How to save money on your wedding...

This christmas ask for vouchers so that you can buy your underwear/make up/perfume/jewellery without having the guilt!

Wow.... never thought of that one! Thats such a good idea!

and it avoids the whole "what would you like for christmas?" ..."em... well im saving for a wedding so money i guess" awkward conversation.

I've got Christmas and my 30th birthday before my wedding so im asking for vouchers for a local beauty salon. This way I can get nails, spray tan, waxing etc done for the wedding without having these last minute costs.

One i've just heard recently is doubling up your decorations as favours....say you use candles and have them all on different candle holders (bought of ebay or something)... then invite your guests to take a candle holder home as a favour.

I like the vouchers idea. It's my 30th very soon ? so I'll probably ask for vouchers to use next year! A very good idea indeed ?

I'm saving money by not getting married till 4pm, so just paying for sit down meal after, no need for evening buffet. Also going to serve wedding cake for desert therefore cutting cost on 3 course meal and just opting for a 2 course meal instead!

Like the wedding cake idea.... think im going to have a tier of muffins or cupcakes.... so serving that for dessert would be easy... nice one spinspinsugar!!

You're welcome ?

We're going to have Wedding cupcakes too, so pretty and so easy to dish out!

I'm saving by having 9 guests!

Haha...love it!

your very lucky... my parents got hold of our guest list which has now rocketed to 120 sit down!

I envy you umberellacademic

We are getting married on a week day most venues charge less than they would for a saturday x

Thanks Nayso- it was tough but we knew what we wanted and stuck to it- despite the emotional blackmail!!!

xx

We are getting married on a weekday, even though it is NYE, the venue aren't charging a hire charge, we will just pay for the meal and drinks. The only proviso is that we need to be out by 8pm as they are only opening for our wedding.

Dress - from Monsoon

BM outfit - from Monsoon

Invitiation - done over the phone

Stationery - I will be making this myself

Hubby's suit - felt more cost effective to buy as he didn't have one but got it for under £200

Best Mans suit - although I did try my bro insisted on getting it himself

Flowers - my mum is going to do the arrangements for the church, the venue isn't having any

Guests - 36 to the actual day and then an open house party on New Years Day for extended friends etc and a party/evening out back in our home town for all the friends and family that can't make it for NYE

Honeymoon - delayed, having a few days in Edinburgh on the way back

Table Centres - candles so came in at a good price, I think about £4 per table of which we are having six

Favours - good price for using local supplier

Photographer - works with my mum and is giving us a fantastic rate

Cars - my cousin is buying a new car so has kindly offered to ferry us about

Cake - my auntie is constructing an amazing sounds cake for us and won't accept payment

Rings - we got on finance and did go slightly over budget but I figure they are an integral part to the whole process so don't mind

Entertainment - students who won't accept payment but I will give them something as a thankyou.

Also gatecrashing the town's firework display when we leave the hotel and going back to my mum's house to bring in Hogmanay with the usual help from Jackie Bird!

Venue decorations - assistance of their xmas decs!!

I'm going to attempt to make my own wedding veil. It doesn't look too hard, I'm just not prepared to pay the prices that shops charge for a bit of tulle that costs £2.99 at the market.

Fvj you're probably right, I'm not sure if I'm having one yet but I bet you could find a guide / pattern online or in Burda if you look.

If possible then book your venue and caterers seperately. Saved us in the region of about £4k

Ive done my own stationary - invites, table names etc..

My mum is doing the cake.

Got my dress in a sale so saved £210 there ?

My favours are cookies that I will make.

Ive made my bridesmaids bouquets

Our photographer wasnt cheap and I doubt our rings will be but we're okay with that and have made some cost saves to account for that.

Our wedding car is either going to be borrowed from a friend or borrowed from work

Even with all this the budget still comes in at £6K - hate to think what it would be like if i wasnt saving on these things ?

We've skipped 'save the date' invites - in the age of texts and email , it's hardly needed.

I am hoping to save money on my wedding dress but I know what i'm like... it will prob end up the most expensive in the shop!

Any more money saving tips?

xo

Dunno how I missed this thread!

I'm going to send my STD's out with my christmas cards next year to save on postage!

x