Well I have a big family as my parents divorced and both met partners and I am close to my step families and as my mum is no longer here I really want the people who I am close to there . Now my partner has a biggish family too and after doing a provisional guest list to work from we are looking 150 for day and 250 for night that was after cutting plus ones and kids and we know people may not be able to come so that number may go down . I am at the starting stage of planning so all I am hearing is high numbers lol
So has anyone managed to have a high guest list and found ways to save money or were able to budget ?
Somehow always connected , finally became friends .
Friends became soul mates :)
Engaged 6th July 2013
<3 <3 Married my best friend 11/7/2015 <3 <3
CommentAuthor*The NewMrsMalin*
Wow that is quite a big guest list; try going for the cheaper options in terms of food and make what you can yourself; for instance DIY your invitations e.t.c
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CommentAuthorMrsH-2B
We don't have a massive guest list as not inviting friends until the evening, but my bro and SiL have got a pretty big list and to cut cost they're getting married at 4pm and just having a big buffet for everyone which will be brought out around 6.30pm and eh night do starts at 7pm so the buffet will cross over for both sets of guests :-) xxx
I can't wait to become his Wife :-) <3
4th July 2015 <3
CommentAuthorgonzo
Agree with mrsh-2b x
CommentAuthorBeckyU98
that is a lot of people in the day. is there any chance you can move some to just evening guests? we also both have big families and when i started planning i wanted lots of people there but when i sat down and did a list i realised that we just couldnt do it. we now only have parents, aunties uncles and immediate cousins in the day and a few friends - and thats 75.
H2B's cousin got married few weeks ago and they didnt have much money so they had a 2pm ceremony with about 30 guests (ceremony was limited) and then had 100 people for a hog roast buffet style meal which really cut costs down. then in the evening they had like cheese boards. having a hog roast or something similar in the day will really cut your costs down.
just remember though that venues are only allowed to put food out for 1.5 hours - the rest has to go in the bin cus of health and safety so bear that in mind when your thinking about it.
personally we went for a package deal which has cut costs down - £3999 for 60 day guests, and 120 evening with drinks, canapes, 3 course meal and hog roast for evening etc. we could have got a cheaper package but fell in love with venue. shop around and compare prices xxx
Dont have any advice sorry but just had to say....wow, thats a big list!! x
CommentAuthorNot_so_reluctant_Jin
I would say for that number of people get married later in the day and saves you feeding people twice. My friend got married at 5pm and by the time the ceremony was over and the photos taken it was time for the evening reception to start. They got the cake cutting and first dance out the way then served a substantial buffet at 9pm. This was late June so wasn't an issue for light for photographs.
CommentAuthorNataleeM
agree with having a later due and then just feed everyone once x
Can not wait until I marry the man of my DREAMS <3
CommentAuthorWelshBrideBethan2015
Thanks for some ideas everyone :)
Been getting estimates from venues we have viewed which will just be for reception as getting married in cathedral up the road and they are ranging between £13,000-£20,000 and that's before everything else like dress etc A lot have whirlwind options within 6 months but we can't really do that as we are going on hol to Vegas in April for the bestmans wedding so can't afford our wedding on top of that , sadly we booked hol before engagement and of course as once in lifetime thing we went for a expensive hotel to treat ourselves !
When we did the list and tried to cut people off we thought it was quite a small list until we talked to venues lol
Somehow always connected , finally became friends .
Friends became soul mates :)
Engaged 6th July 2013
<3 <3 Married my best friend 11/7/2015 <3 <3
CommentAuthorLauraY27
When we first did ours it was massive, and then I realised a) we couldn't afford it and b) I didn't want loads of people staring at me. So we have said immediate family, like parents, step parents, grandparents, siblings, bridal party and groomsmen only for the day which takes us to 41 for the sit down meal which includes drinks, flowers on tables, dj, and cake. Then we have another 110 for the evening and a buffet. Which is costing £5365, which is on the steep side but its the most premier venue in our area and that's a Monday in April. Going for a weekday usually makes it cheaper, that's half the cost of a weekend!
CommentAuthorWhovianbride
you can cut some cost just be not having desert, just give everyone cake, that way it actualy gets eaten too
Met June 2009 on my Birthday,Met again July 2009 and got
together, May 2010 Moved in,Jan 2011 got pregnant,
August 2011 Got our own place, 2011 Had our Baby Girl,
Dec 2011 Got engaged, July 2015 Getting married! Yay!
CommentAuthorValentinaK
we've gone down from 200 to 120 for the day and 140 for the night...cut out a few plus ones for non family and afew not so close friends/colleagues...
we got the venue for free and are diy-ing a lot but did some serious haggling and choosing options on the menu that cost a little less dear by opting for things like italian sharing platter, rustic style food and seasonal local ingredients!
And we lived happily ever after!
CommentAuthorWelshBrideBethan2015
ValentinaK that's good idea about local stuff as where I'm from there are local stuff everywhere from farm stuff to veg think I will have to get my haggle hat on .
I spoke to H2B tonight and said look we going to have to try and cull a few more .
Somehow always connected , finally became friends .
Friends became soul mates :)
Engaged 6th July 2013
<3 <3 Married my best friend 11/7/2015 <3 <3
CommentAuthorVelcro
We've a big guest list, not getting married til 4, so only feeding people once, and I'm DIY'ing as much as is possible, done all my save the dates and will be making favours, bouquets, centre peices, invites etc. also got my shoes off eBay and my dress was a sample, I'm borrowing my mums jewellry for the day and my garter was £1.89 off the bay as well.
Internet and charity shops/wilkis/pound shops are the way forward when on a budget lol
Oh yeah, and probably wouldn't bother with chair covers either if I hadn't already put down a bloody deposit, no one notices the chairs really!
Wibbly wobbly, timey wimey
*Kelbel* is my wedding twinny!
CommentAuthorJanineS11
Albums: we wanted a fancy photo book but the photographer was quoting a small fortune. I was recommended a company who selsl the albums directly (Photo Productions) so we've arranged for our photographer to give us the photos on a disc then we'll order our own album..it's come out much cheaper and apparently the albums are excellent.
Chair covers: if you're having them try the stretchy ones, they look really nice on their own and saves money on the bows.
Invites: you can find some really good people on ebay who do personalised invites, we found one who's quality is lovely.
CommentAuthorLeanneP98
My guest list is roughly around 100 during the day and 200-250 for the evening. Ive been really lucky as because of having so many people my evening venue is free, all i had to do is pay a security deposit which i get back. I am having a late wedding so i only have to feed everyone once. If they dont like it there is a chippy across the road from the venue. Im making the invites and centerpieces myself. H2b has booked that band that was playing on our first date to play at the wedding for an hour or 2. We just have to get a few rounds in for them lol and my cousin is going to dj, he is giving me a great price and my mom is paying for that as well as the photographer. My aunt is making the cake, i dont know if she will be charging me for ingredients or doing it as a gift but wont be able to contact her until next week. I have been able to do all this on a budget of £3,000, and as of yet we havent gone over (touch wood)
CommentAuthorWelshBrideBethan2015
Brill ideas thanks again .
Wow good going Leanne !
Somehow always connected , finally became friends .
Friends became soul mates :)
Engaged 6th July 2013
<3 <3 Married my best friend 11/7/2015 <3 <3
CommentAuthorTaidiN
Hey there. I agree with the late wedding start and only feeding your guests once. But most would have eaten before arriving at Cat wedding and evening. And your just really topping up all the guests that came to the day up. Lol. Me and the oh are saving money by doing loads of diy. For instants we founded cheap chair covers and got some fabric and im making the sash my self. As im doing that its going to be a small wedding as I don't want to make hundreds. Lol. Xxx
CommentAuthorBev
Hi :)
We're having a large-ish wedding (70 day & 185 evening) but we've saved lots by having our ceremony at 5pm, serving canapés to the ceremony guests then having a hot fork buffet and dessert table around 8pm which will feed ceremony and evening guests :) x
CommentAuthorLeanneP98
Lol thanks Welshbride. If it was up to my mother it would be nearly double that.. especially with all these little extras she insists we have to have.... then accuses me of having champagne tastes on a lemonade budget, which I find quite insulting as we are not having any luxuries etc.
CommentAuthorFernP61
We had a big guest list for the day around 70 cut it down to 35 and rest coming in evening x
