Wedding Tips start here...

Nic_Noc_Noo

costcutterkaz wrote: »

And sorry to be a huge pain but what would I do if I wanted to use pillars instead?

if you click on this link to an M&S wedding cake:
http://www.marksandspencer.com/Marks-and-Spencer-Romantic-Pearl/dp/B00170PCUK?ie=UTF8&ref=sr_1_2&nodeId=77004031&sr=1-2&qid=1305721112&pf_rd_r=0126WWXRRP538G4CC4CE&pf_rd_m=A2BO0OYVBKIQJM&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=77004031&pf_rd_p=215570647&pf_rd_s=related-items-3

in the Product Details section there is a link on "how to stack a cake"

HTH x

costcutterkaz

Nic_Noc_Noo wrote: »

if you click on this link to an M&S wedding cake:
link
in the Product Details section there is a link on "how to stack a cake"

HTH x

Thank you that's fantastic, can't believe how much they are charging though, I think I can make mine for under £30 for a three tiered sponge!

TheOrchard_2

Scotsbride wrote: »

I don't think people are advocating buying dresses from China or counterfeit dresses. I think people are mearly advising that there are sites which offer cheaper dresses which some people have had good experience of some whom haven't been so lucky. Wedding dresses are really expensive and a lot of us simply can't afford to spend in excess of a grand on a dress! if you can suggest ways of buying a good quality dress without spending a fortune we would very much like to hear it.

Not all bridal shops have gowns priced thousands of pounds...With lots of items you pay for the name and it is no different with wedding dresses don't set your heart on a Maggie Sottero or Hollywood Dreams there are other designers that have gowns as good and sometimes better at a fraction of the price...
Discontinued styles can be less than 1/2 price and the shop I am in only has 3 gowns over a thousand..The average price is £500...With sale gowns starting at £100...
Don't go for the pressure sell 'If you buy today you can have it at this price' Obviously with sale gowns when there gone there gone but that is a chance you will have to take but ask if they can put the gown away till tomorrow while you have a think.. If they won't then do you really want to buy it NOW especially if it's the first gown you've tried on...
Please beware of copies....
Have fun....

Miss_Merlot

It's taken me a ridiculously long time but have finally managed to plough my way through all 135 pages of this thread!

Have been engaged to OH since last July but only been planning in earnest since February - date is set for June next year, but being one of those anal-retentive, over-organised types at the best of times, true to form I'm getting everything sorted ridiculously early now.

Not as heroically money saving as some of the pros on here - have been very lucky in that my dad is donating £5000 for the wedding and £5000 for the honeymoon (not that am a spolit daddy's girl by any means - for my wedding my dad just wants to do the traditional thing!). Me and OH are saving for a deposit on a house, so ideally we're looking to keep to that wedding budget as far as possible - looking to keep to £6,500 everything included (bar honeymoon), so only contribute £1,500 in total between us.

Sooooo the breakdown of my costs so far...

Venue: After insane amounts of internet research, we struck gold on our first (and only) venue visit at a Tudor style hotel in Herefordshire, which was surprisingly good value compared to other venues of the same quality. Cost of ceremony / reception / disco room plus service / cutlery / linen / cake stand etc over the whole day £1,650 - not too bad compared to some of the manor houses out there that charge thousands for their wedding packages and nickle and dime you at every turn.

Food / Drinks: We wanted a proper sit-down meal for 60, which is coming in at £1,620 for starter and main - we're serving the cake (chocolate) for the dessert. We're scheduling the ceremony and meal quite late so we don't have to provide a full-on buffet later on in the evening - have negotiated with hotel and they'll provide a few platters of sandwiches and other light bites during the disco at £200, so we're covered for late-night munchies without having to go all out on another separate meal. Drinks package is £900 for 60 people, which we negotiated down by supplementing prosecco for champagne. Would have brought in our own, but corkage was too expensive to really allow.

Ceremony fee: £457. Annoying but not much can do about that one given that I wanted to avoid the hassle of having to get between registry office and venue.

Entertainment: DJ for £350

Decor: Chair covers / sashes / swags / table runners / hire of bevelled mirrors and bubbles vases £200. Still trying to figure out how to fill centrepieces cheaply and in keeping with the overall wedding theme (ivory and gold colours / very contemporary style).

Favours: Got a set of 60 golden boxes of Ebay for £15 which will wrap in ribbon (also Ebay) and fill with gold-foiled choccies - approximate cost £0.30 per person.

Dress: Not a traditional choice, but fell in love with an ivory Jocasta shift dress from Coast bought new at £135. Still looking for a nice jacket, shoes and bridal jewellery to match. Also got some wedding lingerie from ebay for £11.99.

Groom's Outfit: Wearing military uniform, so free!

Bridesmaids: Not having any.

Flowers: Only having the one bouquet (real not silk) at £50 - wanted roses but am having it filled out with freesias and foliage to bring down the price. All other flower stuff (button holes / centre piece fillers) will be silk ones from ebay.

Save the Dates: Wasn't originally planning to do these, but noticed the other day that Vistaprints was doing 250 for £5 on business cards that also included wedding themes, so simply changed the text and then upgraded another £3 to convert them into little magnets as well.

Invites: Making my own with materials all sourced from ebay - approximate cost £20 not including postage, with the added benefit of having the personal touch.

Stationary: Will print out orders of service / menus on plain paper and wrap into a scroll with gold ribbon and place on each person's placemat. Will come up with a table plan design using Microsoft Word, print on large paper and then add a few adhesive jewels and ribbons etc to add a bit of sparkle.

Insurance: Not bought it yet but definitely will - factoring in about £60.

Photographer: £550 for a CD only package from a professional photographer and we'll print / put into albums / upload online ourselves. Could have probably gone cheaper by approaching a local college, but not prepared to risk going with an unknown entity for the sake of a couple of hundred quid.

Hair and make-up: At £200 for trials / on-the-day work another expense I am willing to pay for the sole reason that I am totally rubbish with girlie stuff like that and need outside professional assistance to make me look halfway decent on the day!

Video: Have asked my brother and sister-in-law to do it - don't expect a super polished or professional rendition, but just want a visual record of the day from our own family members.

Cake: My mum will make and will double up as a dessert - otherwise it just seems overkill on the sweet front and lots of cake left over afterwards.

Anyway that's it from me - any suggestions for non-floral, gold-themed centrepieces and where to find a short champagne-coloured jacket gratefully received!

MM x

Katiebride

Hey

Just wondered if could ask a quickie?

Do you just turn up on the day at the Market? For example I want 60 single roses for my tables, do you think that amount would be available? I'm not very good with flowers & don't know how long they last, I mean do you get them the morning of your wedding or the day before?

Hope you can help

Thanks

angelabird wrote: »

Flowers can be extremely expensive, if you're getting married in church sometimes you can arrange with other couples getting married on the same day to share the cost of decorating the church.

Also getting married a day or two after a big religious event usually ensures the church is well decorated.

If you have talented friends in this area you can go to a flower market and get your flowers cheaply. It's where the florists get their flowers and you are allowed to buy there too. We went to Birmingham flower market.

Good Luck

itsjojustjo

folksy and etsy are amazing for jewelry, tiaras etc and look so much more individual...I scoff in the face of bridal shops muwhahahaaaaaa!

Sammyj1988

hi miss merlot just wondering how you upgraded to the magnets on the business cards for £3 cant seem to find a option for it

sam x

Miss_Merlot

Sammyj1988 wrote: »

hi miss merlot just wondering how you upgraded to the magnets on the business cards for £3 cant seem to find a option for it

sam x

Hi Sam,

It was part of a special offer so perhaps you can't at the moment - worth hanging on though as Vistaprint does them very frequently.

costcutterkaz

Katiebride wrote: »

Do you just turn up on the day at the Market? For example I want 60 single roses for my tables, do you think that amount would be available? I'm not very good with flowers & don't know how long they last, I mean do you get them the morning of your wedding or the day before?

Hope you can help

Thanks

Have you thought of wooden roses?
They would last forever and you could always collect them up at the end and give to ur Mum or maid of honour etc as a thankyou!
There's a great selection on ebay and some sell in bulk.

Purple_star_2

Hi

I am not getting married until April 2013 but I'm so excited that I'm already going mad with planning!
I'm going to look at a couple of beautiful old hotels in a couple of weeks, but I'm sort of going off the idea of a hotel. Not only because they are so expensive but my OH has been married before and their wedding was in a very similar style of hotel so ideally I'd like to something totally different so that it's our special day and not just a repeat of his last wedding.

We are getting married in the northeast of Scotland. Does anyone have any ideas for venues where we could provide our own food/drink so wouldn't have to spend £30+ per person on food? I also think that if we did it ourselves rather than with a hotel package that we'd have more freedom to have it exactly how we want it, and I also don't want to start our married life in debt so the cheaper the better!!