If you could have one thing you aren't having....

No big luxuries as such, but would love a videographer if we have any money spare.

That band are amazing...i was glued to the screen watching them!!

I can't access youtube from here. For me it's a close call between a videographer or a band, but as we are having a couple of family attempting to capture that anyway, it's probably a band, I really think it adds a touch of class.

Sarah it's bagpipes and drums playing. The band is called Clanadonia who go to the football, rugby games etc so they are one of the best hence the high price. I've emailed our piper to find out how much a drummer would be but still wouldn't be the same.

x

That is where I first saw them and thought 'oh they are just doing it for fun and will be cheap' so when I asked how much I nearly fainted. Then I googled them and was amazed at the fact they play all over the world.

I'd love a fireworks display at the end of the evening, there's a lake next to the venue and it would look lovely, plus when are you ever going to have fireworks in your honour again, but no-one else agrees with me so we're not having it ☹️

I would love a gospel choir but i dont think the priest would allow it, and i dont know any in the area and i dont know how much it would cost. Think it would sound amazing though!x

How come you don't think he would allow it?

Mmm maybe a more extravagent cake. Just going to have good old M&S but ideally would love something with a bit more wow factor and tiers to include carrot cake, lemon cake, chocolate and fruit as well.

Another thing I would like would be for all our friends from New Zealand to be able to come over for the wedding and more of H2B's family from Ireland to come to the wedding.

I dlove to have a videographer - no way budget can straetch now as H2B just had pay and hours reduced

This is a slightly sad one, and has nothing to do with money. If we could, we'd have Iain's Mum's sister there. The poor lady has dementia and is in a home. We have looked into making some kind of arrangement for her to be there, but Iain's Mum has basically said that it would be too hard - particularly for her. She would need a nurse with her, as she's unable to feed herself or go to the bathroom on her own. Also, and this is going to sound harsh - she won't remember the day at all after it's over. In fact she didn't even recognise me last time we visited. She will be worse in 8 months too.

What we're going to do, is after the big day, take lots and lots of photos over to her. She loves photos anyway. I always take some of my cats for her. We'll take her some cake too. It's just such a shame that we didn't meet years ago, she was at both Iain's sistsers' weddings. It's going to be hard for Iain on the day too - as he's very close to her.

Sorry - just realised I've probably put a bit of a downer on this thread! I just have been trying not to think about that too much, but now I'm quite upset about it. I just feel really sorry for Iain and his family - it's so hard for all of them.

Ok, sorry about that. I'll do some more work to take my mind off it.

Ali x

Ali don't be sorry. Sounds a lovely plan for afterwards. ?

I was just saying to my h2b yesterday that my Uncle will probably be quite emotional on the day as my Aunt died last year and none of their daughters are married yet so I would have been the first in the family and I think it will remind him that she has gone when she had so much to still live for.

xx

Oh, Lynsey I'm sorry if I've upset you too.

Your poor uncle. That's really sad. I just hate that people have to get married with people they love not being there. If you see what I mean.

xx

Hi PG, how are you?

I just think he's really keen that i have the church organist. xxx

I too would love to have a band but we just couldn't really justify spending the money for a good one, so a dj it is!

PG and bluelady, I've seen Clanadonia many times in town as well and would never have guessed that they charge that much! I also love the red hot chilli pipers, they're fab too.

So? I don't understand why you can't have both. I did!

We are really lucky and having most things that we wanted but with a bit more money I would probably invite more to the day rather than just the evening. Oh and pay for everyone's hotel to stay over as we are getting married quite a way from where most of our guests are coming from.

I think it would be a jazz band to play all night at the reception but it looks like we won't be able to afford it. I'd also love a huge huge huge mansion to ourselves for the day and have fireworks after but we can't afford it and i'm terrified of fireworks...

Materialistically, i would probably change my venue. i LOVE my venue now, but probably would have gone for something bigger, and also paid for everyone to stay the night before and the night of the wedding.

most importantly, and along the same vein as ali, we would have h2b's mum there. unfortunately she died two and a half years ago, and we are both so sad she won't be there.

Neither would I but they are quite famous I think. They went to Paris for the football match last year and on you tube it is amazing seeing so many football fans and hearing Clanadonia in the background.

The Red Hot Chilli Pipers played at our venue about 6-8 months ago and I was so excited thinking maybe we could afford them if someone else had them at the same venue but....£7000 for 40 mins NO chance!

I would have had a live band for the evening but when BWC offered to DJ and sing for us I couldn't have been happier and would have choosen her over any live band because I think having a friend play such an important part is going to be fab. Although she is up to something for our first dance so slightly concerned about that! ?

Yes I saw that thread ? I'm intrigued!

I'm more than intrigued and hate surprises but as long as she doesn't change the song or make us do anything silly I'm sure the surprise will be lovely.

I'm sure she won't make you do anything silly! I wouldn't worry about it x

They are f**king amazing!...I would just buy one of their cd's and play it at your wedding ?

I'm going to be a bit sentimental here and say the one thing I would like at my wedding would be my grandparents but they have all passed away and I will be the first grandchild to get married without them being there.

If it was something that I could possibly have control over it would probably be to have 6 months off work and have one loooonnng honeymoon and travel to Australia, Jamaica and Thailand ust because I haven't had a proper holiday in 14yrs.

I wish i'd spent the extra £800 and had the pipe band that i wanted to play outside while we were getting our photographs done and the guests were having canapes.

Our venue would have been perfect to have them come marching up the path through the trees and piped for 45 mins whilst marching.

my family etc would have adored it.

They had to be scrapped after Jasper our cat was knocked down and our vet bill was £3k.

As Ali and Debs said there are people I would want that can't be there rather than an actual one thing. My aunty and godmother both passed away in the last two years and I know they would have just loved every second of the WP and the day. I am putting my bouquet on my GM's grave and flowers from the top table on the water where my aunty's ashes were scattered.

Juts found out my Granny won't make it either, she is 94 and quite ill at the moment.

To put too much of a downer on things the one thing I would like to do would be to fly in some famous group as a surprise (Take That, stereophonics), ah well I can dream and keep doing the lottery!

OMG £3K!

An old school friend of mine had the Sugababes play at her wedding. Don't even want to think how much that wedding cost!

Debs you have a very good idea there! I was going to get a cd on the day we saw them but didn't bother so could just get one from their website. ?

It is so sad when loved ones aren't there on the day but I do believe they will be watching over everyone.

x

I think another one here for a more extravagant cake, a few of my things which would of been done professionally (eg florist) we have now decided to do ourselves to try and cut our costs back. Unfortunately I lost my job before christmas and have only just started a new job and Mr TWF lost his job soon after mine. Part of our wedding budget has now been swallowed up in bills etc! Still, hopefully he will have a new job soon and I can start spending our money again lol!

I would love my dad to be here to walk me down the aisle, but sadly he passed away 6 years ago [:'(]

The blonde bimbo in me does lay dormant sometimes and I can come out with some crackers! ?

I know that my dads parents will be with me, had a spiritualist reading done last yr and they both came through, the girl was able to tell me that I spent a lot of time in their house and that they didn't live to far from our house. ?