The final countdown

edinburgher

We're good El - DD's language skills are improving and she's happy and healthy; we're nearly finished decorating the house and I've moved to a job with a CARE pension (no idea what I'm doing yet, but I'll get there).

elantan

Sounds like things are going great in the Ed house, you still thinking of the financial advising route ?

New jibs always take a wee while to sort out, Mr El has once again been moved jibs by his company this is ( I think) his 7th since he had his breakdown, everyone he changes his stress levels go up a notch for the first few months, but slowly he gets to grips with it and settles in.

elantan

Today we are off to Arisaig for the weekend for a wee kayaking trip, I'm budgeting £200 for the weekend hopefully won't spend more than that.

The wobble box is £14 night we are away for 4 nights, friend is coming up to visit with her husband and 3 kids so I think the plan is a BBQ when they come up so we will nip into a Tesno or whatever and get rolls burgers etc ... we have food with us, enough diesel in the car etc so I'm thinking £200 should cover everything, the perseide meteor shower is due on 12th and we will literally be in the middle of nowhere so hopefully we will get to see it

Have a great weekend everyone

beanielou

Enjoy you two xx

Karmacat

Hello El! Like miz, I found you

I'm with Ed a little bit on the costs, but good to hear they're working hard at making deals - and surely you have a little bit of a say if you're asked to cough up that much money?

Anyway, you'll work it out, you're good at that :kisses3:

Kayaking at Arisaig! Enjoy :j

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wishingthemortgaheaway

Hi, I've just found you thread, excited about your plans, so thought I'd follow along if that's ok?

just been looking at the wedding costs (hubby works in events, not noramlly weddings, but we are often asked to project manage friend's weddings) and I've done event planning in the past. Hope my comments are helpful (except the one about the kilts obviously, I'm sorry - couldn't help myself, I'm a Scrooge like Yorkshire lass.

elantan wrote: »

I've had future daughter in law on the phone quite a bit these last few days

They are trying to get things as cheap as they can for the wedding ...

So far we have the Caleigh coming in at £500 from an average price of £800 ( her friend is in a Caleigh band)
good price, good entertainment. Win..

They have cut out the drinks package of the wedding receptionn saving nearly £2.5k the photographer is the family photographer so we think we can get hopefully £3-500 off the price of £2k for that

what are they doing instead for drinks? Pay bar? Any drinks on the tables or just water?
What are they getting for £2k for photographer - that is a good price depending on the package

I know someone that will make the kilt ( professional kilt maker) I also know a tartan designer, son is playing about with the idea of designing his own tartan ... we're thinking £1-1.5k for that

HOW MUCH??? For a skirt???? This seems a lot to me (but I know nothing about kilts)

The church is usually £1.7k son and daughter in law to be attend the church however so should get it for approx £1k ( or hopefully less)
which country is the church in? If it's England the fixed costs should be around £500 not £1k

Wedding cake just been informed should be approx £350 and flowers daughter in law has an auntyvthatvus a florist so she should help there ... also possibly a chance of supplying our own buffet for wedding, my sister runs a university hospitality campus and has offered to organise it all ( she does it for a living)
that sounds reasonable for a wedding cake. for our wedding we repurposed the bridesmaid's bouquets as thank you gifts for various people, that saved a bit.

So fingers crossed these deals continue

Good luck with it all, I hope they manage to have a lovely day for a lovely price.

Viking_mfw

Depending on craftiness of family and the bride to be... we made our bouquets and the flowers which I used to decorate the wedding cake from paper - from old books in fact. Came out very cheap as you buy the cheapest second hand books you can and then basically it's a glue gun, some wire, and some green card for leaves. I also bought some red cartridge paper and used that to make accent flowers.

We were cheapskates about the whole thing though (effect of being a bit older?) and the whole cost of the wedding was less than 5k.

elantan

Hi all, just back from Arisaig, what an amazing time we had, the sunsets where the most gorgeous I have ever had the priveldge of seeing, and I include the Grandcanyon, Thailand and Niagra falls in that catagory.

Hubby was out kayaking as much as he could and I joined him in several occasions, we watched the meteor shower whilst all tucked up snuggly under blankets,

Was just what we needed.

Whilst away we had several phone conversations with son, the church is booked and he got the price for £650 reduced as he is in the congregation, they saw the photographer, they want two packages one for them and one for the parents, I have still to see about that price.

The reason we have budgeted as much for the KILT is that son is considering designing his own tartan, proper kilts average on £900 to purchase, we are allowing more for the designing etc, but we will see how much that will cost.

Viking it sounds like you have a very talented group of family and friends, I think daughter in law will have some people she can call upon for help, she did discuss something about candelabras made out of driftwood ( I didn't fully understand as I'm not talented at all)

Things will slowly progress as things tend to and I am sure we will get there slowly

That's for all suggestions and support

P.'s had conversation with son regarding church costings, he informed me he found out about the £1.7k from a girl he went to school with that was trying to book the church, we have since concluded she was talking rubbish, I'm sure we will come across more of this as we find out more about wedding prices ( were tending to find our info from people who have been through ( or currently going through) the process

elantan

Son is also working on dealing with the reception, he is going to meet them tomorrow to pay the deposit, I think they will work at getting the wedding they want for a reasonable price, son is quite dogmatic about parting with money ( he is VERY tight with money) so I know between us we will get the best deal we can

elantan

Anyone else noticed how much shopping has went up ? Just in the shops just now and I'm seeing things I not too long ago ( less than a month) that I paid 98p now for sale for £2.50 ... other things have went up 15p or so ... but they have went up