Wedding Tips start here...

FairyElephant_2

Hiya,

Got a band sorted now - phew! Also gained an extra bridesmaid at the weekend! (well, as I managed to find patterns for blouses just what I want, and there is a good & cheap material shop in town, I think I can afford it - each outfirt - skirt & blouse - is coming in at about £12 to make!).

Have been playing around on Ebay and found some very cheap jewellery pouches - large size ones which match my colour scheme ( so will help to make the tables look nice) at 50 for £10 incl p&p, so changed my mind and we WILL have favours!....my friend made her own last year and it took absolutely hours, so I am well chuffed with this idea...now to decide what to put into them...something inexpensive but fun....like the idea of Love Hearts sweets, but would be nice to have a keepsake....

alison6692

I am putting a box in the middle of my table with some wedding trivia. Those fortune telling fish. Bubbles. Glitter.
And... My own handmade - well rather hand decorated jars of old style sweets like humbugs and rhubarb and custard sweets. My whole family are collecting jars for the sweets and then I am going to make my own labels to stick on and buy some nice ribbon to tie round them.

Also

Can anyone help me. I have found my dress - It an Alan Hannah one - Fleurette. Only I can't afford it. Does anyone have any money savings ideas to help get the dress of my dreams!!!!

macchicken

Just been on the alan hannah website to get a better idea of what your after, its beautiful.
Theres loads of discount stores online for dresses, also post a request for help on the confetti website.
If you get on joy you could allways go to a dressmaker and get a quote for something similar but with maybe a few twists of your own, so you can have a truly unique dress.
Happy shopping

FairyElephant_2

You can always get printout piccies of your dream dress and take them to dressmaker and ask what they will charge for something similar - depends if you can find a clever enough dressmaker...also try looking for dress patterns which are similar in style, and can mayve be adapted...

Failing that - if you HAVE to have THAT DRESS then you'll need to do some money saving/earning ideas:

OPEN A WEDDING SAVINGS ACCOUNT:

- Have a clear out and do a boot sale or sell stuff on ebay (make sure you tell people what you are selling stuff to get money for - lots are romantic and soppy and will be more generous that way! - and after all you are genuine, so you are not ripping them off!).

- Do all Martin's 'money diet' ideas and put all savings into account.

- Do old style 'pin money' and 'grocery' challenges and put money into account.

I have been doing the above, and counted out all our savings in the 'penny jars' etc, and am up to £500 in the 'Wedding Savings' account, which will pay for my dress, his suit and the material for bridesmaids outfits.

Madly ebaying for accessories lately - got bridemaids tiaras for £3 each, mine for £10, various bits of jewellery etc all at good prices. Worth looking if you can find the time to sort the wheat from the chaff (and not get carried away with the bidding!).

Good luck!

F.E.

FairyElephant_2

..earlier in this thread -
They have sets of 20 at B&Q for 99p at the moment.

alison6692

I got this idea from confetti - Cake Toppers!!!!!

Try and search around in Christmas Decorations as fancy Toppers.

Hope this gives someone an idea that they hadn't already thought of.

xxx

across

be careful to think about wedding bands yesterday i lost a diamond from mine it is an 18ct gold diamond set (3 diamonds) from beaverbrooks currently selling for £450. today i was told it was £175 to mend but as i bought there they would kindly knock it down to £125 how generous!!! i told them forget it i'll wear a hole!! what a rip off i have only been married 5 years and if i knew i'd be buying diamonds again i'd have stuck to the plain band, i hope to get help with house insurance but need to ring up yet. when i picked beaverbrooks i thought there would be a bit of quality because the rings were not cheap turns out they are rip off shops no quality for price at all wedding bands not to last forever etc!! they said it was probably cos ive knocked it on a door or something!!! i think i'd know i'd of hurt my hand!! more like no decent workmanship in anything these days

fruitcake_2

Aah sorry to hear of your loss Across sounds like you're having a hard time of it....hope things pick up soon...

across

thanks fruitcake! looks like house insurance will cover it i'll only have £50 excess thank god!! but the downer is it wont be were i bought it from that repair it but i suppose it cant be any worse than how badly set it probably was at the start!!! ive yet to find out where i am to take it to, will let you know how i go on many thanks again!

jsg_2

I got engaged 3 weeks ago in Paris and am already finding these tips really helpful. I haven't read the whole thing, so apologies if I'm duplicating any tips

One thing I discovered on meeting the minister, is that if you're already a regular at the church they sometimes charge you less for the service - I'm not suggesting you spend a year going to church before proposing just to save money, but if you're torn between the picturesque one you've never visited and the less attractive one you've been going to down the road it might influence your decision. My whole ceremony including music, fees etc is costing £150 - half the price of one of my colleagues.

Also the ladies at my church can do flowers for about £20 - definitely a saving!

Went to Debenhams yesterday and they give you a free makeover and stuff and a £50 voucher if you register your wedding with them. You're under no obligation to buy any of the things you put on your list, so it's worth registering even if you're not going to ask anyone to buy anything from it