Dilemma! All suggestions appreciated!

silvias14a

Right, we entered for Don't Tell the Bride and didn't get it, so we have our marriage licence paid for and its due to expire in May! Together 8 years, have a little girl and just want to be married but only have around 5 grand to spend. Want our wedding day to be special but finding it so hard to please everyone! Time is ticking on the marriage licence side of things so just looking for ideas from ye!

Anything considered even thinking about eloping at this stage!

Borderfox

I had suggested this to another bride, city hall for the ceremony and then off to a nice restaurant in the city, book a function room in a hotel and have a party

Depends on where you live to but that would be my perfect wedding day..

clint_silver

when you say please everyone do you mean potential guests? how many are ya having?

Have it local. get a 100e ring, when you win the lotto you can buy her a nicer one, get a second hand dress on adverts.ie, get the bridesmaids similar flowers for 5er each rather then dresses for 100e each, borrow a suit, borrow a car to drive ye, bargain with a venue for food, hire a really good DJ rather then a cheap band, get a mate to take the photos in a local scenic area, make it a themed wedding where everyone has to dress from a particular era in the 1900s, doesnt matter which (Id do 80s and direct everyone to www.sh1teshirts.com (replace the 1 with an i in that link), but let your 8 year old pick after browsing lots of photos from the eras, then sell the theme to the guests as the 8 year olds choice, spend the rest on the honeymoon.


Invite EVERYONE!!!


edit: sorry, I had read you had an 8 year old, rather then together 8 years. scarleh.

ElleEm

Get cheap rings, rent a suit, cheap/ sale dresses for wife- to- be and daughter.
Don't do cars, cake, flowers, bridesmaids or videographer.
Take close friends and immediate family to a nice restaurant for dinner, then invite everyone you want to a reserved area of a nice pub for a session that night.
It can be done. You and your lady decide- it is NOTHING to do with anyone else.
If you are getting pressure from family and friends to follow suit and do "the norm" tell them to pay for it!!!!

Shivers26

A friend of mine has basically done her whole wedding for €6k so it can be done!
She is just having 30 people to a meal in the hotel, cvil wedding in hotel then a big party in the evening.
She got her dress in a charity shop for €70 and its gorgeous and bridesmaids dresses can be got online or Debenhams and are not too expensive. Wedding dresses can also be gotten very cheaply in sample sales
Not sure what part of the country you are in but I have found a massive difference in the price of flowers in Dublin vs other counties so I went with a florist in Edenderry, Co Offaly and he's amazing! Get a good DJ, don't bother with a band. Get friend/family with nice cars to drive you. Vistaprint have excellent value and quality invitations.
Loads of things can be DIY and you can save a lot that way or if you have any talented friends or family let them use their talents to help you

Daisy M

Go get married in a church/registary office and treat yourselves to a lovely honeymoon. Fly off the day ye get married so that their wont be an anticlimax after tying the knot!! Organise a get together in a local family friendly venue for a week or two after ye get home. Ring around many will be glad to get people through the door and will throw in finger food and music for free.

iguana

silvias14a, please make sure in future that you do not use text speak in your posts. It's against the board rules.

Miss Fluff

silvias14a wrote: »

Want our wedding day to be special but finding it so hard to please everyone!

I think the main thing is to please yourselves. You could have a small intimate ceremony in City Hall as suggested and then a really lovely lunch/dinner in town if you are based in Dublin.

I think regardless of whether you have 5k or 50k to spend chances are you can't please "everyone". Do first and foremost what suits the both of you best!

Just note that there is a bit of admin with City Hall and you'd need to get giving at least three months notice...

Moonbeam

Go get married then have the party and wedding blessing a few months later.

Beruthiel

silvias14a wrote: »

but only have around 5 grand to spend. Want our wedding day to be special but finding it so hard to please everyone!

We got married here.
We had the civil service and meal there.
34 guests, 6 course meal.
A fantastic day was had by all.
Did it for 5k.

Gatica

You can have the civil ceremony for just family, i.e. parents, maybe siblings and 2 witnesses who are hopefully good friends. If you want photos, ask a reliable friend.
After that, go to a nice smallish hotel where you could do finger food and maybe a couple of bottles of bubbly, don't tell them it's a wedding, just book a nice bar area for a function, it's none of their business what it's for. (You may not get the red carpet and champaigne for the bridal party, but is that so important?)
e.g. http://www.sneemhotel.com/uploads/images/PhotoGallery/4.jpg

You don't need a car, the boom years have made people mad about all these pricey extras and they're not necessary. You can make your own bouquet, have a look on weddingsonline.ie for loads of suggestions. If you have just one bridesmaid then you don't need to try to match anything, just get her to wear a nice dress she already has; and do up a smaller bouquet from same flowers as the bride if you really want to, though again, the bridesmaid doesn't need a bouquet!
Here's a "homemade bridal bouquet" I googled:
http://pics.gallery.weddingbee.com/2516.4454_860422688995_12400872_48214174_74.jpg.resize

The point of a wedding is for the people YOU love and love YOU to celebrate this day with you. It needn't cost the earth. The important thing at a wedding is for people to see you, congratulate you and celebrate with you. That usually involves mingling, chatting and a bit of food and a bit of drink. It's the best part of a wedding anyway. No need for a DJ, or a band. It doesn't have to be a crazy late night.
E.g. a friend had her engagement party at the House Hotel in Galway. There were dozens of people and it went really well, but it would have just as well made an excellent wedding!
http://www.webtradehotels.com/_fileupload/image/house-hotel-lounge.jpg

Make it special for yourselves, and invite only those you really want to. How many people do the bride and groom actually get to talk to at a 200 people wedding? (no offence to anyone, they're lovely weddings, but very busy).

John Mason

we are getting married in April and it is costing us nothing near 5k.

getting married in the local pub, having dinner for about 30 in the restuarant and then up stairs for a party with about 100 people.

not having cars, flowers, bridemaids and groomsmen, photographs etc or of the happy clappy stuff really.

we are having the day we want not what everone else thinks we should have. am getting some very strange looks from the future brother-in-laws girlfriend (they are getting married 6 months after us)

Dublin Mark

I would contact some hotels, say you have €4k to spend on x,y and z and see what they say.

From my experience, hotels are crying out for wedding business and I am sure you would get a midweek 'package' with change.

There were some crazy weddign deals on Boards etc recentlly

Gatica

In my experience it's the hotels in trouble that cry out for the business. Most hotels with a solid wedding business won't budge by much, even in the present economic climate.
However, letting them know how much you have to spend would mean they could tailor a "package" to you. It may not be all the usual trimmings, but if you're prepared to forego the typical bridal packages, I'm sure that they could do up something within your budget...

newtothis

I'm getting married next october, and we are on an extremely tight budget.
We have kids already and can't afford a huge wedding, but still want a nice one. Our hotel is 4 star andthe civil ceremony room and reception room were absoloutly gorgeous all set up.
Heres the breakdown of costs for 80 people.

Hotel (copied from website)
Per head was €55, but we knocked wine off so brought it to €50, then we attented the wedding fair they held and if booked on the day got 10% off, so €45 per head, so meal for 80 is €3600

Package Includes:
Red Carpet Arrival for the Bride & Groom with a Strawberry & Champagne welcome by our experienced management team
Complimentary tea, coffee & punch reception for your guests on arrival
5 Course meal with choice menu
Each couple will be invited to a wedding menu tasting in the Purple Sage Restaurant on an evening between Monday & Thursday, prior to their wedding date
One glass of house wine commencing the meal and an additional top up during the meal (knocked this off and they dropped €5 per head off the price, we might have a toast drink of choice instead)
Evening finger food for your guests
Complimentary white chair covers
Fresh floral centrepiece & personalized menus for each table
Complimentary accommodation for the Bride & Groom in one of our bridal suites (subject to availability) and a Champagne breakfast & 2 complimentary double rooms for the parents of the Bride & Groom including full Irish breakfast
The hotel will guarantee a maximum of 10 guest rooms to be reserved at the special guest rate for the evening of your wedding at €75.00 room only or €99.00 B&B
Pre wedding ‘relaxation package’ for the Bride & Matron of Honour in our White Pebble Spa
Traditional cake stand & knife
Dedicated Wedding Co-ordinator who will assist you with all the planning of your wedding reception
All of our banqueting suites have their own private bar, dance floor & access to our French style courtyard
Airfield House in Dundrum is available for family wedding photographs. This unique location with its magnificent gardens is available upon request and is subject to availability
This wedding package is available every day of the week & weddings booked from Monday-Thursday will also include a Resident DJ from 8pm.(we are gettin married on a friday, not having a band but hotel dj will do the whole night for €300)

We are having 1 bridesmaid and one groomsman, so suit hire for my dad, groom and groomsman, should be €300 or less, i plan to get my dress in either oxfam or barnardos as they have new dresses too, or off the rack in a bridal shop sale, dont plan to spend more then €200 on that, and can get nice bridesmaid dress on dresselicious for about €50 need only 2 bouquets and a few buttonholes, will either do them myself or i can get them for less then €150, might not have a car but if i do i can get a limo for the lot of us for €170 including ribbons and bubbly, got a photographer on a deal for a disc only package for €250.

There will obviously be a few small extras like shoes and accesories but heres the basics.

Flowers €150
Car €170
Photographer €250
Dresses and suits €550
Hotel meal for 80 €3600
Civil ceremony in hotel €275
Dj €300
3 tier choc biscuit cake €150

So €5445 in total, will def be under €6000 anyway.

There was someone selling a deal they bought off citydeal for the bracken court for a wedding for 100 for €2000 see here http://www.adverts.ie/crazy-random-stuff/full-wedding-package-in-4-bracken-court-hotel/1094119 , original price €4900, so keep an eye out for those deals.

Hope this helps.

squeky

new to this, well done your doing great - could you tell me who is doing your cake for €150??

newtothis

http://gigglecakes.com/wedding-cakes is who i'm getting my cake from.

prettyinpink

Do you mind telling me how far you had gotten before you were turned down? I also know a couple in the running for it

Mrstobe

I was thinking of applying to don't tell the bride is it a long process? I might add to keep an eye on citydeal as they tend to have package deals lately for weddings for 100 ppl the last one cost 3200

james08

Hotel in Sligo 100pax www.pierheadhotel.ie
Red Carpet On Arrival
Tea/Coffee Reception
5 Course Meal
Red/white wine with Meal
Table Decorations
Complimentary Room for bride and Groom
Accommodation for guests B&B @ €50pps
Evening finger food
Only thing that has to be paid for extra is band / dj
also they do civil cermonies

the_syco

silvias14a wrote: »

Want our wedding day to be special but finding it so hard to please everyone!

It's YOUR SPECIAL DAY. F**k everyone else :P

tegsc410

I am in a similar position. I just want to be maried but at the same time don't want to be up to my eyeballs in debt but dont want a wedding I will regret or that the guests will think was done on the cheap. I am very interested in the idea of the civil ceremony and meal for about 30 guests. Its much more personal and cost effective. I will probably have a big party for about 100 people that night if the budget allows. I saw the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel today and they offer a great package for this kind of wedding for €1500. I think that is great value and should meet most people's budget.