Getting married - no idea"

duchy

How much did you imagine it costing in total ?

A hotel package costing around £2-3K for the basics - sounds very reasonable-the ceremony could be at the same venue if you didn't want a church or a registry office .

Cost of dress, number of bridesmaids , whether you just want a meal or want entertainment afterwards.All will influence cost.

If you want something more individual you could choose a more historic registry office or a church and hire venue space that allows outside caterers ...or even take over an entire restaurant and have them cater the meal.

You probably both have certain things that are "must haves" or a certain idea of what makes a wedding- Discussing that early on so you are on the same page and not assuming you know what the other wants can be useful

If you are on a budget avoiding Saturday can help keep costs down too.

74jax

Gavin83 wrote: »

The cheapest wedding I've been to was £8k, the most expensive around £70k. I never really imagined it was possible to get married so cheaply to be honest.

How would you know how much a wedding cost that you went to?

onomatopoeia99

My brother's cost £9,000, just over 30 guests, but that price also included their honeymoon (fortnight in Italy, which is also where the wedding took place). It seems weddings do not come with the same price hike overseas that accompanyies them in the UK, because it was a really good do.

They did not pay the guests' travel or accommodation costs, but almost everyone invited made the effort and came (some from much futher afield than the UK).

Gavin83

74jax wrote: »

How would you know how much a wedding cost that you went to?

Because friends discuss these things?

I've only been to 1 wedding where I didn't know the cost but they weren't close friends. Judging by the venue, the quality of everything there and how well off the parents were I'd probably guess that one would have been about £20k though.

Honestly in my experience people don't seem shy about discussing these sort of things. We did ask about the £70k wedding as we were genuinely curious. There were 500 guests and it was very opulent.

Personally I think it's insane to spend that kind of money on a wedding but each to their own.

duchy

I don't ever recall any of my friends asking how much my wedding cost ........and I've certainly never asked anyone either. I think if someone is offering you hospitality to ask them what it cost them would be really rude- bit like asking someone how much they spent on a gift they gave you !

Gavin83 wrote: »

Because friends discuss these things?

I've only been to 1 wedding where I didn't know the cost but they weren't close friends. Judging by the venue, the quality of everything there and how well off the parents were I'd probably guess that one would have been about £20k though.

Honestly in my experience people don't seem shy about discussing these sort of things. We did ask about the £70k wedding as we were genuinely curious. There were 500 guests and it was very opulent.

Personally I think it's insane to spend that kind of money on a wedding but each to their own.

pigpen

Registry office with up to 50 guests is £90 here.. it does vary by area though.. I booked a function room, did the food myself and a friend did the cake.. total cost.. less than £500 including clothes and rings.. possibly less doable now.. but no real need to spend multiple thousands.

It is one day, spending the equivalent of a National Debt is not necessary..

I booked the date and time and made everything else fit around that... 4 weeks notice.. I recommend longer than that to plan

Mrs_Imp

We got 10% off our venue, as we got married in winter (February), and my dress was 'last season ex-display' which was 30% off. There are savings to be had if you look around, but on the whole a wedding costs as much as you let it!

duchy

We are getting married in Vegas but if we were to do it over here I'd be booking our second nearest registry office (aka Archbishop's Palace) which is an amazing historic building and a family dinner after at a nice restaurant with just close family -total cost would be a bit over a grand .

Gavin83

duchy wrote: »

I don't ever recall any of my friends asking how much my wedding cost ........and I've certainly never asked anyone either. I think if someone is offering you hospitality to ask them what it cost them would be really rude- bit like asking someone how much they spent on a gift they gave you !

If someone buys something (car, house, TV, etc) we'll generally ask how much it set them back. Wouldn't in the case of a gift but I don't see weddings in the same category as gifts. If you do that's your call.

Besides, as I said we've only asked in one case and that was genuine curiousity because of the size of it. Every other case they've mentioned it in casual conversation. I'm not married yet but if when I do if a friend asked how much it was I wouldn't mind telling them.

Me and my friends just aren't that precious about money. I know what most of my close friends earn as well and vice versa. I'm sure not everyone is like this but it works for us.

SmlSave

Ours cost 3k six years ago.

You can basically spend as much as you like. Pick a figure you can afford and stick to it!

My friend is getting married next year and has a budget of 3k too.