DFW Wedding

pinkkaz

missylou, I really like the manuscript idea for invites. I'd like to get some music manuscript paper in there somewhere as me and boyfriend are both musicians. Only trouble is, someone else has offered to sort the invites for us - but I'm a control freak and want to do it myself!!

Getting married next Jan and have already thought of loads of ways to save - like headoutofthesand we are having our reception in the town hall (which has a v nice banqueting hall) which means we can do all the food ourselves. Me and mum are going to be preparing big batches of lasagne for about a week beforehand!

Honeybee_2

Having the ceremony later on saved us a fortune as we just did the evening buffet as opposed to sit down meal, then buffet later.

I got my dress from ebay for £200, the exact one I saw in the shop for £800, it was taken in to my exact size too......the ebayer was my size double!

If you scout around for people starting out, you can get a good deal on things. I'm starting to do wedding flowers and I've made my friend's bouquet at cost and she's letting me use some of her wedding photos to promote the flowers on my website (when I get it done!)

Yorkielass

We were very lucky when we got married last year as my parents paid for almost everything (with in laws helping towards food costs at the last minute). Some things weren't cheap - like my dress but here are some things I did to keep the costs down for them:

Made my own invitations - ordered in bulk from craft creations and did inserts on printer at home, did the same for order of services and thank you cards.

Cake from marks and spencers £65 for 3 tiers (was on 3 for 2!) and had a mixture of fruit and sponge which went down well with everyone. then some pilars and fresh flowers to decorate - came to about £100 in total and everyone loved it.

Only had 1 bridesmaid (a child) and her dress etc came from BHS. I know someone who spent over £500 on hiring bridesmaids dresses and buying accessories, flowers and presents and decided my friends would probably enjoy the day far more if they were guests and could wear what they liked!

Hired all the suits (groom, best man, fathers and male usher) at once and got grooms free - also meant they all wore what we wanted them to!

We didn't have favours or table decorations, just flowers in the centre (which we gave to relatives and friends as they left), took the approach that people don't generally appreciate them considering the money and effort put into them and it was one less thing to worry about - I don't think anyone who came missed them - I think they're a commercialised thing anyway.

That's the main things for now - have fun with the planning - am really missing it this year!

piptom&AndyPandy

Hi
All great ideas, we're getting married at dusk! By candlelight! Having problems finding photograpgher!

Pippa

Catw0man

We're hoping to get married DFW way soon too - no date set yet though.
We were thinking about a late ceremony at my church which is at one end of our street, then the reception - just buffet (no sit down meals) at the pub, which has a lovely large function suite, at the other end of our street!!! I can just see the whole wedding party now traipsing along the street! lol