Wedding budgeting and help on basics

Scotsbride

digitalphase wrote: »

Me and OH want to get married a.s.a.p, but whereas he is willing to just have the real basic 'Gretna Green' type service where you turn up, say your vows, then go away, I'd rather wait a little longer for something a bit more special.

What are the basic, basic costs? I.e. registry etc?

We don't want to get married in a church as neither of us is religious. So it would be either a registry office, or somewhere else suitably cheap.

So for basic wedding costs we need to think about:
1) Actual cost of getting married (£84?)
2) Dress (£40) Hair (£60)
3) Ring/s £100?
4) After event (will probably go back to ours for a small party). £100 for food/drink? Just close family and friends
5) Transport is sorted as OH's dad has a classic car I'm sure we could use and would add a little extra to the occasion.

Give notice before registering a marriage - £35
Register a marriage at a register office - £45
Cost of marriage certificate on the day - £4
(figures from DirectGov website, are these accurate?)
= £84

The reason being for cheapness, not just because this is MSE, is because we are just in the process of buying our first home so are pretty skint! However we want to both be equal on the property (I can't go on mortgage as a SAHM at the mo) and also mainly for our little boy. We'd both like the same surname for when he starts nursery and for his security/rights.
We'd like to get married on the cheap sooner and then have a bigger bash some time in the future to renew our vows.

I am thinking of a budget of £300/£400. This would take us a few months to save as got to buy stuff for new house and don't want to put wedding on credit! So looking at a wedding for maybe next year, but TBH I'd rather do it this year if possible. Although we only have 3 months left of this year and I don't know how booked up things are!

Thanks and sorry if it comes across as garbled. I will have a read of some other threads as well for inspiration.

Your marriage fees are really out it more like £500! for fees in Scotland the laws are also different the people at the Annan registy office were really helpful when it came to our wedding. starting point if you want a gretna wedding is the dumfries and galloway council website site. marriage fees are less if you get marrried mid week. You also now need to give 15 days notice of your intent to marry.

digitalphase

Thanks Scotsbride, I have got prices for the actual ceremony now and luckily it wasn't £500 It was £239.
I know about the notice as well, we are giving our notice next month for a November wedding

I will have to keep an eye on ebay for a nice dress to come up :cool: I personally don't see the point in spending K's on a dress I will only wear once. My usual clothes style is more Next than Golce and Gabanna :rotfl:

I would really like some photos but I will have to arm a trustworthy person with my dSLR and some basic instructions, make sure everyone brings their camera and takes loads of pics, and hope we get at least one decent one Spending £100's on a photographer is well worth it but it is totally out of our budget at the moment.

We've been looking at new cookers and fridges today, so will ask for vouchers for wedding presents :rotfl:

mum2one

thinking about photographs, why dont you ring your local college, as rthey do photo courses and maybe a student wanting the experience couls do it, in exchange for their portfolio?

What about a pub a lot offer free function rooms if you have buffet, i'm doing my parents golden wedding, was doing vow renewal - not sure - but reception got free part of the pub cordeoned off, and buffet I've gone for middle £5.95, basic buffet £3.95.
Locally there is a lot of venues that do free room hire when you have buffet.

digitalphase

Just to update that we've now booked the wedding for 22nd December 2012 :j

Had a problem with birth certificates etc for registering notice, so had to delay it for next month and decided to book ceremony at same time.

Stroke of luck it seems - may have got a real bargain dress! Ordered and see if I like it. Only £45 (reduced from £90) so hope so.

I am going to ring around some pubs tomorrow and try and get a buffet/room hire for afterwards.

I can then get my invites out :eek:

Family loving the idea of a Christmas Wedding :T

sheeppappar

digitalphase wrote: »

Family loving the idea of a Christmas Wedding :T

Plus you then get the bonus of wherever you book already being decorated and sparkly!! :j

digitalphase

sheeppappar wrote: »

Plus you then get the bonus of wherever you book already being decorated and sparkly!! :j

Yes, that's true, hadn't thought of that

Scotsbride

also check out village halls if your willing to sort out your own catering. putting annadale and eskdale in google should throw up local pubs/restaurants to gretna.

VikkiiKawaii

digitalphase wrote: »

Thanks all!

I looked at prices of rings today in local jewellers and think we can get a basic band for £50 each. I haven't even got an engagement ring yet :rotfl: I opted for something else instead which you will laugh at if I told you :rotfl:

Try looking in Pandora especially if you like silver jewelry. Their rings are surprisingly inexpensive.

digitalphase

Wedding dress is lovely! Fits really nicely, and came with a matching stole too, so will keep my shoulders warm-ish :cool:

I am really chuffed to have got my dress so cheap. However shoes seem to be the problem. Have tried several in Next sale but I am tall and usually a trainer person, so finding it hard to get something suitable. Have ordered some more from Schuh, so hopefully these are the ones. Irony that they cost more than the dress :rotfl: but I can wear the shoes again

We are going to have an after party at ours, other half's mum and sister are going to help with some catering, so as long as we get our kitchen sorted out in time it will be a very jolly affair!

Pinzy

My sister did her wedding for less than £1000. She found a lovely dress on ebay. They did their own cake (the three different size fruit cakes from tesco with a bit of ribbon and a couple of flowers - that's basically it for a lot of wedding cakes). She did very well with the reception - found a local pub that had a little room that wasn't doing anything (less than 20 guests). It was either free or she paid a grand total of £50. The pub was a 2-for-1 so they could afford to feed us all, plus we got to choose our own meals from the menu in advance! She made her own invitations, and decorated the room with balloons and ribbons, covered the tables with sheets. It really was a lovely day.

Mine, is more expensive, but we're older and the families have sprouted so now there's a minimum of 50 guests! Still doing my own cake though. The M&S ones are nice and inexpensive but I'm thinking big chocolate Costco chocolate cake on the bottom, then a tesco iced fruit cake, then a little sponge on top, bit o' ribbon and a few flowers - it'll be simple, pretty, and enough to feed plenty!

Good luck with everything, so very exciting!