FREE Wedding Table Planner

+ FREE Wedding Budget Planner and more wedding planning tools

Join now free to use

Wedding Forum - Planning a wedding in less than 2 months...

Not signed in (Sign In)

UKbride Supermarket


* Discount available to Power Users only. Terms and conditions apply. more

  1.  
    • ShannonR0
      CommentAuthorShannonR0
      Just marriedBadgeBadge
     
    Time to celebrate!

    Me and my partner have been together nearly 5 years, we are both 20, we have a beautiful 9 month old daughter and we are now expecting number two!

    After finding out our good news Lewis suprises me even more when he got down on one knee!

    Now not only are we starting our family but we are engaged and planning our wedding!

    It was all very exciting news, untill we found out his step-dad is terminally ill with less than 11 months left if his medication works.

    So after we found out Lewis and I decided that having those last memories with his step-dad was more important than a flashy wedding or our next child being apart of it.

    I have started planning, spending every day finding bargains and booking our new ideal dream wedding!

    Not only is it short notice, on a small budget I am pregnant and growing in size!

    My plan for our wedding day is simple, we stay at home, we get ready, we get a taxi to the registry office with of 60 odd guests, his 5 year old brother is the ring bear and will walk down with lewis step-dad as he has autism he may not understand that he needs to wait for us and run off with tge rings! Lol my baby will be Carried by the mil and my step-dad will walk me down the aisle , we walk to the beach, have pictures and a glass of prosecco then walk of to our reception/ evening venue which is a free venue at a local bar.

    The bar has a juke box, so others can pay for certain songs aswell, a cash bar, pool table and seating.

    So far I have spent the following:

    £55 on a maternity dress from ebay which fits!
    £15 white wedding shoes ebay
    £25 on 200 paperplates and cutlery
    £15 on 75 plastic champagne flutes
    £70 on my notice fees
    £20 on certicertificates of marriage and an informal pretty display certificate.
    £50 deposit for ceremony and registrar fees ( registry office in eastbourne) 250 left to pay
    I have asked a charity that i worked for last year if i can make and print invites there.£10 for that
    £10 on envelopes and some postage
    £15 serving trays and bowls tesco
    £10 tiara
    £3 cheap veil ( might be borrowing a nice one)
    £20 bridal jewellery second hand

    My idea for centre pieces are alse a 2-1 centre piece and favours.
    I am collexting jars jam jars, coffee ect ect to decorate then fill with differnt types of sweets, I have brought sweet cones so everyone can fill one before they leave.
    I have also brought little organza bags to fill with mints.

    I am also think baby jars for tea lights.

    I am doing the cold finger food buffets for approximately 70 people on £120 then collecting pizzas later on (£5 per pizza if collected)

    I like the idea of a ferrero rocher love heart stand for £14 then £20 to fill up with ferrero rochers. This will be a center piece.

    I have asked the charity i worked for to do flowers, I only need to spend £30 and tgey will put some money towards them as they already do flower arrangements as a workshop.

    There is soo much to do and so much that I would like! Admittedly with everything extra that i would like I have gone over the budget in my estimate by 200 approximately, but this is because i ordered bridemaid dresses of ebay £90 for all but they are too small and brought 3 new ones for £30 so ended up spending more than i needed!

    Although I have gone over Im not to angry with myself, some can be recycled into something new, i can use bits for home and i can sell on what i dont need!
    Soo excited, I love looking around for cheap bits to make this day extra special!

    A few ideas on where to get deals:
    Ebay, friday ads, local Facebook selling pages in your area, asking friends and family or post on Facebook bits you need, you will be suprised in what people don't need!

    Thanks for reading my long post! Any ideas to not break the bank decorations especially!
  2.  
    • StephanieM158
      CommentAuthorStephanieM158
      Just marriedBadgeBadge
     
    Firstly im so sorry to hear about your family, i hope your h2b step-dad isnt into much much pain and everybody is coping ok.
    Secondly bravo you. Its so refreshing to see somebody just getting down and dirty with diy and recycling. You are definitely my type of girl.
    I too am vollecting jars. Swiping decorations from friends and visitng the recycling centre often.
    Im happy to see you are sticking to a budget and not getting over faced by the whole thing. Its the best way to be and i admire it!!!.
    Truly.
    I wish u all well in your marriage and with your pregnancy.
    Stick around here after the big day and let us know how it all goes. Xxx

    Members signature icon
    Met 2004
    Engaged 2014
    Getting Married 2016
  3.  
    • ShannonR0
      CommentAuthorShannonR0
      Just marriedBadgeBadge
     
    Thank you!

    It turns out I have gone over the budget especially spending 90 on dresses that didnt fit.

    They are buying their own dresses which are now only 10 each but i cant just get them to pay for the old ones aswell!

    I think I need to look at my budget and decide what i really need and what are wants as with the bridesmaide dresses it has come up to 1400! Way too much but to be fair we didnt really make a budget to stick too, just planning it on what we can afford in a month.

    It will all work out in the end though!

    We are happy that were getting married but upset that the memories of his step dad at the wedding might be the last happy days before he goes to bed rest, its hit him pretty quickly and suffering quite badly.

    any ideas on purple decorations for the wedding or ideas on cutting back, the main cost is the ceremony, its really expensive in eastbourne on a Saturday! 300 on the ceremony itself :(
  4.  
    • Emily17
      CommentAuthorEmily17
      Ticker backgroundIs poweruserJust marriedBadgeBadgeTicker foreground
     
    Sorry about your FIL. sounds a really tough time.

    what about paper flower decorations. I think they are beautiful take a look on p1ntr3st

    For flowers perhaps look at buying foam roses off the bay and making them yourself??

    not sure that there's any other way I can think of you cutting back on your spending other than your flowers :)

    sounds absolutely great

    Members signature icon
    Met in 2009
    He proposed Jan 2014
    Will become Mrs P 7th October 2017
  5.  
    • ShannonR0
      CommentAuthorShannonR0
      Just marriedBadgeBadge
     
    Well im spending 30 on flowers but that includes a trial run the week before, one bridal boquet, 3 bridesmaid boquets, something for my lo and mil, little flower for the men, some for venue. Depending on the cost of the flowers, im trying to get free bits atm, lights, table cloths, dont need ferrero rochers. I just love them! Lol theres only a couple of bit i can cut back on but hopefully ill get my moneg back on some bits afterwards! :)
  6.  
    • StephanieM158
      CommentAuthorStephanieM158
      Just marriedBadgeBadge
     
    You've done so well, and so what if you've gone slightly over to have it so inepensive is a blessing. As soon as you mention the word wedding to anybody boom the price goes up.
    We're under £5000 and it looks as if we can just about manage it. I wish we could have done it as small and cheap as possible but he insisted we make a do of it!! :-) GL XX

    Members signature icon
    Met 2004
    Engaged 2014
    Getting Married 2016
  7.  
    • Myranny
      CommentAuthorMyranny
      Just marriedBadgeBadge
     
    I think what you've done is absolutely *amazing*. I'm genuinely impressed that you've managed to keep costs so low! Like StephanieM says, you mention the word wedding and all of a sudden a function room goes from £200 for the night to £2,000 and you're like "Sorry, what?!"

    What we're spending is obscene really, but we'll be just under 2 years of saving, parents chipping in and it's what we want.

    For God's sake I hope H2B doesn't see this. He'd love you! Lol. If he could have convinced me to do it this way, he'd probably get a lot more involved.

    I'm sorry to hear about your H2B's stepdad. At least he will be with you for your special day. My cousin was engaged when my grandad found out he was terminally ill at the end of last year, so she brought her wedding forward about 18 months so that he could be there. I hope your day is amazing :) xx
  8.  
    • Glitterfairy
      CommentAuthorGlitterfairy
      Ticker backgroundIs poweruserJust marriedBadgeBadgeTicker foreground
     
    Wow, you've done brilliantly.

    Members signature icon
    Our wedding day - 6 October 2012


  9.  
    • michgib
      CommentAuthormichgib
      Is poweruserJust marriedBadgeBadge
     
    You are a marvel well done. You will have a amazing day with all your important fmily around keep up the good work and happy foraging hugs to you
  10.  
    • Sarah D
      CommentAuthorSarah D
      Ticker backgroundIs poweruserJust marriedBadgeBadgeTicker foreground
     
    You are doing so well with your planning xx

    Members signature icon
    Became Mrs Duthie 7th October 2016


  11.  
    • ShannonR0
      CommentAuthorShannonR0
      Just marriedBadgeBadge
     
    Thank you all, we unfortunately havent got anyone putting money in, but my friend is helping me cook up the buffet, and another hopefully doing baking and i have asked the mil to be for the wedding cakes, i wanted a nice cchocolatey one with butter iceing and another cream and strawberrys.

    Were not going on a honeymoon as we havr have one clingy 9 month old which is breastfed and being pregnant means i cant drink or do much, we are going to save to do a family holiday next year in stead.

    I think it is better with a small budget, its so much fun looking around for bargains! Although we will rebew our vows in 5-10 years and have then venue I really wanted! The wedding i would of loved was in the 10-15000 range! Way too much for one day!

    Can i ask if you are making gift lists?

    I feel rude askibg for items especially things we need, were moving house in two months aswell and will need washing machine. Dryer ect but dont think its suitable for wedding gifts??
  12.  
    • Sarah D
      CommentAuthorSarah D
      Ticker backgroundIs poweruserJust marriedBadgeBadgeTicker foreground
     
    We are having a gift insert in with our invites just a few lines to say if our guests would like to give us a gift we would like to receive money for our honeymoon pot, worded better than that though lol! we have bought our house and don't need household things so makes sense, rather than a gift list why don't you have something similar so you can use the money you receive to buy the items you need xx

    Members signature icon
    Became Mrs Duthie 7th October 2016


  13.  
    • Mrs D2B
      CommentAuthorMrs D2B
      Ticker backgroundIs poweruserJust marriedBadgeBadgeTicker foreground
     
    You are doing so well, I can't believe your managing it on so little money, but it is nice to see a bride who is remembering the real purpose of a wedding, marrying the man you love in the presence of all who love you, it's an inspiration and a reminder that I personally need to stop worrying about silly little things that mean nothing and concentrate on the most important thing, me my h2b and our little girl. I'm sorry to hear about you h2b step-dad but he must be so proud to know he will be a big part in your day!
    Have you looked at getting you ferrero roshers from cash and carry? and your buffet food? They're not always cheaper than the supermarkets but sometimes you can get a good deal. Also if you fancy a bit of DIY for your center pieces have a look on g00gle and p1ntress you can do some amazing things with almost anything prom buttons to branches and will cost you next to nothing! As for your gift list you could always ask people to give a cash gift so you can then spend that on what you need for your new house or save it for your holiday next year.
    Good luck with everything, please keep us updated as to how it's all going!!

    Members signature icon
    31/12/2017 A New Year, A New Life, A New Husband and Wife


  14.  
    • Glitterfairy
      CommentAuthorGlitterfairy
      Ticker backgroundIs poweruserJust marriedBadgeBadgeTicker foreground
     
    You could ask for contributions towards the needed items.

    Members signature icon
    Our wedding day - 6 October 2012


  15.  
    • Sarah D
      CommentAuthorSarah D
      Ticker backgroundIs poweruserJust marriedBadgeBadgeTicker foreground
     
    Your presence without presents
    is enough to make our day,
    We haven’t made a wedding list
    of gifts, in any way,
    Should you wish to give us cash,
    we surely won’t say no,
    So we can buy the things we like
    to help create our home.

    Members signature icon
    Became Mrs Duthie 7th October 2016


 

UKbride's £25,000 Wedding Competition Prize Partners

Enter Now