Wedding on a Budget

[Charlotteee]

Hi Ladies,

We are looking at summer 2015 to get married, but we are trying to do it on a budget.

We dont want a sit down meal, and we would like an afternoon church service then straight on to the hot buffet at the evening reception.

Could you let me know what are essentials for the wedding, i'm rubbish at thinking!!

So far I have:

Church
Evening Reception (including food - hot buffet, fish and chips hopefully)
Transport (Might use my dad as he has a Merc)
Bride/Maids Dress
Groom/Usher Suits
Flowers
Rings
Cake (Work will make)
Invites (I will make)
Photographer (Family Friend)
Tablecloths/seat covers
Small homemade personal favors


Anything else that is essential??

Thanks girlies xxx

 

[emyandpotato]

There are no essentials really hun, just whatever is important to you! I think weddings are too much about tradition and not about the couple themselves.

By the way, if you're wanting fish and chips for your buffet, you could still keep it as a sit down meal (if you like, though it works either way) by figuring out what each person's order is beforehand (i.e. fish/sausage/salt and vinegar etc etc) and then making an arrangement with the local chip shop prior to the day for each order, have them wrapped as they would be in the chip shop, and then wrap them in a layer of pretty tissue paper and tie with string with a name tag for each person, and perhaps a fork attached to the packaging. You could also do what I'm doing with my wedding and put them in boxes, rather like large favour boxes, which perhaps a design on the front, and each person's name. Sort of like an individual picnic box. It'd look very pretty and for 100 guests would cost less than £250 for the whole lot.

Okay I'm getting a little carried away, I'm sorry This is what I mean though: https://pinterest.com/pin/17381148532503797/
https://pinterest.com/pin/17381148533459158/

 

[lozzy21]

Accessories, hair, makeup, entertainment, centrepieces/room decoration.

 

[taybear]

We're also having a 2015 wedding and on a budget.

We are letting our bridesmaids and groomsmen choose their attire with a few rules. We want to see it before they decide that's what they're wearing. They can wear slacks and a nice shirt (within out color theme) and a nice black suit or jacket. That's it. Saves us and them from spending more money than needed and it can still look nice!

As for flowers, I'm allergic to flowers, so we are just going to buy some silk bouquets from the dollar store (making sure they are sturdy and not limp).

For our entertainment/music, we are using....our ipod. Yup. But we are also having it in a large yard so we plan on having some board games on the tables, a disposable camera at each table with a few props for fun, horseshoe because who doesn't love that, and of course, dancing.

It's basically going to be a mix of royalty/elegance and homey. We don't want our guests bored. We want them to have fun and remember it as exciting.

So, you don't have to spend money on everything. Be creative. Incorporate something fun for entertainment. Do you like flowers? If not, don't get as many. Instead, try using ribbon to make bows or decorate with crepe paper.

Hope this helped a bit for a budget wedding

Other things you might need/want (optional!):
boutonnieres
Veil, shoes, bride's purse, jewelry
Change of clothes
Attendant's gifts
Wedding Party gifts
Mother of Bride Dress
Maid of honor dress
Save the date cards
Thank you cards
Napkins/silverware (unless provided)
Cake Stand
Cake knife/serving set
Toasting flutes
Lighting (unless indoor)
Hotel for the night before
Hotel for traveling guests
Dress preservation

 

[Mummy May]

The essentials are just what is important to you Were having a budget wedding and things still add up so just keep an eye on what you spend! Most of the ladies on here are budgeting too so if you need any tips on doing things for low cost then just shout up! xx

 

[cookielucylou]

Love the fish and chip picnic idea in the

 

[Lauren25]

Like the others have said the essentials are whatever you want them to be and what's important to you and your OH! What we done was write everything down and decide what was very important to us and we would spend money on what we weren't fussed by and wouldn't have and things we wanted to have but would search for deals/money off etc.