Hello everybody! I have been a part of this site since I got engaged which was over a year ago but have never really interacted on here. Now that we have booked our wedding I want to get to know people on here and share ideas. We are getting married on 30-05-14 and have a very tight budget and lots to do! We have booked and paid for the registry office and village hall for the reception, caterers and DJ. I am just wanting some advice on a couple of things. Firstly our families combined are too big to fit into the registry office so are inviting immediate family only, then other family/friends to the evening do. Secondly we are not having a photographer because its too expensive so are going to get people to take their own photos. and finally we are not having a starter because we dont think it is necessary. Are we being a little too tight? we are just trying to cut all costs wherever to avoid debt and be realistic.
Thanks!
CommentAuthoralmost a year wife!!
Hmmm I personally wouldn't cut out a photographer :/ y not look for a student and enquire there the reason y I say that is because you're going to want albumn standard pics as in the usual confetti shots, photoshop etc... To me It's one of the most important parts of the day...
There's a lot of girls on here not having starters and tbh I was surprised how many, I love my food so couldn't imagine not having a starter.... For our evening buffet were not providing pudding as we have wedding cake, cupcake tower and sweet table...
Have you chosen your colours yet? Xxxx
Ill marry my hero
CommentAuthorValentinaK
I get not having a starter, personally not for me as I'm like LMC and love my food and it's one of our keyt focusses as we did not splash out on a venue. We've got a great caterer as his food is stunning but exceptionally good value for money! loads of people do buffets and afternoon teas etc etc and serve wedding cake for dessert (nearly wrote that as desert as hot sandy places are on my minD!) So it's what suits you best.
We splurged a little on the photog (£1350-REDUCED THOUGH AFTER SOME HAGGLING!), but we had plenty of less expensive options - I wouldn't skimp because you amy not get the shots you want and you will want to look back on the day forever, good shots will make you remember it so much better... plus will be great for showing kids and grand kids later! I like some of my parents pics but they didn't get enough! Even if, as LMC says you get a student photog, they'll still produce some good images for you to treasure. Even digital image only packages etc as you can print at a later date when you're ready to commit to a splurge! also, look on places like Gr0up0n and w0wch3r to look for good photog/wedding/catering deals!
Some photogs will just do the ceremony and a few at the reception and can make it bespoke so you get a few essential shots done profesionally but don;t have to pay the full on hundreds or even thousands they may charge for a full day. As previously mentioned, not ordering albums and just getting the digital image rights will reduce the cost too!
i've sent you a friend request... you get married the day before me1 Love Cumbria, my parents have a static caravan in Coniston... we used to go up every weekend near enough between March and October from when I was aged 5 right up to me being an adult teenager! so beautiful! And you have all the lovely meadows and country flowers around1
And we lived happily ever after!
CommentAuthorMrsCross2be
edited
Good idea about the starter- if you really wanted something and had spare funds nearer the time you could always have some nibbles.
I am afraid I agree with the other girls- I thought I could do without a photographer and all the ones I found at wedding fairs etc were mega bucks. But after chatting around I found a local guy who does a great package. It is him and his 18 year old son who work together the son does the photos and the father does a video and djs. We have had him as a dj before. He will give us a cd so that we can take the pics wherever we want to get them developed and will put our wedding DVD together for us all for £850.
CommentAuthorJoey35
Hi! I'm also having a village hall reception and getting married in September 2014. We're also on a tight budget and are having a buffet during the day (some done by caterers and some by family) and a hog roast on the night. We have a friend who's a professional photographer doing our pics, although he's not a wedding photographer I'm sure he'll do a great job!
I know I echo the other ladies, but I would reconsider the photographer - at least for the main part of the day. Keep an eye on Gr0up0n for good deals, and keep an eye out for photographers offering cheaper sessions to gain experience. I found one here that would do a package for £250, so it's possible.
I think not having a starter is a sensible way of saving money. You can keep as much of the wedding DIY and intimate and personal that way. Also asking for wedding items as gifts is another way of having the wedding you want on the budget you need.
'No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.'
- Eleanor Roosevelt
Excited for 9th August 2014. :)
CommentAuthorMRST2B
Hi fellow may 2014 bride we are 31st may :)
I agree photographer even if its just for ceremony is a must if you can find the funds :)
We decided to have afternoon tea instead of a wedding breakfast to save money but have now turned it into a bit of a theme so it's turned out ok in the end :)
Also a change tin (we put everything in it bar £1 coins) has become a big help for us on a good month we can have £45/50 in there and it's going to come in handy for all the little unexpected extras.
Good luck with all your planning :)
Back with my 1st love after 12 years apart.
Not letting go this time :) x
CommentAuthorElinor Claire
I found a photographer through the Quote Me tool on here. His work is really nice and he was far cheaper than the people we saw at the wedding we went to. Plus he gave us 10% off because we came through UKBride. It would be worth using the Quote Me tool to see what comes up. I would agree, even if your guests are good at photography they're not going to catch everything, and a professional will know exactly how to compose photographs. You could look into a digital package, where they give you a CD with your photos on and you put your own album together. That's normally cheaper.
As for the registry office, I think it's perfectly reasonable to have just immediate family. If you can't fit everyone in then those are the most important people. Maybe you could get a friend or family member to video it so other people can see it another time.
30th August 2014 was the best birthday ever.
It was the day that I became Mrs. Dixon.
CommentAuthorFutureMrsG
Hi Ladies! Thankyou very much for all your amazing, useful advice :) I do agree that we should have some sort of photographer but its just about finding the 'right one' as alot are soooo expensive! We mainly want one for the ceremony as this is what it is all about and want to capture those special moments. I will have a very good look for someone who can do this for us!
And thankyou all for your friend requests :)
CommentAuthorHelenW
Hiya! We like you are having a photographer for a shorter time. Hes coming for 4 hours which includes an hr before, the ceremony and drinks reception. Evening photos we are less fuss about them being perfect. Plus both of my sisters have got amazing cameras! Xx
"Once in a while, right in the middle of an ordinary
life, love gives us a fairy tale"
CommentAuthorInDreamland
Hiya, I agree with everyone else in that you should try not to skimp on the photographer as you will want really good shots of the day. Relying on friends and family is too risky to get those special moments captured forever. You can get some really good affordable packages, my sister and BIL paid less than £500 for theirs for the whole day from getting ready until after the first dance. They got all their images with the copyright on a disc so they could make their own photo book when a good deal for one came up.
xxx
Married the love of my life on Saturday 11th May 2013 xxx
Had our dream perfect honeymoon in Hawaii!
CommentAuthorShelleyM46
hi im a may budget bride : ) we too are having to cut people because of the reg office . n were just having a buffet in a local pub no sweets as i want the chocolate fountain lol no wedding cars im gettin friends to take us our wedding will be food drink music an a bouncy castle i cant wait . we are having a photographer tho for the main pics cutting cake first dance ect . im lucky tho as its an old school friend doing it but iv got it cheap because iv asked for the 50 -100 photos to be put on a disk no prints so that makes it loads cheaper n after if i want any printed i just give her the disk. so its an idea to get the price down xx
cant wait to marry the love of my life
my soul mate and my best friend
CommentAuthorValentinaK
Hey Shelley! Sometimes those kind of weddings are the best-more heartfelt... We're on a budget and are doing a lot of things/calling in a lot of favours ourselves... one of the cars is my Uncle's, the cake made by my aunty, the reception venue is the Masonic Lodge my Uncle attends and the caterer is theirs. The dress is from the dress shop one of his fellow mason owns so got a nice discount!
Got money off the BM dresses and photography - if you don't ask and haggle and persisit, you don't get! Made a lot of my flowers from artificial ones, made my own centrepieces (using most high street home stores and c0untry b@skets) which is cheaper, more unique and generally more reliable than hiring stuff. Our church isn't that expensive to get married at... cheaper than quotes from the registry office!
Haven't sorted a band yet but will do soon!
And we lived happily ever after!
CommentAuthorChantelleR
may 31st bride :)
We are having a fork buffet and roping in the cooking teachers from mums school to prepare the food! Hog roast was our extra splash out for the evening do.
Also on a tight budget and so far so good - nearly all done! photographer is a must just for those key shots- x
CommentAuthorMRST2B
ChantelleR you join me and ValentinaK as date triplets ;) lol x
Back with my 1st love after 12 years apart.
Not letting go this time :) x
CommentAuthorPrincessjebbie
Hi, I'm also a budget bride, but in June. I get not having a photographer, I'm not having one either. I am keeping my wedding very small by only inviting the closet family and my best friend; which makes around 30 people.
Good luck with your planning I look forward to reading them. X
CommentAuthorValentinaK
Hi chantelle! Wedding triplets!!!
And we lived happily ever after!
CommentAuthorChantelleR
Hi girls! yay thats great now you two can remind me if i forget to do anything! lol xx
CommentAuthorCatrinG2B
Hi, Im a 01.02.14 Bride also working on a budget. I am hand making practically everything I can and iv been researching for months to find the cheapes things around. plus iv been haggling with things. I find that if you can do/make the things yourself then it is way cheaper. Feel free to look at some of my idead. Iv not got loads of pictures yet but im putting them on slowly. Some times if you ask a photographer to only do a certain part of a wedding and they have time to go to another wedding on the same day they will do it cheaply for you. If it wasn't the price I don't think we would have a starter or a pudding, but the venue would prefer we didn't have the cake as pudding, but they are letting us do a bunch of other things our self, so I don't mind really!
CommentAuthorsamd87
Hi girls, I am also on a budget and worrying about the cost of a photographer, but after searching a little, and with the advice of a friend, I found lots of new photographers advertising on selling and auction sites, either for cost of photos of very cheap. Hope this helps x
CommentAuthorMrs T. 2 Be
Hey,
I too am a May 2014 Bride. We get married Sunday 25th May.
In relation to your original questions, its your day so do exactly what you want :) If you are not having a photographer, you can get apps where guests can upload their photos from the day if you want I can post the name of 2 apps on your profile? We are having a photographer but we are just having the photos on a disc, we are then going to put them into a photobook as even the most expensive photobook I have seen is cheaper than the extra wanted for our photographer to put them in an album and would be less photos in the album too.
Started Dating: 25th September 2005
Engaged: 26th September 2012
Getting Married: 25th May 2014
