i need all the help i can get!

I had a ceremony of 22 people and got married 23/04/2022. I did have a larger evening but as for budget tips…
I made my own bouquets (I found some faux flowers on Amazon and my bridesmaids helped me make up our bouquets)
Talking of flowers, skip them altogether or go with faux flowers. 1) they are like a tenth of the price and 2) they last forever. I’ll have my bouquet forever rather than chucking it away after a few days.You probably are going to do this anyway, but downsize your cake if you’ve only got 26 people who need it. No need for a big 3 tier cake costing £300. A smaller one or even 1 tier will be just as beautiful for your big day.I got my bridesmaid dresses on Amazon £50 each. You could even find them cheaper than that.I did my own make up (if you’re confident enough to do that yourself then I would recommend- saved me £70-100)I told my bridesmaids to just wear whatever shoes they already owned and to do their own make up. My dress was on the cheaper side, £499. My parents did pay for this though No one will care or know if you have Prosecco at the wedding instead of champagne. If you do go for champagne we bought 6 bottles at warehouse rate due to buying multipack than 1.Decorations and centrepieces were even borrowed from others, made by others or bought off etsy, Amazon, shops like the range. Our wedding invites were bought from Clinton’s on sale 49p for 10Congratulations!!!

Congratulations! You have time to find ideas to help you. There's lots of advice on budgets and DIY out there. It may be worth having a spreadsheet which has all the items you want to work out what 'little extras, decoration etc.' you want to reasonably budget for, and have a good chat with your partner first so you can prioritize key things and still have the day you're happy with. Ask at the pub/family and friends what things you might be able to borrow (e.g. if they have vases for decor). Ask friends to keep bottles/jam jars and then you can source faux flowers cheaply or just get flowers from the supermarket and DIY the day before. Use a taxi/public transport. A curated spotify playlist of your favorite songs plugged into the pub sound system is free and means you listen to what you like (DJs/bands are a big expense). Doing hair and make-up yourself/as a bridal party and using shoes you have can cut costs, and you can still look lovely as you have time to try out looks. I am making my own buttonholes and all the bouquets (but I like crafty projects so only DIY what you feel comfortable with or it can cause more stress and end up costing almost as much). Food can be tricky - the next wedding I am going to is a 'bring a dish' buffet so when you RSVP guests can offer to bring a buffet dish. Homemade cakes/desserts from family can be a lovely touch if you wanted to do a savoury buffet spread yourself (see what the pub can offer/if they have any local recommendations). Try looking at https://whimsicalwonderlandweddings.com/category/real-weddings/budget-wedding/ - you can look at budget weddings and also search for 'pub reception' weddings as that may give you some inspiration. Happy planning! x

Cant say it better than the others x💗 good luck with your planning x and congratulations x

View quoted message Thank you x

View quoted message Lots of great suggestions there, thanks for your input it’s much appreciated 🙏 x

Anytime were here to help if you need it xx💗

Do as much DIY as you can. Make your own signage and keep decor to bare minimum. Don’t bother with wedding favours if you can get away with it.