The cost of weddings

[mickgreen ca 10]

hi ive just got engaged. now our lass is planning the biggest wedding since princess diana. help. how do i keep the costs down within reason. theres got to be some tips out there that can save me money without spoiling her big day.

[synthpulse 10]

I've been looking myself!

 

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/cheaper-weddings

 

[Chez2 10]

Lots of things you can do. It depends on the style of wedding you want and what is really important to you.

 

We got married in 1986, not so much was spent on all the extras people have now but weddings were still expensive. We had a large family so decided to get married later and invite all to one big reception. We got married at 5pm but 4pm would have been a better time. We got straight up from the formal dinner and went into night disco mode. Work friends could join us for drinks and disco later but no food on. We split the wedding cost between both sets of parents and ourselves.

 

We made our own flower arrangements for the tables but we are all flower arrangers. They are easy to do (with guidance) if you buy the right stuff. Table favours weren't really in fashion then but she could buy or make favours and fill them with whatever you fancy.

[medusa 16]

There are so many things which cost ridiculous amounts of money which are added to many wedding costs which are optional and don't really need to be there at all.

 

Chair covers- are these really a necessity? What's wrong with seeing the chairs that people sit on?

 

Wedding videos that cost thousands- have you any idea how seldom pretty much anybody will watch this video? Is it going to be worth £1000 per watch later on?

 

Favours- nobody had these until the last 20 years and they got married just fine.

 

Chocolate fountains- ditto.

 

Ice cream vans, photo booths, sweet shops, all sorts of other 'amusements'- ditto.

 

In your position- congratulations on your engagement BTW - I'd sit down with your fiancée and discuss what you can afford and what both sets of parents may be able to afford or able to give. Be totally honest about whether you wish to start your married life with a hefty debt in order to have one day where you indulge in a fantasy.

 

Marriage is not about the one day of the wedding, no matter how much girls are told this throughout their early life. It's the marriage that matters, which depends on a lot of things including not causing yourselves added stress from having a huge party that is over before it feels like you can blink, and which you will regret giving yourselves a millstone around your necks for later on down the line.

 

In terms of ways to limit the costs, there are all sorts of ways, including getting married in a small ceremony somewhere beautiful abroad, which is often counter-intuitive. Having the ceremony where you plan on spending your honeymoon will mean a smaller ceremony because of the cost of bringing a lot of people out to the ceremony, but it also will mean that since you pay a single fee for the wedding as a package, you won't have all of the above extras added on, along with room hire, bottle corkage, glass hire and a hundred other things which seem to add up to a huge number.

 

If getting married abroad is not your thing then getting good with crafts can save you thousands. How about crocheted flowers? or a origami ones? a selection of interesting vintage crockery and glasses that are picked up at auctions where you have fun together and cost less than hiring brand new ones?

 

There is nothing apart from the registrar which is set in stone about weddings- what you choose other than the registrar is up to you.

[Chez2 10]

Ha ha...Medusa.....you typed what I dare not! You took the words right out of my head. I also didn't want to be seen as touting for business.

 

I do vintage china hire if you want a cold meal / afternoon tea type reception. I agree you don't need chair covers but they are sometimes needed if venue chairs aren't quite suitable in a village hall or pub.

 

I am also a hobby crafter so can help you design invitations, table name cards etc which you can make yourself, assuming you have a computer and printer to print the invitation. The key is making it easy, inexpensive but look effective. I can also show you how to make favours and sell you the stuff to do it yourself. I will give you a free lesson if you buy the items from me. I can let you see my Pinterest boards for ideas, send me a pm if interested.

[MacWorth 10]

Hi there, I offer very competitive wedding prices. Feel free to take a look at my website at my gallery and prices. http://www.macworthphotography.com

Good luck with your wedding planning!

Yours Kindly

Sarah - Macworth photography

[chezzy1 10]

Hi

 

Feel free to look at my website http://www.craftychez.co.uk

I have a variety of wedding supplies from Invitations, favours (some of which are handmade) Table decorations Guest books, bubbles & more.

 

You will find me @ the Wedding & Celebration Fayre @ St James Church Norton on Sunday 7th June 2 - 4pm

 

 

___________

 

http://www.craftychez.co.uk

Wedding supplies & general cards & Gifts

[strees 10]

Hi,

You could look at hiring the likes of myself. I am a photographer building my wedding portfolio and because of this I am offering my services for free. Have a look at my website sharontreesphotography.co.uk or my FB page of the Sharon Trees photography, for my style of photography.

[lauz83 10]

Hi if you would like to have a look at what we have to offer on facebook please feel free too we do full wedding packages from £350 as we know the cost of weddings can be a costly affair along side this we can supply chair covers ,candy carts etc everything to make your day special at the right price.

https://www.facebook.com/Beauxsandbellespartyplanners

[Love2print 10]

Please PM Op if you would like to offer your services or have any advice. Closing thread before it becomes a mountain of advertising.