Wedding Tips start here...

Salazar4

LouiseMarie wrote: »

Hello There! Great thread and Tips. Thought I would add some ideas. Hope they are helpful!

I am planning my wedding for August 2012 and to save money I have booked the wedding for a friday. The venue cost and registrar was alot cheaper than the Saturday price. Also as my partner is quite shy I have avoided having a big 'reception' by having a late ceremony (4pm) for 27 guests. By the time we have had ceremony/ photos/ finished the meal it will be quite late so not such a need for a evening reception. Which means less cost but I have still spent the day with the people that matter!

For the save the dates I found some postcards in paperchase which were for the 'royal wedding' but in the sale they were 20p each. The cards just had 'wedding' on but were really pretty. As many as I could I hand delivered which then saved on postage.

I have also made a FREE wedding website which people can see all the details of the ceremony, venue, food menu, schedule of the day, important info, transport details, etc people can rsvp online (saving them the cost of postage and a fancy card) and contact you online and upload their photos of the day onto the website which you can then download for FREE ! You can also have a 'guest book' page where people can leave messages saving the need for a guest book you can print these out and use them in a normal album. The site I used was getting married dot com You can set the privacy so guests enter it only by password (the info of the site I have included on the save the date).

I plan on using silk flowers which work out very economically. You can buy them in advance tailored made to your colours - see bridal bouquets dot com (they are also on facebook) this means beautiful flowers you and your party can keep as a memory of the day (saving money on party favours) and no hassle on the day for anyone needing to collect flowers. Because of the other savings I can afford to buy corsages for all the guests and they are really beautiful and bespoke which they can keep!

For tailor made wedding dresses/ flower girls dresses/ bridesmaid dresses there are many UK sites offering dresses at amazing value. You send them the exact measurements you require and make them to fit AND allow extra fabric in case you need to increase any of the measurements. Because they are tailor made there are no refunds though.

For the cake I am buying plain fruit cake and icing it myself using shop bought rolled icing.

If i find anymore tips I will post them on here! Half the fun is finding a bargain!

those are very helpful,thanks

bubbles0169

bizliz27 wrote: »

Hi all!
I am getting married October 2012 and so far only have church and venue booked. I am looking to book the photographer today but have hit a bit of a query. We have opted to pay extra so that he will cover up to the first dance. Now this obviously includes the speeches and also the breakfast. But what Im worried about it whether I will be expected to feed him while we're eating!? It's probably a silly question but someone aways said that if you have a band they will need to be fed and I didnt know if it was the same with a photographer - seeing as he's going to be there nearly as long as I am!!

Thoughts?!
thanks!
Elizabeth xxx

i dont get why some photographers expect to be fed while they are working?
i work sometimes from 9 am until 10pm obviously with the legal time of in the middle for breaks/lunch break but they do not provide my food, if you want to save even more money choose one that doesnt expect to be fed, no matter how small the meal cost!

Roz_V

bubbles0169 wrote: »

i dont get why some photographers expect to be fed while they are working?
i work sometimes from 9 am until 10pm obviously with the legal time of in the middle for breaks/lunch break but they do not provide my food, if you want to save even more money choose one that doesnt expect to be fed, no matter how small the meal cost!

To play devils advocate, I assist a wedding photographer and we have always been fed. Not necessarily the same as the guests are having - sometimes just a sandwich & some crisps - but always something. We would never eat in the same room as the guests, we always find a quiet room to sit.

We are on our feet from around 10am for bridal preparations and don't stop until the party is well underway at 10pm with our only break being whilst the guests are eating. Often there is nowhere around the venue to get something else if food is not provided by the couple, and we can't really leave the premises as we need to be on hand for when the speeches start.

sugarwalsh

It is a strange one - we are feeding ours, but then she is a friend and is doing it at a great rate. However, I am inclined to think the photogrphers should bring some sandwiches etc themselves. When I have worked on weddings we always fed the other staff - it was good for morale and meant that you all worked well together. Plus if you befriend the other staff they may well recommend your hotel/catering company etc to other brides and grooms.

I think it rude of a photographer to expect to be fed, but nice if they do get fed!

MEgan

bubbles0169

Roz_V wrote: »

To play devils advocate, I assist a wedding photographer and we have always been fed. Not necessarily the same as the guests are having - sometimes just a sandwich & some crisps - but always something. We would never eat in the same room as the guests, we always find a quiet room to sit.

We are on our feet from around 10am for bridal preparations and don't stop until the party is well underway at 10pm with our only break being whilst the guests are eating. Often there is nowhere around the venue to get something else if food is not provided by the couple, and we can't really leave the premises as we need to be on hand for when the speeches start.

i understand the workings involved in the photgraphers role, and id assume the photographer/assitant would understand what would entail too but i still dont know why you cant take your own food? as i said sometimes i work long hours in a day but they dont provide the food

lauraposner

Hi everyone

Just had the most fantastic wedding..apart from a bit of rain on our honeymoon it all went brilliantly. I used quite a few bits of advice from here so thought I'd now give a little back..

Insurance - def shop around, try Quidco for cashback (we got Debenhams through there).

Photos - if you can arrange to get the album done yourself you'll probably save a lot of money. (Our photographer gave us the full quality photos.) We bought from Photo Productions, same quality as the Italian photo books that some photographers showed us but they're in the UK and much cheaper as you're going direct to them rather than through the photographer (google them for their website). Our albums are really lovely, I'd def recommend them.

Venue/bar - ours let us bring our own alcohol, so we bought it from Booker cash and carry and gave it to them the previous week, saved a lot of money.

Wedding planner - we didn't actually have one, but my sister-in-law is currently using one, and much to my surprise seems to be getting good prices on things.

Honeymoon - once you find the place/hotel you want then google for that particular hotel and you might get it cheaper. We booked through Travel Republic.

Okay..must get back to work now..will post more when I think of them.

Good luck everyone!
xx Laura

:j

nickki44

I'll just add to the good advice above - i tried to work until the day before the wedding - however organised you think you are, you WILL need more time off work than you think!! We were in asda and tesco at midnight, knowing that we needed to be up before 6.30am for the hair & beauty lady....

If i could do it again - i wuld hire a wedding planner - she would then be responsible for all those last minute stresses!

Invest in a hair & make up artist - a good one is worth every single penny invested!
Remember, this isn't just your wedding day, it is the day you will have most photographs of to remind you of everything! a special make up artist knows the tricks to make you look better by hiding those imperfections that you hate - mine was amazing! AND she helped me into my dress as all my maids had false nails and were struggling with the corset lol

bubbles0169

what did you have to get from the shop that late?

nickki44

A needle and cotton for the dog's outfit! lol

and 3 bottles of champagne for the top table xxx

White_Sapphire

limelites is a spammer. Just googled 'silk flowers limelites', and whaddya know, there's a link....