted but.....

I bought a beautiful Maggie Sottero dress from ebay for £65 :j which stated it needed to be dry cleaned and came with an orange stain on the skirt! argh! anyway, obviously it says dry clean only but I paid less than the dry cleaning estimate for the dress so decided to risk a home-fix. So... (cover your ears Linda!) mother dearest went and bought some original Fairy Liquid (the green stuff) and with a very clean cloth and some water and very delicate dabbing, every single mark has come off the dress perfectly. I think the trick is not to use lots of water so there's no water mark left. Yes it was a risk but one I was willing to take and sooooooo glad I did it!

xxx

veggie_vicky

Hi everyone,

I bought my wedding dress last week and going to pick it up this week and got it for £450 and it was half price! If anyone lives in the North east of England i would definately recommened going to this place, its called Bridal Factory Outlet in Northallerton, its only been open 3 weeks!

Also i dont know if anyone has mentioned a website called light in the box, great for cheap bridesmaid dresses! I am getting my 4 bridesmaids them off there and they work out at £57 quid each! such a bargain! and you get a sash free with some of them!

I would also recommened getting your cake from the m&s website if you just want a plain cake and decorate it yourself!

hope this is helpful to anybody

pinkangelbabe

Hi Everyone!
Wow just found this thread thanks to my future mother-in-law!
I'm getting married in May so not long to go!
We're saving money by :

• getting married at 3pm and not having a meal, we're just having a buffet about 6pm.
• not doing favours
• only hiring suits for my partner and his bestman
• I got my dress for £250 in a half price sale! I did take a risk cause I got it when I was 25 weeks pregnant so had a bump! Luckily it fits now I've had the baby!
• I got my bridesmaids dresses in the sales
• My partners family are doing the food - we're having a hot buffet not a meal - so don't have to worry about menus or seating plans!
• We're not doing favours
• We hired a local village hall - lots cheaper than a hotel. We just had to get a licence for the drink and sort that out ourselves - again cheaper
• We've set up a honeymoon fund rather than a gift list - we don't need anything after living together for 4 years, and would rather get to go somewhere special. Does mean we aren't going on holiday straight away but thats fine by me (especially as our daughter will only be 5 months old!)
• Printing our own invites
• asking people to help out! my nanny is making my cake, family is all helping with food, my friends band is playing (in exchange for us doing their wedding photos a week later!), friends are going to help set the hall up, my partners cousin is doing our wedding photos (she's a wedding photographer)

If I think of anything else will post again - now just to start looking through all the other great tips!

Sarah x xx

PJ1

Hi Everyone,
Just wanted to add my two penny worth to this board as it's proving so useful to me. We are getting married on 5th August 2010, a Friday so that's saved a lot already. I've given us a budget of £2500 which sounds a huge amount to spend to me but I'll do my best to get everything for less.
We only got engaged two weeks ago, (no, I'm not pregnant!) and were going to wait til next year but after researching some venues found that the Holiday Inn is offering a wedding package for £999 but couldn't say whether they will do again next year, so we brought the date forward.
So far my money-saving ideas (obviously all pinched from here) have been
No photographer-sister taking main pics and disposable cameras for all guests.
:)No videographer-ditto.
:)Doing own stationary on computer
:)Bought ex-display dress on internet-only needs a clean as unworn, just handled.
:)Artificial flowers-beautiful quality, half price of real and get to keep.
:)Doing cake myself-three tiers of fruit cake from Tesco, bit of alcohol soaked on and then decorated with pre-made sugar paste, ribbon, metal rings and figurine, cost £140 which includes decorated sponge for fussy ones and little ones and cake boxes for transporting and as favours.
Havent yet decided on decoration of room, but their will be an open bar, informal host, afternoon sandwich buffet, evening hot-pot buffet, red carpet, disco, cava for toast, accommodation for us, and obviously all room hire included. Its good too as both families are flung far & wide so they can all stay there and they have good spa facilities too!
I am stressed a bit but looking forward to it and can't believe how much I've achieved in two and a half weeks.
Good Luck to anyone else getting married in the near future,
Now back to reading all the posts for more ideas!
P. :T

FlowerRose

hi i'm a first time poster and have enjoyed reading all the hints and tips on here. I've come across some good websites on my trawl around the internet for inspiration.
A great Idea:-
Alternative to a wedding cake is a 'Desert Table' decorated with cupcakes, chocolates and truffles, colourful sweets, Mr Kipling French Fancies and flowers.

To give you an idea of how a desert table could look, check out the pictures on this website alkemie.blogspot.com/2008/12/amy-atlas-stunning-desserts-and-table.html

It's a great way to serve up desert where everyone is sure to like something.

- Waitrose do decorated pretty pink cupcakes 12 for £12
- chouchoute.co.uk have some lovely hand made chocolates 34 chocs for £22
- Or check out Thorntons and supermarkets for cupcakes, maybe even you local bakery/cake shop/chocolate shop.

You could also include a small cheese tower on the table for those that like savory rather than sweet. Decorate with grapes and flowers. houseofcheese.co.uk/acatalog/Weddings.html

Hope this 'Desert Table' idea has given some of you food for thought. It's very creative as you can decorate it with the colour theme of your wedding and add sweet jars and pretty little dishes for the cakes and chocolate to sit on or even colourful hat boxes with cup cakes in them.

After doing this little bit of research i'm definitly sold on the idea and will be doing it for my wedding. Can't wait!!

kymbo82

I read something the other day about saving all the petals from flowers brought buy H2B or anyone really to use as confetti instead of buying it, I love the idea and have started saving them in my daughters shoe box

PJ1

Just a thought to anyone out there as stupid as me!!! Remember to give Notice of Marriage well in advance. I very well may have to cancel my wedding now as I booked the venue etc, then booked the registrar who told me I have to take my Final Divorce to my local regisrty office in one month's time! I'm not yet divorced.:eek: That sounds terrible but I've been separated for 8 years and decided to get married this year (we've been together 7 and a half years) but haven't actually got divorced yet!! Yes I know I'm stupid but hopefully it'll all get sorted-fingers crossed.

PJ1

I#d just like to ask what is the point of wedding favours? I haven't been to many weddings and I don't get it I'm afraid-same with party bags for kids. Surely the point is to come and celebrate your marriage with you and enjoy the day, and if it's to say thanks for coming, would anyone really drive across the country expecting to be thanked and be happy receiving a few sugared almonds or something? Please enlighten me. As you can see I am still optimistically planning my wedding!! (See above post)
PJ