Getting Married

Originally Posted by Manguish

Is about the time this happened, but ain't got a lot of cash.

Don't want registry or the like.

Has anyone any experiences that don't cost a fortune that they might suggest?

Open to ideas, as i have NO idea on this lol

You're getting married!!! - the ceremony and reception is the cheap part!!!!!

Plan ahead as the wedding itself can be regarded as the easy start up!!:

1 Potential offspring - university costs

2 Offsprings possible weddings will cost more than yours and, if you have a daughter...

3 Divorce - oh sorry, I won't go there

Congratulations - IMHO it is wonderful (well 2nd time around in my case!! )

How to keep costs down...

Difficult one...

Try low key and selected invites...
Buffet rather than posh sit down waiter job - DIY you can get pretty good food prepared by the likes of Sainsbury's, Asda etc which they prepare fresh on platters just go in store and ask
Use Methodist Church facilities - they don't allow alcohol Ok bad idea!!
One bridesmaid/Maid of honour (bestest friend type thing) and make then feel like its a honour for them so they volunteer to pay for their own kit
Only one decent Wedding car - for the bride of course - NOT the Ford Cortina!!
Err, 'bring a bottle'?

Tap up Mums and Dads!!

get married mid week its cheaper and in winter too photographers and venues are cheaper in winter

instead of having a full sit down meal for family then an evening reception

get married late in the afternoon then have a hot and cold buffet and evening reception

we are doing ours quite cheaply (hopefully) we are getting married in a hotel but thats not cheap its extra for the registrar to come to the hotel but then you don't need to hire cars so it evens out a bit

Congrats mate, do what you and your missus want, at the end of the day its YOUR day, it,d probably be cheaper to fly somewhere and get married their, rather than inviting a whole load of peeps to a glorified **** up, cos once the mothers get involved....get your cheque book out.... good luck with it though.

Originally Posted by skint

1 Potential offspring - university costs

Already one in the oven mate

5 Weeks and 1 day to date!

So many options - cheers for all advice - any and all is mucho appreciated

Congrats!! I'd also support the idea of getting married in the winter - there's less demand for venues, etc and they tend to be a bit more lenient re requirements (e.g. will accept bookings for smaller numbers, be more flexible, etc)

[johnnyrod]

My sister did it for £2500 last year, no kidding. Civil service though. Walton hall near Warrington, council owned so cheap venue. 30 or so people. Ebay shop for the dress. Costco for the cake (about a tenner I think). Wedding breakfast was a suprisingly good carvery at Walton Hall. I did the photos. Think that covers the main things. It can be done! Mine's gonna be more like the full £10k though I think, got me eyes shut!

Congrats and Good luck.

Originally Posted by Kinvig

whisk her off to Vegas for a long weekend.

Get loads of photos taken - distribute those to your families in an email.

Job done.


Next question.

You might laugh, but a mate made it a condition of getting married that he did it that way and he did just that! They've been married about 5 years now and are still together/happy. I'm slowly talking the gf round to this way of thinking and she is (as more of her friends get married)seeing what an unenjoyable ball ache, not to mention utter waste of money a "traditional" wedding often is...

That said, if you/she really wants a traditional wedding and then to you, it wouldn't seem like a waste of money. As others have said, there are ways of doing it more cheaply, without it seeming naff/done on a shoestring. One couple I know made all the invitation cards, dinner table name cards, etc. themselves, got relatives to do the buffet at the reception, mates to photograph it, etc. and if you didn't know you'd of assumed they spent a packet.

Coupled with the C of E's proposal (which looks like it's going ahead) with regard to basically allowing people to get married anywhere, even if they have no link to the parish, even a church do can be had quite cheaply.

I'm no skinflint and I recognise that it's an important day, I just feel that a lot of the meaning of a wedding gets lost under all the paraphenalia, as well as the cost being totally uneccessary. Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, because I'm not married and perhaps it is all worth it, but I've been to more weddings than most people (used to sing in a choir that were used a lot for weddings) and that's the feeling I get.

i would go abroad and have a party in the pub when I got home. that way no big dress/suit required, bikini and flip flops (ladies) who cares what the guy wears, no one looks at him. flowers can be stolen from hotel gardens. no big meal bill to feed relatives you have not seen for 20 years and will not see again. no cars. oooh getting quite in the mood lol only joking - can hear the sound of bf collapsing onto floor in convulsions.

[embee]

Originally Posted by keithd

mid range cost - between £9 and £15,000 i reckon

.......in that case just slip them a tenner and tell them to keep the change.







Coat.....