any ideas on how to keep the cost down .......

Is there anything in particular you'd like at your wedding that you 'think' you can't afford or perhaps we could help with budget friendly alternatives.

The cheapest way is usually the DIY way!

Well my mum is making our cake, were not having cars because we dont need them. we have already cut back on guests.

centre peice ideas that dont cost the earth would be great, where to get dresses for me and bridesmaids that are less suits invite i was going to do myself but looking at all bits an bobs to buy may work out cheaper to buy them instead.

it just seems to be creeping up and up not sure where else to cut back we may not even have a honeymoon till our year aniversary i really dont want to have to get a loan but its looking like we might have to x

Loads of high st stores have sales at the moment. I know for sure that both Monsoon and Debenhams have bridal dresses reduced and they both sell bridesmaid type dresses too. I got my BM dresses from Monsoon last year with 70% off, the 3 of them cost me less than 1 should have pre-sale.

Centre pieces can be anything, they dont need to be flowers. Mine were china plates! If you shop in cheap places (I got my candles from poundstretchers) places like Matalan and Dunhelm Mill are great for decor stuff. My invitation stuff all in all prolly cost me around £50 including the stamps but yup, you can buy ready made invitations from any card shop or supermarket... Just do your research and see how it goes....

Well if you go to your local florist you can save money rather than using a specialist wedding flower arranger. because they buy more frequently they tend to get better deals on the same quality of flowers.

I have used this wedding flower guide as a guide and tried to get my local florist to do it cheaper and they could easily do it

Here's an idea......I've just come back from a wedding tonight and I was amazed at how good the tables looked when i arrived. The colour scheme was white and red. I was chatting to the mother of the bride and she had done all the table decorations. Tall glasses from Ikea with clear glass pebbles in the bottom and three roses cut to three different lengths so they fitted within the glasses ( a red one then a white one then a red one), and imitation red petals strewn on the tables.....stunning effect. No favours but little bowls (bought from ikea) with sweets in and one tiny box on each table with a wedding trivia quiz.

Hi there,

we're doing most of it ourselves -

Cake - I will make with some help from mum

Dress - being made by one of my BMs, fabric at John Lewis cost about 80 qsuid

Photography - recruited a friend

invites and all stationary - DIY

centerpieces - I am olanning at the moment, will be very simple with lots of candles and cheep glassware

Bridesmaids getting their own dresses and I may contribute towards it if I have enough on the budget left over

no free bar

suits - best men will probably wear what they have and we will get ties for them (OH is not convinced about this at the moment though)

there are lots of tips on the web for cheep alternatives!

Hi! I've posted this before but it's really useful - http://www.cheap-wedding-success.co.uk/weddings-on-a-budget.html plus it's fun reading about other people's weddings:-) N x

haha Neph I was just about to post exactly the same link! they sent me a newsletter this morning...

x

Hi,

have a look on this site here, there are lots of budget saving things:

www.budgetsavvybride.co.uk

Debbie

x

I actually bought my stationary from card factory!!! They do invitations, evening invitations and thank you cards to match for 1.49 per box of 10?

I am making all the on the day stationery, got my dress from ebay and the same with our rings.

HTH