I got engaged!!!

[21p1eco]

My partner of 5 and half years and i got engaged on thursday. I am so excited now!! i may have gone a bit wedding mad over the last few days

We have decided on june 2013 to get married as we want another baby first and we need to save up. I have no idea how much money we are going to need to get married, but i dont want an expensive wedding, simple but elegant hopefully. Would love to hear what other brides to be have set as their budget, or how much their wedding cost!!!

There is so much to decide, and so many themes i want!! how do i choose???

Here is a picture of the ring. i originally choose a 1 carat 3 stone ring but it was too big, apparently there is such a thing as too many diamonds, lol!

https://i908.photobucket.com/albums/ac284/21p1eco/photo1.jpg

 

[honeybee2]

oooooooooooooooooph! Doesnt sound like you'll have to save very hard if you can afford a ring like that! What a belter!!!! Lush!!


An elegant and traditional wedding doesnt have to cost the earth. Im a having a traditional white wedding in a castle with 80 people for £6000 including everything an expensive wedding would have (band, big cake, drinks on tables, sky lanterns, DJ, meal, night food, big dress, favours, hair and beauty, gorgeous centrepieces and flowers) it all depends how you spend your money and prioritising. You can do it if you really put your back into it!!! Thankfully I had 18 months to plan mine and I've got some fab deals- with just over two years to plan and with the tips from here- I think you'll find it wont be as expensive as you anticipated!


As far as themes go I would consider colours that set the mood of the wedding i.e. the date/ season, whats in style, what colours/ themes/ hobbies represent you both as a couple. I would wait before buying anything for a year though as styles and opinions change dramatically as the world of wedding keeps turning- but buy tons of magazines and dream away- its lush! x

 

[21p1eco]

thanks very much. no we aren't that well off, unfortunately. not to be cheeky but how much did you put away and save per month to get to £8000, its a lot of money to save!! i dont know how we are going to do it!!

 

[Groovychick]

Congratulations hun!

 

[booflebump]

Congratulations

Your day can be as big as you want, and it doesn't have to cost the earth. You just need to decide what is most important to you xxx

 

[honeybee2]

we didnt save £8000- the wedding was £6000 in total without the honeymoon and it works out like this:

*I saved: about £1900 & £1000 for honeymoon

*My other half is a right tight arse and paid: £750 & HOPEFULLY £1000 for honeymoon although he just had a massive go at me for wanting to spend £1000 each on it (thread about that to follow!)
* My mum bless her saved: £450 for the flowers and the flower girls
*MIL paid for the reception etc and paid: £2000
*My dad paid: £1150

so it was just over £6000.

We were lucky as I had £1000 in compensation which paid for half my wedding share and I just worked part time to pay the rest while I wasnt at uni. Ive used some of my student loan and working part time to pay for the honeymoon.

His mum and my parents helped alot too & we've asked for cash gifts towards our honeymoon too.

 

[21p1eco]

ah right, that makes sense. i am assuming none of our family will contribute, but if they do it will be a bonus. i am a uni student atm too so will save some of my easter money i think, and get oh to save some every month when he gets a full time job in summer (hes a student too). My MIL is going to make the cake and invitations, and we know a very cheap photographer so that will save us money too!! its becoming very real now, yay!!!

Thanks so much for your help, i still need to look up what we need for the reception as this seems the most expensive part! If anyone has tips of how to save money at the reception or anywhere please share, lol

 

[honeybee2]

hope these help:

*Dont buy the 'packages' they are quite expensive
*Bring you own booze in and pay the corkage unless the alcohol is reasonably priced
*Think of alternative foods such as your fav dishes or a BBQ or Hog roast and buffet instead fo a 3 course sit down meal
*Have your wedding late in the day so you only have to feed them once
*Use a venue where you can bring your own caterers in
*Ask what the venue includes (does it include a DJ or flowers? Anything is a bonus!)
*Buy a multi flavoured wedding cake and serve as dessert instead of paying for extra pudding. Serve with some cream or something.
*think of alternative venues- village hall/ art gallery/ conservative clubs/ friends lovely home/ garden// my Uni does a lovely wedding reception- your Uni will offer rooms etc for conferences and gatherings, they'd probs offer you a venue at a reasonable cost!

 

[21p1eco]

thank you so much, will keep them in mind when booking the venue, god thats another complicated decision! oh doesnt want to get married in a church but i would quite like too as am a bit religious, but he isnt at all! i can see why people get so stressed over weddings!!!

 

[honeybee2]

oh its completely mad!
Weddings are so complicated- the amount of fights me and my OH get into.
Its all differences of opinion and family politics.

Its shit really! All for the day of your dreams x

 

[twiggy56]

congratulations!

 

[randomxx]

Congratulations on the engagement hun x

 

[21p1eco]

thank you!

 

[kimmyk]

Congrats! Ans gorgeous ring - it's so shiny!! I've heard that the average wedding costs between 10k and 20k, so that's a ballpark budget to keep in mind. I'm sure you can do something classy for less though

 

[Tiff]

Congrats!!!!