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.
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
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
Any high street pound shop
