We are getting married on the 7th May 2011 in Maidstone, Kent. The ceremony is booked and paid for, but the reception is going downhill fast. I recently lost my job and the venue we originally booked is now way out of our budget and have had to cancel. We may of sorted a local community centre and are in the middle of trying to sort a disco, possibly a bar, food and i really wanted to try and make it look as pretty as possible under the circumstances. We can't afford much but wanted to hire some chair covers and sashes and table covers, does anyone know of anyone that can help that aren't too expensive. It looks like i'm going to be doing the food, and dressing the hall myself, definately what i imagined i'd be doing on my big day. Any idea's from anyone would be greatly appreciated. I so want it to be a lovely day not just for me but also my mum and dad as my mum has bowel cancer and is going into hospital the week before and it's giving her something to look forward to and I don't want to let her down. If anyone knows of any websites, or company that can do chair covers, sashes and table cloths as cheap as possible please let me know or any other idea's people might have to help make it happen would be much appreciated
Thankyou
CommentAuthorTinsel
We found chair covers and sashes for £1.99 at a wedding fair - any good? They are the lycra ones (as these are the only ones that will fit over our chairs).
07.04.12 - the best day of my life!
Living happily ever after as Mrs Nottage x
CommentAuthor*D*a*n*n*i*
edited
fb boston chaircovers 99p for the chair covers including any coloured sash she may be able to post xx
I Love My Girls!!!
CommentAuthorTinsel
Have you tried Gumtree?
07.04.12 - the best day of my life!
Living happily ever after as Mrs Nottage x
CommentAuthorLisa Ramos
I'm going to put a link on your page. Chaircovers at £1 each
Thankyou so much everyone, I didn't expect replies that quick. Any other idea's on disco's or bars or basically anything that'll make this reception happen i'm really greatful for x
CommentAuthorLisa Ramos
It won't let me for some strange reason! Anyway look on bay of e, buy it now £1
I love my lickle Ava
CommentAuthorMrsSaraParry!
i found a great website where you can get rolls of organza material at a really reasonable price if you wanted to use something like that to dress the tables up a bit? also get on ebay if you havent already - there's loads of great stuff on there!! let me know if you want the website and i'll put it on your wall xx
CommentAuthorTinsel
What's your budget for a disco? Ours is £275 I think...
07.04.12 - the best day of my life!
Living happily ever after as Mrs Nottage x
CommentAuthor*D*a*n*n*i*
edited
mines £150 but if you contact your locals you should be able to get it cheaper i was quoted £60 for a local one but gone with the one at venue now.
I Love My Girls!!!
CommentAuthorTinsel
Gosh, I thought my chair covers were a bargain! Good work ladies x
07.04.12 - the best day of my life!
Living happily ever after as Mrs Nottage x
CommentAuthorLisa Ramos
Ye a local one will be loads cheaper and don't say wedding!
I love my lickle Ava
CommentAuthorMrsSaraParry!
ooh also you can get really reasonably priced silk flowers and stuff for table decs from places like country baskets, and once again ebay. Also you could get some vases to put them in and a few table crystals and it would look really pretty :o)
CommentAuthorSoon2beMrsHall
Hun look on ebay they have loads of organza rolls. What are your colour schemes
Cant wait to to marry Martyn
Wishes the wedding would come faster
XxX
CommentAuthormummybez
ty sara for the help
Lisa i added you to my friends hope that's ok to get the link possibly from there if that helps.
Will have a look at Gumtree too ty tinsel
CommentAuthormummybez
My colours are white, lilac and cadbury's purple. Ty again all x
CommentAuthorRachie :D
try for centre pieces etc ikea for vases bulk order flowers and make them yourself
Try food wise for a hog roast? Sometimes you can get deals as little as £5/ £6 per head
Good luck sweetie xxx
9th June 2012 when two worlds collide
The Crazy Cat Lady and the Transformer Man!
CommentAuthorJane
Time to make it a family/friends affair and get everyone involved! Its times like this that show who are your true friend are! Who do you know that could sort out the disco? Someone must have a decent stereo and a good cd collection. Who is really good at cooking? Have a look at M&S party food or Waitrose - they do some great food for not bad prices. Or delegate, one relative can make a few dozen sausage rolls, another could bring dips, someone else could bring bread rolls... Can people bring a bottle and someone else create a cocktail bar? Or start thinking outside the box..... talk to a local chip van or burger van and see if they will attend and offer a cheap rate. Or do an afternoon tea - little sandwiches and cakes, a lot cheaper to organise than a full blown buffet. Decorations such as home-made bunting - just go to your local fabric shops and see if they have any old stock they want to get rid of that could be used to make simple bunting - if you tell them your story they may feel like helping you out.
And with decoration remember that less can sometimes be more, keep it simple. How about simple white tablecloths, white napkins, candles and silver table confetti? Too much can be over the top, ie birdcages, flowers, balloons etc. xx
CommentAuthormummybez
The cooking i'm doing myself Jane, hopefully i'm good at cooking as it was what i do as a job, else i'm def in trouble lol. We've already thought about doing our own bar. I've thankfully got some great friends who are helping with flowers and balloons which is a good start. Family in law to be it's a bit difficult for help as their in Scotland and only travelling down the day before, but i'm sure they're all help out when they get here as much as possible. Ikea is a great idea ty Rachel and ty Jane for all your idea's too xx
CommentAuthordee
How many people are you having??? We have got a mobile bar coming to our reception, as long as they take £500 they don't charge, they also have a cocktail bar. Xx
Can't wait to become Mrs Hardwicke. . .
CommentAuthorLisa Ramos
I think the room would look just as good if you have the chair covers and have colour co-ordinating balloons. You can buy them cannisters from tesco n asda quite reasonably.
I love my lickle Ava
CommentAuthorSoon2beMrsHall
If you have £shop near you they have at the min wedding bubbles, clear crystals, napkins with wedding on, wedding(party)poppers, cake boxes,
Cant wait to to marry Martyn
Wishes the wedding would come faster
XxX
CommentAuthormummybez
We have approximately 60 people coming and most are good drinkers, so i'm sure they would manage that, lol.
I found some chair covers on bay of e as you suggested Lisa thankyou and rolls of organza. Our friend whose doing the balloons i'm sure can help do the sashes ourselves to keep cost down a bit. We thought about buying pretty purple pot plants for centre pieces or possibly as suggested some vases from ikea with flowers or something etc. I'll check out asda and tesco's too ty. The food I can do myself if need be, altho i imagined myself having my nails done and a bit of pampering if it's the difference between having a reception or not it'll be worth it.
CommentAuthorMrsSaraParry!
did you get my web address mummybez? the rolls of organza at this place are only about £3...
CommentAuthorLisa Ramos
Why don't you speak to any family members about each of them cooking something? You can pay for the buffet and just distribute the cooking between people?
I love my lickle Ava
CommentAuthorTinsel
Could you have a 'bring you own bottle' do?
07.04.12 - the best day of my life!
Living happily ever after as Mrs Nottage x
CommentAuthorRachie :D
Does your local supermarket have a wine offer on at the mo?? Like 6 bottle 25% off or something??? Champers you get 6 glasses to a bottle. M & S and Waitrose do cutlry/ glasswear hire xxx
9th June 2012 when two worlds collide
The Crazy Cat Lady and the Transformer Man!
CommentAuthorKinkyemo
For a DJ if you cant find one cheap then look at equipment hire and take a laptop create a playlist on spotify (free MP3 streaming) if you purchase it for a month etc it comes without adverts Then you get the exact playlists YOU want and can just leave it to play all night without needing a person to man it!
CommentAuthorTinsel
Sainsbury's do glassware hire x
07.04.12 - the best day of my life!
Living happily ever after as Mrs Nottage x
CommentAuthorLisa Ramos
Good idea Tinsel! Have you got tesco clubcard points? If you have they can be exchanged
I love my lickle Ava
CommentAuthormummybez
ty i'm having a look now at the supermarkets and tesco's do bottles of bucks fizz for £2.99 for an arrival drink or possibly do some pimms, having a look at glass hire now too. Also found quite a few chair cover hire on sites you recommended as well as organza etc. At this rate i'll be sorted by the end of tomorrow with all the help you've given me lol. Luckily i'd already got some disposable camera's for the tables, a table plan and bubbles with lilac lids, so probably some pretty diamontes for the table and either the balloons into centre pieces or something and we could be getting there. Thanks again everyone x
CommentAuthorRachie :D
Ohhhh Mummy - try M&S they do bottles of kir royal and bellini which is different and yummy :D
9th June 2012 when two worlds collide
The Crazy Cat Lady and the Transformer Man!
CommentAuthormummybez
thanks i'll have a look, i've got all the supermarkets close too which helps x
CommentAuthormummybez
I have got tesco's clubpoints lisa, about £100's worth now, good idea, thanks x
CommentAuthorlizfludder2b
im sure morrissons do a free glass hire service?x
CommentAuthorRachie :D
Morrisons do actually - Im going shopping tomorrow want me to pck up a leaflet??
9th June 2012 when two worlds collide
The Crazy Cat Lady and the Transformer Man!
CommentAuthormummybez
yes please rachel that'd be a big help xx
Thanks Jennebel, that's good, just seen asda's doing bucks fizz for £2.27 a bottle too. x
CommentAuthorTinsel
At the end of the day, the buck's fizz will be in glasses and no-one will know which bottle it came from. What about a Netto or Lidl or Aldi? Good enough for Phil Vickery (the chef, not the rugby player).
07.04.12 - the best day of my life!
Living happily ever after as Mrs Nottage x
CommentAuthormummybez
just had a look online but don't show much, but there is a Netto and Lidl nearby so i can pop in and have a look. I found a website for disco quotes, you fill out one form and it goes to about 30 companies lol. I have found one already for £250 and i've also found a digital duke box hire for £220.
CommentAuthorTinsel
See? It's going to be fine x
07.04.12 - the best day of my life!
Living happily ever after as Mrs Nottage x
CommentAuthorLisa Ramos
Have a look online at gumtree as well for your dj
I love my lickle Ava
CommentAuthorAmy
Wowzers can't say I can really help- but that was bloomin fab to read how quick everyone was and insightful, and friendly too. All sorted within a couple of hours. Never seen anything like that before, the obvious rallying around. xxx
Oh this is definetly my fave forum EVER!!
:-)
CommentAuthorLiz3yy
Hi, I'm a little late to this but wondering if this might help? a friend of mine got married in Maidstone last summer, their reception was a party at a dance studio in the town. I forget the name of it but was within walking distance of the town centre. They hired the room and had a caterer bring in buffet food. It had a bar which was run for them and they also just had balloons dotted about. They didn't bother with chair covers and the place looked great.
If you like (and my friend agrees) I can send you some photos from the evening do to show what it looked like. Hope that helps? x
Can't wait until the day I become Mrs. Johnson :)
CommentAuthorLiz3yy
Oh yes, I almost forget. They also didn't bother with a disco and instead plugged their ipod into a set of speakers and played party music all night. It was cheap and sounded fab.
Can't wait until the day I become Mrs. Johnson :)
CommentAuthormummybez
Thanks Liz3yy that would be a great help. If you could send pics as I might recognise it then. x
CommentAuthorLiz3yy
No probs, I'll check with my friend first, all being well I'll post some pics on your wall :)
Can't wait until the day I become Mrs. Johnson :)
CommentAuthormummybez
thanks Liz.
We are going to look at a hall today too, it's local too and apparently just been decorated, curtains all cleaned and a new flooring is going down this week, so fingers crossed.
CommentAuthorLiz3yy
Hi, I've just posted the link on your wall. It's called Rhianos :) there are pics on the site plus prices etc...hope it helps x
Can't wait until the day I become Mrs. Johnson :)
CommentAuthorKatya
For music try your local college, some do bands others do discos etc. The performing arts section may even give you use of their lighting system. If you ask what they want for it you may find them very reasonable and just because they are training does not mean there horrid some are brilliant and you still get to hear them first.
Find out who you are & do it on purpose!
CommentAuthorKatya
I forgo to add as for food have a bring a dish/bottle this also means that the food will create conversation. As people will ask who made this its lovely compliment to the chef and all that
