Cel's Cheap Wedding Thread!

**TUTTSI** · 9th November 2011, 16:42:PM

Re: Cel's Cheap Wedding Thread!

Cel are the prices you quoted with food and drink as well?

It is a long time since I got married 39 years ago, so I cannot help on the wedding dress etc. Although I would have have thought that some hire shops sell off weedding dresses at a cheaper price or you may find 2nd hand shops selling wedding dresses. My dress was a nightmare as I remember I purchased from Dickens and Jones and had left it at the store in Regent St until nearer the wedding. Went in, tried it on it was perfect no alterations left it until the week of the wedding. Picked it up and they said no need to try it on as you only tried it on a couple of weeks ago. Got home and found that there was big water stains all down the front of the dress. I sobbed my heart out. The next day my aunt came with me to return the dress and they could not get another dress in time for the wedding day so refunded me the money. No dress and I walked my feet off then remembered I used to work for Youngs Dress Hire, so called the manager from Wardour St branch and he sorted me out a fabulous dress 2nd hire and changed it to my aunts instructions. It was a lovely dress gown with nice work on it but it was not the same as the original dress I had my heart set on.

I was looking at one of my clients childrens wedding photo's just this week and she said they got the bridesmaids dresses at Monsoon and that they were very reasonable. It depends what you are looking for.

Originally posted by Celestine View Post

A very brave man has decided to attempt to make an honest woman of me next July!

However, I am determined not to end up in debt for this wedding so am doing every thing I can to save money.

First venue we looked at wanted to charge £3500 for just using the site and a very large hall. We'd have had to spend a fortune on flowers and decorations just to make the hall look welcoming and beautiful.

Our chosen venue, is charging £1600 for using the venue and all facilities, but we need a marquee. Haggling commences.

Marquee company have quoted £4700~!!!!!!!????? For a tent?????

So have said we have no more than 3k and that must include loos, power, tables, chairs and a dance floor. Meeting them tomorrow to negotiate........

Does anyone think I'm being cheap if I buy our wedding rings off ebay? Someone else's divorce can be our good fortune?? 2 platinum rings would be about 2k. On ebay, more like £4-500

Dress: Half price in a sale lol. Any good tips on where to buy shoes etc.

Bridesmaids dresses: lightinabox website looks good?

more later......

**Sapphire** · 9th November 2011, 16:48:PM

Re: Cel's Cheap Wedding Thread!

Hiya as you know we got married in June, I emailed the local venues and got a really good deal at the golf club its well worth having a go hun, then at least you won't have the hassle of organising marquees, seating, food etc, a lot of places do wedding packages now and weekdays are much, much cheaper than weekends, worth exploring.

We were lucky with our rings as we both had jewellery left to us by our parents, my oldest school friend is a jeweller in Hatton Garden and made my wedding ring from my mums, my dads and my nans rings and he set their diamonds in it also, my engagement ring is made from my mums and I had a load of old gold which I 'swapped' for a 1.5 ct princess cut beauty.

My friend got married relatively cheaply and they wanted platinum rings but just couldn't warrant spending the money at the time, they went on QVCUK.com and looked at their Epiphany Diamonique collection, they are Sterling Silver coated in Platinum, to be honest I've looked closely and they are beautiful rings and as they say its the sentiment behind them and when they can afford to they will buy the real deal.

**enaid** · 9th November 2011, 17:06:PM

Re: Cel's Cheap Wedding Thread!

Weddings: How to get married on a budget

By Karen Williamson 17/02/2010

The number of people getting married has dropped to its lowest level since 1895, and it seems it’s all down to money. The average wedding costs £18,000 but we show how you can tie the knot for under a grand.

Whether you plan a small intimate wedding with family, or a huge affair with everyone you’ve ever met, it’s easy for the costs to quickly mount up.

But if you need to get married on a small budget, it’s possible to do it with*out compromising on style.

In fact, Bhs has just released a wedding dress for only £95.

“Budget weddings are more likely to be memorable and original than flash, expensive identikit ones,” says wedding expert Nicola Ray, whose online business helps people cut costs on the big day.

“A tight budget forces you to be creative with ideas.”

Chances are you’ll also enjoy yourself more on the day too. “There’s nothing more stressful than knowing you’ll start married life with a huge debt,” says Nicola.

The key to a great day is meticulous planning. “Sit down with your husband-to-be, decide your priorities, work out a budget and stick to it. Then do your research – loads of it! The tighter your budget, the more you need to do.”

Money saving expert *Martin Lewis suggests using a money-saving mantra *before buying anything on your wedding to-do list. “Always ask yourself, ‘Will we use it? Is it worth it? Can I find it cheaper anywhere else?’”

Here are 10 ways on how get the *wedding of your dreams on a shoestring…

(1) Start with the venue

“Along with food and drink, the venue is usually the biggest wedding expense – it can cost £3,000 just to hire a room in a country house or hotel,” says Nicola. “Check out village halls, National Trust spaces or pretty country pubs, which can be charming, more intimate and much cheaper than a big hotel.”

Fay, 37, from Colchester, Essex, is getting married in a couple of weeks.

Her reception is being held in her kids’ school hall, which the head–teacher let her have for nothing. “We’re getting fish and chips delivered from the local chippy and have asked *people to bring a bottle,” says Fay. “The whole thing will cost less than £900!”

(2) Slash food costs

“If you can, cater yourselves – you’ll knock thousands off your catering budget,” says Nicola, who made the food for her own wedding of 100 guests by preparing and freezing in advance. “The food cost only £395 – plus £140 to the local teenagers we paid to serve it.”

If DIY catering is out of the question, serve something different such as afternoon tea, a barbeque or canapes.

(3) Go on a booze cruise

Take a day trip to a French hypermarket for all your cheap wine, beer and champagne – the saving should more than outweigh the travel cost, says Martin. Buy fizzy cava instead of champagne and you’ll save even more.

(4) Use your skills

Break down tasks and work out which bits you can do yourself. “When it comes to the cake, for example, you’ll save loads if you make the sponge base and just get a professional to decorate it,” says Nicola. Better still, take an evening class in cake decoration or another key wedding-planning skill like flower arranging, dress*making or budgeting.

(5) Dress for less

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Search charity shops, ebay or check out off-the-rail dresses at department stores rather than getting a dress fitted. Terri, 27, from North London, bought a traditional white dress from eBay for £50. “It was a risk buying a dress without trying it on but it paid off,” says Terri. “My sister adjusted it so in the end it felt like it had been made for me.”

(6) Involve your friends

Most people can do something so play to the strengths of your friends and family. “Whatever you ask them to do – cook a dish for the buffet or make decorations, for instance, they’ll feel honoured to have been asked,” says Nicola. “It creates a fantastic *camaraderie when you’re all pulling together to make this special day come off.”

At her wedding, Nicola enlisted various friends and family members to do the photo*graphy, hair and make-up, flowers and cake plus drive the borrowed wedding car.

You could suggest your friends’ help as a wedding present to you.

(7) Keep it short

Isobel, 42, from South London, decided against an evening party and took over a local restaurant for the afternoon.

“Although we kept it short for budget reasons, it really worked. I planned everything to the minute – and every moment was unforgettable. Many weddings I’ve been to seem to go on for ever!”

(8) Make your own favours

If you’re set on giving your guests little tokens or *favours, why not give them mini plant pots? “All you need is a *packet of seed, small plant pots and a bit of time and patience,” says Nicola.

“Wrap a ribbon around each one and you’ve got cheap favours that double up as lovely table decorations.”

(9) Save on printing costs

Print your own invites, order of service, menus, place names and thank-you cards, suggests Martin. “Check out Make Wedding Invitations | DIY Wedding Stationery and http://www.madaboutcards.com. You’ll also find free software on the internet,” he says.

For cheap but *charming thank-you notes, get copies of your favourite wedding *photo and handwrite your thank-you letter on the back.

(10) A fund for the honeymoon

Instead of wedding presents, Fay got her guests to contribute to a honeymoon fund. “My fiance and I have been together for years and don’t need a new toast rack or set of steak knives!

“A honeymoon is the best present we could have got from our close friends and family – we just couldn’t afford to go otherwise.”

Martin recommends shopping around for your holiday – you’ll get the best deals if you’re flexible on destination and brave enough to wait till the last minute.

“Make sure you check out the free upgrades and specials for honeymooners and speak directly with the travel firm,” says Martin.

“Let the airline know you’re on honeymoon – you just might get an upgrade.”

● For more money saving wedding tips, try Nicola Ray’s website

Weddings: How to get married on a budget - mirror.co.uk

**labman** · 9th November 2011, 17:15:PM

Re: Cel's Cheap Wedding Thread!

Here's the male perspective! lol

Firtly I hope he knows what he's taking on!

Secondly I don't think it's cheap buying rings off E Bay. The ring is what it means to you - while it may well have physical value, sentimental value far, far outweighs this. The ring is a symbol, going round and round, never ending, like your love for each other and your marriage.

Finally 7 years ago we spent just over £10000 on our wedding and while it was lovely and everything went perfectly, there are so many other things we could have spent money on in a more sensible and meaningful way while still sharing our special day with friends and loved ones.

I think you're being exceedingly sensible. It sounds like your striking a good balance between expensive and cheapskate, but again, if two people take meaningful vows with two witnesses as our Chinese friends did recently with just myself, my wife and our daughter present, it is still special.

Most of all enjoy the preparations and planning. The day is gone before you know it and we've found a lot of our happy memories have sprung from the planning.

Congratulations and enjoy it!

xxxxx

**WendyB** · 9th November 2011, 18:23:PM

Re: Cel's Cheap Wedding Thread!

When we got married (23 years this Christmas Eve), we had a church wedding, to whih anyone and everyone was invited, followed by a sit down meal at a lovely hotel, for just close friends and family. Then we went home for a couple of hours, then had a big party in the evening. The venue was a church hall, which we decorated ourselves, and we booked an outside bar. These are great as they arrange their own licence and don't usually charge for attending, as they make their money on the booze they sell. We did our own catering for the evening, easy enough when you rope in an army to butter the bread for the sandwiches. But these days you could easily get your local curry house, chinese, whatever, to do a outside cater, that's what our next door neighbors did recently for a wake.
As it was Christmas and my bridesmaids were all small tots, the eldest was 6, I didn't have bridesmaids dresses, but bought red party dresses and white muffs instead of them having bouquets, I dressed the muffs up with holly, and made their headdresses, also with holly etc (not real, lol)
As to wedding dresses,check secondhand and charity shops, as well as ebay. A friend who's handy with a sewing machine can soon make any alterations and add in bits to make it the way yo want it.
Shoes - they don't have to be "official wedding shoes" you can get some you like from anywhere you fancy.

**Curlyben** · 9th November 2011, 18:35:PM

Re: Cel's Cheap Wedding Thread!

Well I certainly have experience of a cheap wedding, my own.

1/ Suit - already had - £0
2/ Dress - Chinese silk (ebay) £50
3/ Rings - 2 of £60
4/ Reg office - £40

And that's it total of £150

Ok we were lucky in the fact it was a small family wedding and the parents paid for a slap up lunch in a local Michelin starred place and through us a summer party.
I didn't ask what it cost, but the party was in the back garden supplied by a booze cruise

Good job too as we drank loads...

**WendyB** · 9th November 2011, 18:51:PM

Re: Cel's Cheap Wedding Thread!

Forgot to mention, we didn't have a wedding list, we asked for donations instead, just whatever people ould afford or would have spent on a present., and brought our carpets with the money.

**Sapphire** · 9th November 2011, 19:26:PM

Re: Cel's Cheap Wedding Thread!

Try this site its got a load of venues who may be doing packages http://www.hitched.co.uk/ also look at hotel chains.

We got our cake from M & S, was a lovely cake and at £100 was a lot cheaper than having one made.

**shell** · 9th November 2011, 20:07:PM

Re: Cel's Cheap Wedding Thread!

Look for your nearest flower market (usually wherever the fruit market is), take a dry run there one morning to check out the flowers available. If you can get someone to do your flowers for you, you will probably get them for about a quarter the price at the flower market.

Wedding dress, I got a display model and only paid 10% of its original value, it was slightly dusty so had to get it dry cleaned first, but it was still a great dress.

If you really want a marquee, haggle and haggle some more. As for a place to put it, speak to a farmer or sports club near you and see if they will let you use their fields.

**enaid** · 9th November 2011, 20:23:PM

Re: Cel's Cheap Wedding Thread!

lol just something to think on afore you do yer spending

Once upon a time, a guy asked a girl 'Will you marry me?' The girl said: 'NO!'

And the girl lived happily ever after and went shopping, dancing, drank martinis, always had a clean house, never had to cook, did whatever the hell she wanted, didn't get fat, traveled more, had many lovers, saved up tons of money, and had all the hot water to herself.

She went to the theater, never watched sports, never wore friggin' lacy lingerie that went up her ass, had high self esteem, rarely cried or yelled or argued, felt and looked fabulous in sweat pants and was pleasant all the time.

The End

Once upon a time, a guy asked a girl,
'Will you marry me?'

The girl said, 'NO!'

And the guy lived happily ever after and rode motorcycles and went fishing and hunting and played golf a lot and drank beer and scotch and had tons of money in the bank and left the toilet seat up and farted whenever he wanted.

The En

**WendyB** · 9th November 2011, 21:21:PM

Re: Cel's Cheap Wedding Thread!

The way I see it, you either want a big do in a posh hotel and a marquee with all the trimmings, or you don't. You can either afford it, or you can't. Might it not be easier to set a budget, then see what you can get for that budget, than decide now what you want and end up not getting it because you can't afford it?
You need to explore all the possibilities and costs, then make an informed decision.

And the main thing to remember is that you have a wedding to suit you, not one that you are pressured into having, because you feel the need to invite so and so because you went to their mom's aunties sister's wedding when you were 3, etc etc etc.....

**SpringerSpaniel** · 10th November 2011, 12:07:PM

Re: Cel's Cheap Wedding Thread!

Congratulations to you both.

One of my best friends had a very inexpensive wedding at Chelsea Town hall's registry office and all present went to the Stockpot ( a cheap and cheerful cafe almost next door) afterwards. The bill for thier reception was £55, the toal cost of thier wedding was about £100 and it was one of the nicest weddings I've been too because everyone was happy

As to shoes, Phase Eight have some satin evening shoes that match ball gowns etc half price in their sale online.

**labman** · 10th November 2011, 13:34:PM

Re: Cel's Cheap Wedding Thread!

Totally agree with Wendy's post. When I got married, it went down like l lead balloon that I did not invite certain family, but invited close friends who had been more family to me than the 'proper family' I had not invited. I still do not regret that decision and would do the same again every time.

**seduraed** · 10th November 2011, 13:49:PM

Re: Cel's Cheap Wedding Thread!

Congratulations on the wedding . I've beenmarried six years now andits the best thing I ever did . Do you know anyone who belongs to aflower arring club of aranges flowers for a hobby ? maybe you could ask them to make the bouquet. Get a bar in don't pay for the booze (except for the toast). Often a community hall will be able to supply glasses in thehire fee, or you can rent from the likes of tesco. We got our wedding cake off ebay and a collossal bargain . Do you want all the trimmings white dress to represent virginity, troupe of bridesmades, big hall etc. Is the wedding being conducted as a civil or as a religious ceremony? If it's in a church and it's the only one of the day could you continue touse thechurch to hold the reception: or there may be an attached hall which can be got cheaply.
Decide what you want todo about food and whether you are going to provide substantial food o merely cake and snacks . Don't forget to get lots of soft drinks in , eldeflower cordial and fizzy water make a good cava substitute.

If you have an established home that maybe you could ask groups of guests to provide food or drinkor contriute towards the costumes as the weddingpresent .

Don't forget going away clothes , we woke up the morning after the wedding withonly our wedding togs anhad to borrow dressing gowns from kind friends in thenext chalet.

Above all remeber that itsan important day and make sure it's as perfect as possible . GEt lots of photostaken . and appoint or hire a photographer or photography co-ordinator.

Above all have fun God bless

Cel's Cheap Wedding Thread!

Cel's Cheap Wedding Thread!

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