I have just joined after getting engaged on 11th September. It is finally sinking in and I am very aware that I have a lot to do before the big day. The only thing I know for sure is my wedding venue. Everything else is up in the air due to the lack of funds!! I know exactly what I would love to have, but need to get over the fact that I simply can't have it all. Unless we win the lottery!!
I would be grateful for any advice and moneysaving tips for the big day.
A x
CommentAuthorLauraJo87
Hi Amanda!
Welcome to the forum, I'm sure out will pick up lots of tips on here. There are plenty of brides on a budget here.
Have you set a date yet? Xx
My Beating Heart Belongs To You
30 August 2013
The First Day Of My Happily Ever After
CommentAuthorShazk
Hi, congratulations and Welcome.
My advise would be before you look at to many things is set a dat if not done so already and then work out what you can afford or want to afford and stick to a budget.
You say you love to have things but cant unless win lottery but that may not be try in allt hings you will surprised how cheap you can find somethings when you are on a budget and doing some searching xxx
Away with the flutterbys xxx
CommentAuthorShelleyM46
hi welcome to the site n congrats : ) my advise is same work out wen n wat u want ring round about prices so u can sort out a budget that suits u.n i wont b able 2 save nowt for mine untill after xmas lol x
cant wait to marry the love of my life
my soul mate and my best friend
CommentAuthorKirstyJ22
Congratulations! Well firstly, if you haven't booked the venue yet, haggle with them! We got our venue down by £2000 by cutting a few unimportant things out like canapes and having a hog roast instead of a usual evening buffet. Also, it's worth asking if you are allowed to bring in your own alcohol, some venue's do allow it but most don't unfortunately. With respect to other parts of the wedding, firstly make a budget for each category and stick to it! £5 more seems like nothing but if you did that for everything then it would soon mount up. Secondly, don't just go for the first one you see, there's bound to be the same thing cheaper elsewhere (such as the bay of e). A lot of people will do discounts if you just ask, such as for the flowers and the cake. Speaking of flowers, artificial is usually cheaper than real flowers and if you get foam flowers, they look pretty realistic. Can't think of any more tips at the mo! x x
congrats i'm in the same boat as you, i have set up a spread sheet, i've found out prices for everything i would like and added it all up that way when it comes to booking and when we have worked out how much we have we can go through and see if there's anything we can find cheaper, look around i've been given lots of different prices for the same sorts of things, like one photo booth company was charging £1000 then i found one for £250 so really look around before booking! good luck xx
CommentAuthorNicholaP44
It is overwhelming, but just look at what u really want rathe rthan everything. U dont need everything 2 make a great wedding. its wots special 2 u. x x
Marrying "the 1" on 4th Oct 2013
CommentAuthorSam
Congrats! I know it's overwhelming at first everything seems so much but you'll find ways to save & things to sell on the bay. Once you get some money together things will seem a lot more doable.
CommentAuthorIzzy_w
Huge congrats! Its such a happy and exciting time!!
I personally have used the internet for everything. It gives you a good guide to see whats out there, what it costs and helps you save time. Also don't feel pressurised to use reccommended supppliers by your venue. We found that ours were keen to try and influence us, but when we went ahead and sorted our own out, they had no problem at all. We found the reccommended suppliers ridiculously expensive (for example chair cover hire £4.00 whereas I have got it for £1.40 I think it was!)
A lot of the girls on here seem to have been luckily enough to negotiate prices on the venue, just be aware that it really depends on your venue, if its popular, like mine was, they won't really want to give you much off. However, our venue did give us 10% off for having a Friday wedding. We also got £50 off the band, £100 off the photographer and £50 of the videographer.
Also, we me being a bit controlling, and previously working in finance, I have a wedding spreadsheet with my budget in minute details and how much I have gone over/come in under budget for each item, guest lists etc. I have also anaylsed everything... We were offered a drinks package by the hotel of £22.50 pp, we had a look at buying the same wine/fizz ourselves, paying corkage and it worked out at less than £10pp. Same with our M&S wedding cake, picked tiers based on the lowest costs per portion!! I thought I wasnt a bridezilla, but have just realised maybe I am!!
X
CommentAuthorSamanthaG76
Congratulations on your engagement and welcome to the site! You'll be suprised how much you can save once you really start trying! We've got a jar that we put our loose change in and that adds up to a lot after a few months :-) Good luck x
12th April 2014 - The day I marry my soulmate..x
Smile, be happy :-)
CommentAuthorOfficially Mrs M
Congrats
Set a budget that is achievable and also check out the 101 tips on the top of the forums
8th September 2012 I married my best friend
1st September 2014 our little family grew by one
Women are made to be loved, not understood. - Oscar Wilde
CommentAuthorLulu1388
Congratulations :) and welcome to the site!!
Sit down, work out your budget, what you want, when you want it, whats achieveable in terms of saving, search around etc etc all the usual stuff the ladies have already suggested above! and definitely check out the 101 tips!! xx
Every Once In a While In The Middle of an Ordinary Life
. . . Love Gives Us a Fairytale. . .
CommentAuthormrsbriggs
congratulations. It may seem like a long time away but it will be here before you know it, we got engaged 2 yrs ago but never really did much until after xmas, then chose the venue in march and photographer in may. Best thing is to try n spread cost by direct debit, I did this with my photographer and its been paid off in only 13mths, as i slightly increased the amount from £32 a month to £40, by doing this I didnt even notice it goin out of my bank each month. Just try n keep track of deadlines and payments. as we booked 2yrs in advance we nearly forgot to give notice this yr. Good luck with the planning, i'm sure you will find plenty of ideas on here.
CommentAuthormrsmillichip2b!
we sat down last night and wrote a budget for everything and looked and thought wow, but Ive searched the internet today and found most stuff alot sheaper than we had thought so happy xx
Met December 2005
Had our gorgeous boys August 10 and February 12
Getting married 19.7.14
CommentAuthorSianyCaitlin
Congrats & welcome to the site :)
The beauty of having a while to plan is that you can shop around & do some research. The Bay of E has some fantastic stuff at half the price of shops etc (like invites, centrepieces, chair covers etc) I would def use your time to find the best deals & get quotes from as many companies as poss & compare prices! Good luck, if you need any help, just ask us :) xx
Got together 06/07/2009
Got engaged 16/07/2012
I marry my best friend 08/06/2014
Can't wait to be Mrs Sharp x
CommentAuthorGirl-groom
Agree with Siany, shop around. Ask for discounts anywhere and everywhere, they all want your business after all. If you can't get a discount try and get something else thrown in! The only things we have paid full price for is the registry office (no chance of a discount there!!) Our evening entertainment, but he is well worth the price! and we paid the suggested donation for our Macmillan Pin badges we are giving as favours. Everything else, and I mean EVERYTHING has been from cheaper sources or discounted. Just ask, the worst they can say is no. Play businesses off each other tell one what you have been quoted from elsewhere and they should try to beat it, just repeat the process untill you get a great price! Over our two year engagement we alternated putting money into savings for the final fees and purchasing various things each month. That way there is no mad rush to buy everything last minute, just buy it bit by bit, something each month (Gets you excited too!) :) Tbh I haven't really stressed out about money because we have done it that way, you just get used to having that little bit less cash each month. Moneysaving tip.....Everytime you get a £2 coin, or see someone with one (trade them two pound coins for it!) and stick it in a tin. We have saved up nearly £700, without even noticing, in just over a year. Do the same with your change, empty your pockets/purse/his wallet ;) Chuck all the coppers, silvers in a tin and you'll be surprised how quick it builds up. It forces you to break into notes, therefore constantly giving you more change to stick in the tin :)
CommentAuthorSianyCaitlin
That's exactly what we've done, we've got a 'wedding pot' & only £2, £1, 50p, 20p & 10p's go in there. Only started it a couple of weeks ago & got around £20 already, not a lot but will certainly soon add up :) I agree with buying a few things each month, that's also what we're doing so it doesn't feel like you're spending loads then. xx
Got together 06/07/2009
Got engaged 16/07/2012
I marry my best friend 08/06/2014
Can't wait to be Mrs Sharp x
CommentAuthorBobsi
We are getting a money jar next pay day so we can start saving spare change. Also a good tip for the cake is to get one from marks's or a*da and stack them your self, bit of ribbon tied round and some flowers or decorations from bay of e. Was quoted £400 for the cake I wanted then saw the ones in the other shops(they are in white though) and it would have cost £50. Big difference when ur on a budget.
X
Got together June 11th 2006
Getting married June 11th 2014
8 years to the day and I'll be Mrs T.
CommentAuthorElizabethP8
Excellent advice everyone :) Really helpful for a newbie like me, I have only decided on one thing so far... but I am not going to panic, I am going plan!
xx
CommentAuthorDebbieR12
I'd say definitely ask for discounts, a friend of mine works in a bridal boutique and she says there's so much competition between dress shops that you can easily get around 20% off the tag price. You don't get if you don't ask :)
x
CommentAuthorValentinaK
Welcome! You got engaged the day before me!
And we lived happily ever after!
CommentAuthorBeccyL
Welcome and congratulations, as we are getting married abroad we will need money for spends whilst were there so we have got one of those money saving tins that you need a tin opener to get into, and we put all our loose change in, it's surprising how much you save that way.... Also try purchasing things in advance, a lot of companies will let you pay deposits and go in each week/month and pay a little off at no extra cost.... Happy saving and happy planning
We originally met through a Greek Island
13th September 2014 on the same Island of Crete
We will become Husband & Wife xxx
CommentAuthorCamillaB
Welcome and congratulations!!... it may seem a stressfull time but enjoy your planning :)
what my grandparents told me... dont feel you need to conform to old traditions, such as cars... if someone in your family got a car you like, ask them to drive you to the wedding.. dress the car with ribbon etc etc... dont feel like you need to put drink on the tables, my sister in law is putting jugs of orange juice and water as an alternative (which i think is pretty cool).. you can really make the day special without spending millions! Another wedding i went to last year had a fruit bowl filled with coloured fruit for her center pieces and it looked fantastic and didnt cost her much!...
