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UKbride Member Request 5 Feb 2018

Are any other brides-to-be not in the position to save up enough peonies ? I...

Are any other brides-to-be not in the position to save up enough peonies ? I feel like we have a never ending plan. Are we destined to have to take out a loan to afford the wedding we want?

41 Comments
Lucy Lewis
Lucy Lewis 5 Feb 2018

Hi I would never take out a loan it would be starting out with a debt to pay :)

Rhian Priest-Dibben
Rhian Priest-Dibben 5 Feb 2018

We possibly may end up taking a loan, but only because we want to still enjoy life for the next 2 years as well as save. If we don't save enough, loan it is. But we have our house, so it doesn't worry me. Have to have a balance - don't worry about EVERYONE saying don't take out a loan. At the end of the day it is your financial decision.

Hayley St clair
Hayley St clair 6 Feb 2018

Yeah me and my partner are considering taking a loan out maybe year of wedding if we need to top it up but I dont think we will as we have half saved already and nearly everything bought except my dress as I'm trying to loose weight :)

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 6 Feb 2018

We are saving for 2 years and getting married July 2020. Gives us plenty of time to save up as much money as possible

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 6 Feb 2018

I personally wouldn’t take out a loan for flowers (sorry, peonies/pennies spelling error)

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 6 Feb 2018

Were in the same boat. Got engaged in sept and havent got round to saving yet. We are just starting to save and setting a target of £20000 to save over the next two years but hoping to get married for a lot less then that.
After looking at venue prices we are having to reduce the number of guests to bare minimum and im making all invitations and decorations myself to save on costs.
Don't want to go down the loan route and if that means holding off for another year then thats fine.

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 6 Feb 2018

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UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 6 Feb 2018

I dont plan on spending a fortune. Just be savvy with choices... if u need to put some on a credit card then do so aslong as u can make re payments x

Rebecca Cherrett
Rebecca Cherrett 6 Feb 2018

I know the feeling but we've had to cut down on alot to work with our budget. We're having a much cheaper day than most but with a bit of a personal touch we can make it look beautiful 😊 ours has come in at around £4,000 when you calculate everything as we can only save £100 each a month. We refuse to take a loan out as we don't want to start off in debt but it's completely your decision and it depends on what you want xxx

Laura Stewart
Laura Stewart 6 Feb 2018

We are lucky to both have good jobs so our turn around time from getting engaged to getting married is ten months

We have bills like everyone else, we are saving as much as we can each month, but ultimately we will get a loan of about 6k to finish off paying for what we want

You have to do what feels right, no one can decide what’s right but you and your other half x

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 6 Feb 2018

if you can't afford it now then postpone! no one should ever get into debt to "get married"

Carolann North
Carolann North 6 Feb 2018

Stupidly worked out the budget after we booked the date! Luckily we got a good deal, but still putting in a lot of cost saving measures because we don't want to get married and then have tons to pay back! Extra jobs, overtime, cancelling tv, budgeting food bills etc and making sure we have the best deals on electricity etc! Anywhere we can save money basically. We have 12 months and have to put away 700 a month so it's a big task, but if we want the wedding, then we have to sacrifice! Really it's about how hard you're willing to work for the wedding you want (I'm quitting smoking after 16 years!!!), and how much debt you're willing to take on. For us personally, starting married life in debt would put too much pressure on the honeymoon period!! ❤

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 6 Feb 2018

Make cut backs/ see what you can do for cheep or yourself for free at the end of it all as long as you and your partner are married that's all that matters! You dont want to start married life with the stress of debt it's just not worth it! We where in a good place financially and only swayed a tiny bit from our budget but If I wasn't in the situation we where in I'd rather have just had me my hubby 2 witnesses and then a party back at mine than get myself in debt.

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 6 Feb 2018

Remember a lot of things are paid in installments, with the remainder not being due until the actual wedding. Its a lot more manageable than it seems on paper. I would strongly advise against getting a loan for a wedding.

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 6 Feb 2018

Really look around for things, look on eBay/ amazon for you favours, Centre pieces. You can also look in places like home bargins and pound land, it's amazing what you can find for weddings there. If you have t got you bridesmaid dresses yet you can look on eBay or on the high street quiz have some lovely dresses that are not too expensive. Also make you own invites too! You don't have to be too crafty to do it, I did mind on the computer mostly. Good luck xx
(Sorry for the essay just want to give the best advice I can). Xx

Bonnie Ramsey
Bonnie Ramsey 6 Feb 2018

We are taking out a loan together ( between 7-10k ) we hope to save 6k over the two years and use that the loan if we need to. ( mainly to cover venue hire, catering costs and our honeymoon ) We don’t have a mortgage yet so this will help to improve our already good credit scores but means the bank will be more likely to give us a mortgage in future. I’m terrible with money but my fiancé has spreadsheets for everything and is great at money management. You just have to be realistic about whether you can manage to pay it back even if you fall on hard times. We discussed it at length with each other and the bank. If you can get into the habit of saving and not dipping into it for about 6 months it gives you an idea of the problems life can throw at you and if you can handle them without the extra money.
Do loads of research with lenders and be honest with yourself. Good Luck x

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 6 Feb 2018

Just compromise? There were things we wanted but when we realised we couldn't afford them we abandoned the idea and/or found a compromise we could afford. If you want to take out a loan go for it, but I personally wouldn't.

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 6 Feb 2018

Some loans are actually quite good... Zapo quotes around £10,000 for 5 years at 3% so only costing around £800 with repayments at £180 a month. For us, we've brought our house and not getting married till 2020 so going to save as much as possible. Although we want children as soon as we're married and want to enjoy the next two years as much as possible while it's just us so we won't be really ruthless with spending. There are loads of options, it's just what's right for you and your FH. Also there is no point spending thousands to make your day perfect, to be then stressed through your honeymoon period. X

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 6 Feb 2018

Shop around we hired a field and had 4 Tipi’s it meant we could have everybody we wanted there. We had a hog roast served to tables as a main and profiteroles for pudding this hugely cut the cost down it was £1,400 to feed 123 guests in the day we also had canapés and cocktails on arrival. We had wood fired pizzas in the evening so all the food was just over £3000 for 250 by the time we got to the evening I did all the tables myself with help from mil. The flowers cost £750 we did have a lot. If you can avoid a loan I would do but make sure you have the day you want maybe just do a bit more yourself we made signs and picked bits and pieces up from sale and swap most of which we managed to sell on afterwards. Is there anyway parents can help? My husbands parents paid for all the drinks and magician, my Dad the venue and the food. My mum dresses flowers cake and church my husband and I paid for make up, cars singer magic mirror bouncy castles so they all offered to help on different areas x good luck do what you want our photographer was our biggest bargain £500 from 7am till 11pm he was utterly amazing

Michelle Goldsworthy
Michelle Goldsworthy 6 Feb 2018

Yep! It was my daily panic attack, my parents said we will give you £x his parents, oh well when you need to pay for something tell us... I don’t mean to be ungrateful but I can’t save and budget on that so now I’m saving what I can as they won’t give us a figure and I’m too pig headed to go begging every time I need to buy something I’m working on the bases of if we get anything we’ll count ourselves lucky, in the mean time, anything that doesn’t have to be paid cash is going on a 0% credit card, not idea but a solution

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 6 Feb 2018

We are lucky, my parents are contributing. However they have given us a budget which I am trying to stick to. So called in favours from family and friends as much as I can to keep costs down.

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 6 Feb 2018

Probably going to forgo the honeymoon. We booked for 2020 and don’t have to finish paying the venue fees till 3 months before

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 6 Feb 2018

I think you should do what you like! How many people can afford to do big things in their lives like this without using to pay on a credit card or a loan, a new car can be on finance, a mortgage who pays that outright? Home improvements? People that say you shouldn’t start married life in debt I trust have no mortgage, car fees, mobile phones, credit card bills etc to pay?! Most people are in debt to someone somewhere anyway!

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 6 Feb 2018

We’ve been engaged for 4 years and still have nothing as we don’t have the money (we did have a baby in that too which hasn’t helped). It’s really frustrating cause we want to get married but not much we can do currently

Saskia Gerasch
Saskia Gerasch 6 Feb 2018

Personally I would never take out a loan to pay for the wedding. Decide the things that are important to you and hold back on little things that you could do without. Also look at DIY x

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 6 Feb 2018

Unfortunately we are in a position where we will have to take a loan out. When we booked our wedding we were in a totally different situation. I could easily put 500 a month a way and not miss it. Since then we have had to take on the family house and financial care of mil to be not allowing us to save enough. It's not the ideal situation but not a lot we could do. If it's what you want and both parties are happy. It's an individual decision.

.Melanie Brice
.Melanie Brice 6 Feb 2018

I am defiantly taking a loan at some point it's gone from small and simple to bigger and far more expensive than I anticipated

.Melanie Brice
.Melanie Brice 6 Feb 2018

We've had debt for years and one of our big loans is being payed off this year. So the extra 300 a month will come in handy I suppose. That will be 500 a month for the next 17 month give and take for Xmas etc. We should be good

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 6 Feb 2018

We thought we might have to take out a loan for about £10000!! But actually, we will probably need only about £3000 max. Ideally we would have done it without debt, and we could have, but in the last year our boiler broke, our top floor bathroom sprung a leak and destroyed itself, the lounge below it AND the WC below that, and our fridge freezer broke the week before Xmas, not to mention other general bits and bobs needing fixing. By this point we had already put deposits down on everything.

We've really reigned in our budgeting both in life now and for the wedding - did wedding flowers cheaper by using in season flowers and lots of foliage & fillers like gypsophila, I bought my wedding dress in a sample sale (found the one I wanted full price and then hunted a sample down) etc, etc. In terms of saving I was fortunate enough to be in the position to take a higher paid job role and we each put in as much as we can to the wedding fund at the beginning of each month. We leave ourselves with just enough to pay our bills, eat and have some enjoyment money, but the rest is saved. It's been very enlightening!!

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 6 Feb 2018

5k including honeymoon for 10 nights. My parents paid for the reception. A lot I got of eBay. Dress was ex display. It can be done

Becky Yelland
Becky Yelland 6 Feb 2018

Why be in a rush to get married unless under circumstances you need too, save up enough money for a budget u can afford, nothing too extravagant, once u've think u've got near ur budget then start planning ur day, if u can't afford extra things then don't have them, every girls dream wedding is a big fancy one with all the added extras but to some couples that's really not possible with their budget, at the end of the day it's one day ur gunna enjoy with ur family and friends, don't get urself into debt!!

Shakira Badwal
Shakira Badwal 6 Feb 2018

Would never take out a loan just to get married. Only have what you can afford.

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 6 Feb 2018

i really cant see how soooo many brides to be are getting themselves into debt over one day yes its the best day of your lives but really me and my husband to be get married in april and all in can honestly say we havent spent over £1000 and thats for everything
my dress
bridesmade dress
all flowers
suits
rings
venue
disco
food
photographer
invites
cake

Hazel Cottrell
Hazel Cottrell 6 Feb 2018

I love peonies 🙂 they’re beautiful and smell gorgeous x

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 6 Feb 2018

We booked 2 years in advance for our venue and they just set up an account up for us and we just have to pay full amount 2 weeks before the wedding. We booked so far in advance so we could build up gradually. We also set a strict budget for venue/food/drinks and so on before we even started looking so we knew what was out of our budget before we got our hopes set on venue, took a lot of looking but found an amazing venue in our budget. Personally I wouldn't get a loan but we're not in a position for one but whatever works for you best, as long as your both happy!

Sarah Southern
Sarah Southern 7 Feb 2018

It’s so much harder than I had pictured before I started planning. I had dreams of this big marquee wedding but realistically this isn’t going to happen now. We aren’t in a position to take out a loan & I don’t want to have to wait 10 years to save enough for the huge occasion I built up in my mind. We’re now thinking of having an afternoon wedding and just having our very closest friends & family there & then just having a really fun party for everyone afterwards with food that people actually want to eat when partying & no sit down meal. At the end of the day I’ve realised that the wedding party is just a bonus. As long as I get to marry him & have my friends & family celebrate with us in any form then it’ll still be the best day of our lives ☺️

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Feb 2018

£1500 is our total cost. The marriage is more important than the wedding imo. To me spending huge amounts on one day is madness, that money could go on something else that lasts much longer. I've been married before and the ceremony whizzes past in a blink, the reception is where most of our budget is going, just because we want to eat drink and be merry ourselves and i want a load of scones and cream lol it's your wedding, do what feels right to you x

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Feb 2018

We’re saving...I wouldn’t take a loan out! Having been married once before the thought of taking £10,000 Loan just to get married is daft!

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 7 Feb 2018

Omg why start married life in debt? Maybe lower your expectations or wait a bit longer. Its a well know fact financial stress causes problems between partners. When memories fad of the great day then the debt gets to you both. Why start like that x

Josie Long
Josie Long 7 Feb 2018

I think its what is best for you. We have booked our venue now for 2020. We have a wedding acc we pay into monthly. Ive got friends doing my flowers and photography and we are going to make our own invites table centres etc. Its worth looking at different venue packages too as we liked a few places but what swayed us to ours was what was included in package and the extra guest cost was good. Some places are extortionate for extra guests. As long as you feel its feasible and you can afford it go for it. I do agree that you dont want to go massively in debt. We have also worked it out so that we know we can save it. That way if family decide to help its a lovely addition to funds and they dont feel like they are expected too. Good luck :-) xx

Stacey Gray
Stacey Gray 8 Feb 2018

I personally woukdnt get into debt for a wedding, we have budgeted our wedding n i cant wait for it, we have everything u need for a wedding x

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