Budget brides..how have you done it?

To save money we are getting married in a registry office with just six guests. We are getting pictures taken at a local park, then going for a meal with them.

Then we are having some time to ourselves. ( I've been I'll and off work for a few months so we wanted a couple of hours in between day and night so I can have a wee nap if I need it!!) then having family and friends (about 10-12) round to open champagne we got for our engagement then we are going to a local hotel for a party. We paid for the buffet but my brother is doing the DJing on a friends equipment, my mum is making our cake, venue is providing table cloths, tea lights etc.

My maid of honour is wearing her own dress, mine was £99 from John Lewis, wearing shoes I already have, jewellery cost about £15 from 3d jewellery and another place (cant remember the name?!) a friend is driving us for free in his Merc. I also bought loose latex calla lilies (12 for me and 6 for MoH) for £20 and button holes for £30. I wrapped the lilies in ribbon an they look amazing. I didn't want to pay loads for flowers even if I had a big wedding though.

Wr have managed things well and got a lot done for less than we thought. We just want to be married and we didn't want to wait and save madly for two years to do it. We don't have kids but we do have a mortgage.

BRIDE26 - Where did you get your glow sticks from and how much were they roughly? OH really wants some for the evening do

I have made some great purchases through other brides on here!

I got a £70 side tiara for £25

I got 2 rose bush trees for £20

I got 12 storm lanterns for £50

So planning so far in advance as meant I have picked up some proper bargains.

Also I got my shoes in the sale - reduced to £31.00

Zoomo13 i got them from poundworld near us, they had wants and balls and necklaces too x

Thanks bride26 - think i may have to tell OH and let him go to poundowrld and get what he wants - i half expect he would want a wand for himself ?

My dress was £350, it is a discontinued line, so I got a bargain! Veil was £10 from another bride who had decided not to use it. It still has tags. Flowers I have done myself, foam roses so they will last, they are very realistic and they won't wilt. Flower girl dress £20 eBay. Our wedding package is fab, includes red carpet arrival, the ceremony, drinks buffet, evening buffet, reception, master of ceremonies, tableclothes etc, private bar, accomodation for us, breakfast the next day all for £1000. Invites I made along with table centre pieces and other room decorations, and favours. A friend is doing our photos as our wedding pressie, my brother is driving me. Our big splurge is our rings, after all, they have got to last forever! Xx

I did a whole wedding for 80-100 people in Canada for £3k in including not one but 2 dresses!

Had an evening wedding (church and officiant £150) so no wedding breakfast, or lunch.

Dress (custom made and designed) £350

Decor (it was christmas so lots was done!) £70 for sashes, trees, crystals for trees etc)

Flowers £200 - I made all my bouquets and everything) for all 4 bouquets, 5 buttonholes and all tables/centerpieces (vases were borrowed)/ other decor

Candy buffett £150 (Jars borrowed) And half bought - custom bag stickers,bags, tongs, candy and everything)

Cars - Just went in my mums (It was 1) snowing and 2) at night so no one would know the difference)

Food was £500 for finger food buffet for guests

Cake £50 - I decorated it myself/ baked by aunt

Reception Venue - £300

Second dress E-bay £70

Grooms outfit £200

DJ - £200

Photographer (£300) - I printed my own pics and got just the edited images on disc and got a groupon voucher and 200 prints for £10 to scrapbook

Invitations £40 -made myself

That turned out to be just about 3K I believe! I loved doing everything myself ( and all in 3 days before the wedding save for invites!) And I want to help more brides in the future!

We are getting married in Malta and the most expensive thing seemed to be the photographer quotes, so not really having a budget for this since a photographer friend was doing this as a wedding present is now not coming, we had to be creative...

...I emailed the Maltese photographic society as asked if they had any photographers who would want to get some experience by doing our wedding, they emailed me back a wonderful man named Louis, who it turns out has international awards for his work, who will do it for £150 plus an album of 30 pics and all pics on DVD! I thought it was a bit cheeky emailing them at first, but I am so glad I did!

Register office wedding. No guests (apart from my sons and our witnesses)

Our Tog was one of our witnesses, and one of my best friends so he did it for free

Dress, under £30 off ebay.

Shoes and headband were ones I already owned. My necklace was a birthday present off my Mum, Isaved to wear for the wedding.

H wore a shirt he already owned, and I got him a skinny tie off ebay for 99p, and he wore converse he already owned.

My other witness makes brooch bouquets, so she made me one for free.

I bought my kids a new shirt each, but they wore trousers and shoes they already owned.

She and I also made my cake, cost less than £10. Her uncle also runs a wedding car business and taxi firm, so the night before my wedding, he picked us up from my hen do, and she asked him if he could take us to the register office. We were expecting his "wedding cab", but he rocked up in one of his proper wedding cars, in his proper chauffeur gear for free, as a favour for my friend.

No reception, we just went for a meal later that night, which cost less than £60 for 7 of us