Planning a wedding on a budget of £1,000 for September 2021

Traceyp40

Hi all, 
Me and my partner have been together 8 years now, we've just bought a house together in 2018, had a baby together in 2018, we've been engaged for 4 years now and I'm sick and tired of my current surname, my married surname, which is Bull, (as in sh*t....lol). My 2 daughters are stuck with it until they get married, bless them, but I'm ready to change mine now, but funds are tight, we don't want anything big and flashy, sort of did that with my ex, we just want something really small, I didn't even want a registry office, a barn would be just fine, but apparently they cost the earth too....Our budget is £1,000 and so far I've got my dress and 5 bridesmaids dresses, totalling approx £250. I've got my little boys waistcoat and cravat from Amazon for like £7.99 and i'm just going to get him some smart trousers and a white shirt from Next or M&S or even Primark! So that'll take our budget down to about £730.00 ish.
Does anyone know anywhere we can get married that doesn't cost the earth and any tips or ideas on ways we can save money, if we lived in Scotland, we could have got married on the beach, but in England, we can't unfortunately, that would have been ideal. I know we'll have to pay for the registrar, that much is obvious, we've kinda catered for that. Not overly fussed on keeping in with tradition, as in the big 3 tiered cake, the something blue, borrowed and new, the fancy car and big posh reception and expensive food menu and definitely not interested in expensive halls, castles, hotels or anything like that, nor the really expensive honeymoon after, we plan to go away but just not anywhere stupidly expensive and too hot, Cornwall would suit me!
Call me boring, but like I said, I sorta did that the first time round and it cost about 10k, (20 years ago) which we haven't got now, and even if we did, i still wouldn't want all the big flashy stuff. 
I have Parkinson's too so I'm currently not working anymore, hence why funds are tight. I was going to make my own flowers and button holes etc but I'm really not sure if my hands will be able to grip anything too small, I don't know yet, i haven't checked out any YouTube video's yet to see how difficult it'll be. 
Anyway, I'm open to suggestions, hints and tips anyone may have.
Thanks
Tracey

SocaKim

Hey Tracey
my partner and I are also getting married next year after 7 years together and two children. We really are not bothered in having a flashy wedding and would prefer to keep things super simple and casual. Our budget is £2k but honestly, I don’t intend on spending much more than £1k.
Mid week ceremonies at your local register office are the cheapest way - we have decided to go for the cheapest option (all fees for a short paperwork signing with two witnesses Mon-Thurs including the initial declaration to marry totals £127). We have decided to do the ceremony midweek - treating it as just a formality to get out of the way. Then a few days later, we will have a weekend of wedding!

Have you looked at community halls? I don’t know where you are based but for us here in Wales they work out super cheap - One venue we looked as was a new build hall and worked out at £190 for a full day of hire and as it had a licence, they could open the bar in the evening! We have actually decided on a different hall - a little bit more expensive at £250 But it is set in the middle of the countryside and we can access the venue from Friday afternoon and can use all the way to Sunday morning. For us, this is perfect because Early access to the kitchen means family can help us prep food the night before and we can leave it in the fridge for the following day. A family friend is catering the day time (30 guests) and we will have a small buffet in the evening for extra guests that will come for just the evening.(No more than 60 people).
we are not asking for gifts - instead asking each guest to bring a bottle or two  of their favourite booze or a dessert for the cake table 😀 Food and Booze will take up the majority of the budget yes - I have pencilled in £900 but if we can get it for even less that would be great! (That May be complete optimism though 😂)
For decorations I am currently trawling through You tube for inspiration and also gumtree and eBay looking for cheap second hand items. I have a glue gun and I intend on getting creative, using my printer at home to make Place settings etc!

Hope that helps! 😀

74jax

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3811691/our-3k-budget-wedding-planning/p1. 

This is my link, after I'd sold everything we came in just over 2k, but I've linked it for you as we made loads (flowers / postbox / etc) and they might be handy. 

Traceyp40

Kim,  Wow, thank you so much, it really has helped. I haven't actually tried the community halls, but will definitely try now.  Mid-week ceremonies I have looked at but wasn't really all that keen as I wanted everything on the same day, but if we're trying to save cash then it could very well work in our favour to do it! 
My other half works in printing so he can do all invites, and everything that needs printing, so that'll save us some pennies. 
I live near Bristol, not too far from Wales, let's hope the community halls here are as cheap as they are where you are. Do you have a date in mind for your wedding? I too have a glue gun    hmmm, might have to dig it out. Hope everything works out for you, be good to stay in touch, if you fancy it?? 

Jax, thanks for the link, i will definitely check it out x

powerspowers

@Traceyp40 how’s the wedding planning? 

Sncjw

We are planning a wedding on a budgetish. We are being reasonable but evem the registrar is 350 quid not including the notice fees. So if you have 750 left it eats into that.

Barns can be pricey. You haven't said whete you live but I live near Northumberland and they have barn on the bay which is near a beach.

What are you doing for food?

Maybe you could say on invites that you prefer presence to presents but if people wanted to give a gift then anything would be appreciated. I bet you would recoup some money and use it for going away.

My parents already have offered the hotel for the night after the wedding to make it special. We aren't fussed on gifts but if people wanted to give money then that's fine we rather people be there.