Looking for ideas for our budget wedding :)

soon2Bmrs

Hi,

Myself and DF are looking to get married August 11', nothing is set in stone yet but we would like to get married that month if possible. Our budget is around 6k and we're really hoping to stick to that as with two children we cant really afford to go any higher.

I havent been to any hotels yet or venues but ive been looking at some online. It's all so headmelting!:D

Ive already bought my dress(from Monsoon) and i got it for the lovely price of €115:D. So thats one thing out of the way. The reason ive posted this is that i have a few ideas myself but id love to hear from other brides/brides to be about low cost ideas. We are not having bridesmaids but our two girls are going to be flowergirls(one will be 9 and the other almost 2). Dunnes have lovely occasionwear around communion time and i thought two dresses from that range for the girls with a little bit of jazzing up.

We were thinking of having a cupcake wedding cake as my partner doesnt like actual cake and would be more interested in cupcakes:p
Also we are toying over the idea of having a buffet instead of a sit down meal..what do ye think? Has anyone had one of these and was it nice?

The groom and best man are going to hire their suits from our local Man's Shop so it wont be too expensive.

Cant think of anymore at the moment but if anyone has any ideas they would like to share id really appreciate it

Heineken Helen

Wow, sounds like you're well on your way to being within budget. Our budget at the mo is 7,500 and my dress was 1,000 of that. We have 5 bridesmaids and I'm hoping to get their dresses for 50 each but MIL is paying for two. I've asked my brother to make the cake and my sister to do the flowers. We're only having 80 guests and got it for less than 2,900 for meal, drinks reception, chair covers, sashes, chocolate fountain, favours, corkage, floral table centrepieces, free night accommodation for us and two free rooms in one of the top 4* hotels. I'm only hiring a photographer for immediately after the ceremony and getting the pics on disk. Got a free veil with the dress.

I toyed with the idea of a buffet but the o/h wouldn't let me but I like the idea of it... nothing wrong with it at all.

sunshiner

You could buy flowers from wholesalers and do them up yourself.or whats nice are different homemade bouquets i saw one made out of buttons recently it was lovely.

Buffet weddings are nice and chilled out theres a nice feel to them.

Heineken Helen

Or, depending on where you're getting married, check out the local supermarkets and markets to see if you can get your flowers there the morning of the wedding. There are plenty of those kinda places here and I'm always amazed at the selection of flowers, but I'm not getting married here tho.

Toots

Just a quick note on the cupcakes, if you're actually getting a 'cupcake wedding cake' it can work out much more expensive than an actual wedding cake, so be mindful of that. A friend of mine went to a bakery and ordered 120 iced cupcakes, then rented a tiered cake stand, and set the thing up herself. Saved a few hundred euro. The bakery charged her something like €2.50 per cake, but the wedding cake shop was going to charge her €6 per cake for what was essentially the same thing.

iguana

soon2Bmrs wrote: »

The groom and best man are going to hire their suits from our local Man's Shop so it wont be too expensive.

Just on this bit. My husband bought a jacket, shirt, smart trousers and shoes in M&S and it was quite a bit less than the cost of suit hire. He looked smart, was comfortable, saved money and still has the clothing for whenever he needs to dress in a fairly formal manner.

tatli_lokma

all sounds good, but be mindful of the buffet if you are having more than 50 or so guests. I say this as a family member works in the hotel industry and she said that buffet for a wedding of more than 50 is a nightmare and always ends in a shambles. The reason being you get queues and you will always get a few people getting in the way! I saw her point recently when I was at a 50th B.day where there were tables set out, but a buffet. We were instructed to go table by table, which meant that some tables were waiting ages after the first lot had got served. There was a queue which went past the door so everyone heading to the bar had to circumnavigate a queue plus others with plates of food.
There were three spillages, and because people were still going up for more food, I am sure others were reluctant to go for seconds (I know I was).

If you are having a buffet, it really must be a relaxed easy going affair, and this realy only works with a small number. Large numbers and it becomes like the queue for the cafeteria in work!

Also, when it comes to prices, many hotels give great deals now on the packages and a buffet is just as much hassle for them as a sit down, so it might work out that its not much of a saving....

And I agree wtih Toots that cup cakes can end up costing as much as a cake, so shop around, but there are bargains out there. Look on facebook too as there are cupcake companies on there - one I know of that is very good and very reasonable is LydiaB cupcakes, you'll find her page on facebook.

Everything else you say sounds great though - we got a gorgeous dress for my niece in Dunnes just after communion time. It was reduced from €45 to €15 and she absolutely loved it. We dressed it up for the day a bit more, but then once the extras were taken off she still had a nice 'party' dress and she was thrilled with it - wouldn't take the damn thing off!

davesneddon

you could look into having a marquee wedding if you have somewhere suitable to set up. a big fancy one might not be that much of a saving, if at all, but you can get some simple ones rented reasonably cheaply. It's another option anyway.

cowhands

We are also getting married in Aug next year (27th). So far this is what we have done to save money, I hope it helps in some way:

Venue booked : Hotel, throwing in loads of extras, including, no corkage charge, free centre pieces, chair covers, back drop, gym membership, paper package in beauty salon, bridal suite, 2 rooms for bridesmaids and groomsman, free tea & coffee cookies for guest on arrival, free piper to play on my arrival, free 100 covers of evening food, no charge for choices in menu.....loads! working out a €6,000 based on €140 guests including €500 for bar extension and extra evening food.

Not decorating the church

Other half works in a large supermarket with staff discount so wine is coming in at €434 (75 bottles)

Cousin is a chef and making my cake as a present

Uncle has a brand new 2010 merc Im using as a wedding car

Going to buy silk flowers on line, priced at €200 for my bouquet, 3 bridesmaids , flower girl and 4 button holes

DJ friend doing DJ after band as a present

Musician friend singing at chruch as a present

Graphic designer friend doing invites for free - will pay for postage etc (approx €120)

Photographer friend doing photos as mates-rates €1000. Usually charges €2500

Renting grooms & co's suits

Hoping to buy my dress online - have budgeted €400

We were hoping to go on a carribean cruise but with the storm season in Sept we have changed our mind to a Med cruise - budgeting €2000 not including spending money.

With all that said its still going to cost us just under €14,000. Would love to get it down some more.

Our biggest expense apart from the venue seems to be the band (not booked yet) but priced at €1100, our photographs €1000, wedding rings €550. I dont mind spending money on these items as a band makes or breaks the athmosphere, I want to have nice photographs to look back on a the wedding bands are going to be worn for the rest of our lives so we want something we are both happy with.

bubbledoll

Hi,
We just got engaged and are starting to thinking about planning ur wedding -I am curious as to how much room do we have to negotiate with the hotel to get the best deal and how do I approach it - any tips would be greatly appreciated.

forgottenworld

Hi all,

Not sure if I'm allowed post in this forum but when you are talking about budgeting I thought Id promote myself!

If you are considering a videographer, firstly I would highly recommend it because a video really captures the special parts of the day, and secondly because I am just starting out I think I can offer really competitive rates if you are interested.

I particularly specialise in music montages and I usually do an extra short video which can be put up on facebook for friends to see.

I can provide a quick example of one of these on request and a reference from a couple also.

I know weddings are particularly expensive, but just in case anyone is undecided whether they want a video or not, feel free to PM me with any questions!

Good luck to all those with their weddings coming up!

mistee

i know this is not really a weddong issue but think it falls under that section: i am planning surprise 30th for boyfriend and looking for dj for the night keeping in mind the cost as it is just me paying for it, i am in the loughrea area of galway

thanking you in advance....

no1girliegirl

I did my own flowers and had one bridesmaid and then just 2 buttonholes for the fathers. Worked out at 65 euro i think including ribbon and pins and a practice bouquet, everyone asked where i got them.

I did my own make up, didnt want to look like a doll with to much on, but if you did get your make up done just go to the salon and dont be gettingthem to come to you difference in 40 euro and 100 euro.
Got my hair done in the local hairdressers cost 70 including 2 practices.

Cake i got 3 teir huge cake for 150 in black forest bakery, kilcock, you could cut out the cake tho nobody really notices.

I got a band but got them to leave the PA seet up till 2am and connected the laptop to it, it was better than any DJ. Or you could just get a Dj for the whole thing prolly cost about 300 or 400, but ask for prices and dont tell them its a wedding until you agree a price, if a dj is able to play music for 4 hour at a 30th for €300 then it shouldnt matter if it's a wedding instead, ignore there bull saying they need to read the crowd, they should do that weather they play at a kids party , 21st or 80th.

You can get some great all in deals in the hotels if you are willing to get married midweek or in Jan, Feb or March and then it's just about keeping the numbers down. If you can keep the numbers down then you could have a really good deal for your budget.

Pennys had lovely shoes a while ago, to high for me but lovely.
We had a best man and one bridesmaid they wore their own suit and dress and the fathers just wore their own suits to, they felt more confy to.

T

ConorE1

You should be able to get a DJ for the night for around €450. I'd be surprised if you can get someone for musch less. If there is no band you are talking about playing for 6 hours as well as everything else.

tatli_lokma

ConorE1 wrote: »

You should be able to get a DJ for the night for around €450. I'd be surprised if you can get someone for musch less. If there is no band you are talking about playing for 6 hours as well as everything else.

my DJ was €300 (in Dublin) and he played from 8 til 1.30. so if you shop around you will definitely find someone who will do a good job for a reasonable price.
(And he is an experienced DJ, who has done loads of parties locally, well known and liked. Played a great set, good mix. He doesn't charge more for a wedding than for a 21st or any other party, which is as it should be - there is no difference in the work load for him whether its a 21st or a wedding!)

ruggerhugger72

Hi Cincikchick,

Can you pm the dj's details

Thanks,
Ruggerhugger72

soon2Bmrs

Can I have those details too?

lalalots

im just wondering where your wedding is,

im a pastry chef based in donegal.

I am willing to make your cupcakes , any flavor any design, for 1.50 each .

im only starting out with my own business making wedding and ocasion cakes so i am doing half price for 6 months if u book me between that time

pm me if you need more info.

amen

You could buy flowers from wholesalers and do them up yourself.or whats nice are different homemade bouquets i saw one made out of buttons recently it was lovely

if you are going to do a few flowers maybe but if you are decorating a church it can be a nightmare. Did this with my sister and we spent most of the day before the wedding making flower posies and putting them in the church.

In the end she only saved a 200-300. With the time spent and stress would have been better to pay someone

tatli_lokma

ruggerhugger72 wrote: »

Hi Cincikchick,

Can you pm the dj's details

Thanks,
Ruggerhugger72

soon2Bmrs wrote: »

Can I have those details too?

have to root out the number....leave it with me!
(he's in north co dublin, BTW, so not sure if that'll suit you both??)

soon2Bmrs

Do you know if he would travel for a wedding? I'm in county Kildare so it wouldn't be that far.

tatli_lokma

soon2Bmrs wrote: »

Do you know if he would travel for a wedding? I'm in county Kildare so it wouldn't be that far.

I'll PM you all his details as soon as I get them (they are in my wedding book which is in the attic, so I'll have to root it out). you can ring him and ask - no harm in asking!

psycho-hope

Hey soon2b, first off congratulations, im sure you will both have a fantastic day.

A friends daughter is gettin married next month and she has asked 2 family friends who have nice cars, if they can use them for there wedding cars, all its costing them is the ribbon and they are going to pay for the drivers to get a full tank of petrol, the other thing they are doing with the invites is, if i havnt talked to you in the last months, sorry but no invite.

hope thats of some help to you

moving_home

On the flowers - my sister got married last Saturday. For the church my mam bought the flowers in Lidl (think she spent around €50) and got loads. We spent an hour after the rehersal on the Friday night popping them in vases and it looked deadly.