Your Dream Wedding on a Budget - Part 2

This is the second in a two-part series on how to have a dream wedding on a budget.

Food

Beware the budget buster! Feeding people is expensive: fact. A conservative price for a three course meal with coffee would be around £25 ($55) a head not including wine.

You have two options here.

First option, have a small ceremony and meal and have a big party in the evening. Cut the ceremony and meal to immediate family only and invite extended family and friends for the evening reception (this is what I did). Remember everyone at the ceremony should be invited to the meal (if there is one), and you will be expected to provide the wine too.

Second option, have a later ceremony which progresses straight into the evening. If you have the ceremony at four or five in the afternoon, by the time it is finished all you need provide is a buffet. You should expect to pay around £7 upwards a head for a buffet although prices range dramatically.

Wedding Stationery

Invitations (ceremony and evening), order of service, menu cards, place cards, thank-you cards. It all adds up.

I have one thing to say... Make Your Own! This is the single biggest way to save money on stationery.

Go to craft and wedding fairs where you will meet with suppliers, watch presentations, and most importantly get lots of ideas. These days there are plenty of craft shops with a variety of products and materials for all levels of competence.

If you're a dab hand, buy some embossing equipment, fancy paper and create away.

If you'r not too hot, buy embellishments to stick directly onto cards. Pick up a cheap calligraphy set to write your cards and envelope seals for that extra touch. This is one area to get the family involved, if there is someone who is particularly creative farm the work out to them (for a bottle of wine or two!).

If you really cannot stand the idea of 'doing it yourself' there are plenty of people providing this service on eBay for reasonable prices. Be sure to ask for a sample first, and order in plenty of time so if you aren't happy there is plenty of time to sort it out.

Wedding Favours & Decorations

Once again, the best advice I can give you is make them yourself.

Buy sugared almonds (I had Edinburgh Rock!) by the bucket load, a length of voile type material in your wedding colours...get all the ladies around and have a favour making party. Keep it simple.

Substitute some flowers for balloons or another type of decoration, flowers are very expensive. Consider using some fake flowers.

Make your own table decorations, vases, glass pebbles, candles, confetti...again, keep it simple, the simple designs tend to have the most impact.

You will get lots of ideas from wedding fairs and magazines.

Remember a small 'table toy' is a welcome distraction for young children!

Gifts

Aaaah so you thought you were the only one to get gifts..... nope! It's tradition to give the attendants a gift to say thank you for their contribution to the day. So that's the bridesmaids, flowergirl,and pageboy. I also think it's nice to give something to the best men and anyone who has contributed to the wedding.

These gifts don't need to be expensive though. I suggest personalised gifts, they are special but not too expensive.

Here are some suggestions;

Engraved tankards (good for best men, and usually under £20)

A personalised book for children.. you know...the ones that include their name.

An engraved bangle

An engraved cigar case

On eBay you can buy wine, whisky and champagne with personalised labels, in fact I did male table presents of miniature whisky bottles with personalised labels, they seemed to go down really well.

Rings

They are one of the only things that will last after the big day, so spend some money and buy ones that you not only love but that are good quality and will last 'a lifetime'. I spent 10% of my overall spend on the rings. No regrets here. And if it all goes wrong....at least you'll have something solid to throw at them!! (JOKING)

It's The Little Things That Count

As the title says it's the little things that count, and the little things that you and your guests will remember. The hand-made but very beautiful table centre pieces, the table toy for someone's child.....

Here are some suggestions;

My wedding as I mentioned was in Wales so we had someone make Scottish Tablet to go with the coffee instead of mints.

A special speech of thank-you's.

A slide-show (keep it short!)

A special song played for someone

Giving the bouquet to the eldest guest is a nice gesture especially if they have been married a long time, it may bring you good luck.

And Finally

It matters not how grand the wedding, but the quality of the marriage after it.