Our DIY Wedding... for under £11k

So we are really pushing to keep our wedding under £11k, this doesn't include the engagement ring, hen/stag dos and the honeymoon.

We also really wanted to minimize cost for our guests, because at our age when everyone is getting married it can become costly!

OUR COST SAVING TIPS:

Homemade 'save the dates' - we bought cheap children's chalk board to write  the details, which will be reused at the wedding, then had our STDs printed at Vista Print who provide free envelopes (see below).

Invites - our friend designed them from picture's/ideas we provided and then our local printers (First Colour London) printed them, who also provided free envelopes.  We created a wedding website to minimize the invite size, adding all the accommodation / travel details to the site www.hopfest15.blogspot.com #HopFest15

Accommodation - we've booked a cottage for the weekend and our top 20 guests will stay for free.

Guests - we've have a total of 76 over the 2 day celebration.  Keeping the numbers small reduces the price... we've been good at saying no to plus ones and unwanted 'extended' family.  Stay strong, its your wedding.

Food - we are doing some of the catering ourselves via M&S / Sainsbury's

DIY Candy Bar - We bought plastic retro sweet jars from Amazon (10 for £10), and then bulk sweets from Makro UK (a huge order for only £55, incl. delivery)

Wedding shoes - using ones I already owned.

Outfits - Vintage dress from House of Vintage Brides and my second outfit was a sale item from Mango.

Flowers - I'll be bulk buying these for bouquets and decoration from the London Chelsea Flower market and doing it myself (max spend £50 for 100 steams of baby's breath).

Wedding Rings - we bought ours from F.Hinds as we wanted plain traditional rings, and this was a way to save a lot.

Decorations - I've bough over 300ft of bunting on eBay for £50, plus ribbons and candles.  We've also collected glass jars and baskets.  I am currently making paper chains from coloured printer paper.  I have also tied ribbons on all the glass jars for a rustic look.

Loki is unimpressed I wont let her help!

Entertainment - we've created a playlist, and hired a PA system (no DJ), plus festival feel entertainment (face painting / temp tattoos / glow sticks / sparklers / garden games / face in the hole) etc. and a bouncy castle!

Photograph - this is where we spent more than budgeted, as we have hired a photog for 2 days plus a Polaroid camera, disposable camera and borrow a friends GoPro.

Confetti - I am making my own by drying rose petals.  We regularly have roses in the house and this is a really easy cheap personal touch.

Vouchers - we received loads of vouchers for Christmas, and I have found a few online, saving us £250

Our biggest spends were venue hire (incl cottage for 4 nights) and photographer at £5700k.

Great places to find a cheap alternative:
Amazon
eBay
Ikea
Marks & Spencers
Tesco
Twitter
Any high street pound shop

Budget Troubles!

So we went to this wedding on Friday, I was just extra (didn't actually know the Bride and Groom)... boyfriend went to Uni with the Groom.  From the beginning this wedding looked like it was poorly organised (from the guests point of view).

blogallysonvinzantevents.com

They invited 50 of their closest family and friends to the wedding service and reception... both were held in a venue no where near where they live and far away from any guests.  The church was an hours drive from the reception venue... the venue it self was beautiful, but the area it is in can only be described as the butt whole of England, not helped by the endless rain.

The problem was that unfortunately this couple were obviously on a budget, but trying to include everything and everyone...

They obviously wanted their friends and loved ones to attend but couldn't afford to feed 100+ people so only invited friends to the wedding and reception then the guests other halves were invited to the evening party - upsetting many guests (which to me was very selfish of the guests).  They then tired to add number to the day by cutting the drinks down to 2 glasses per head and adding a Saturday BBQ for the partners who couldn't attend the day... (which wrapped early as not many people attended)!

Many couples apparently fought about one half only attending the evening as it added cost, or waiting time or guilt as to weather only one should go... or not wanting to go and spending 8 hours in the sh*tty Premier Inn looking out over the A1 for 8 hrs but knowing your boyfriend really wants you with him!!

In the end the partners went and sucked it up or just didn't go...

What I have learnt from this is if you are on a small budget keep it to a small crowd, always pay for more than 2 drinks for your guests and don't put an extra day on for whiny girlfriends/boyfriend of friends - the people you have invited have spent money and taken time to spend this day with them make sure its the best day everyone can have - including you, you don't want to spend the day worrying.

Things I would do different:

* Ensure my guests have enough to drink
* Consider guest - they've taken time off work (if during the week) / paid money to travel + for hotels + for clothes and gifts
* Don't change plans because you can't make everyone happy
* Ban drugs from the wedding - SO RUDE
* Think about the logistics

- As a PA/EA I think about making things as easy as possible for my boss at all times, I would have this approach to my wedding as well, for myself and my guests.

thebudgetsavvybride.com