Wedding Suggestions

DG Leixlip

Hi,

Sorry if this is in the wrong forum ...

I've a friend who's planning to get married in about 6 months time. She will have about 50 core people to invite to the wedding - but an extra 100 (if you add extended family and friends) ...

Anyone got any suggestions for keepin the costs down on the day?? They're hoping to keep it semi-traditional .. but want to avoid all the usual hassles of insulting people if they're not invited or if they go down the "cheap" route ...

Thanks!

ps. she lives within travelling distance to Dublin ..

whiskeyman

DG Leixlip wrote:

Anyone got any suggestions for keepin the costs down on the day?? ..

All depends exactly what she has planned and where she wants it to be honest.
Any ideas yet?
Sounds like she's starting from scratch?
So many different things to look at... from hotel / meal / transport / flowers / photographers / dresses.
Buy some of those wedding magazines or attend those wedding shows to get an overall sense of cost.
She'll also need to have a budget and work around it.

DG Leixlip

Main aim is to try and keep the costs down ... She doesn't want to spend 15K on 1 day .. so is looking for any tips or hints at keeping costs down but keeping family happy at the same time ..

Thanks ..

whiskeyman

well, keeping costs down could say get it done in a registry office.
Do you want the horse and cart? Do you want the top class photographer? Do you want the best wine at the reception? Do you want extra food at the "afters".
You really need to give us the plan of what she wants so we can tell you where to get the best cost.
No point saying "cut out this and that" if she wants those included

should be some info on this site:
http://www.weddingsonline.ie/

jamiecake

The osprey hotel in naas... very very nice

SAXA

Dosent make a difference cause all the cost leading up to the day will be the same. Dress, flowers, photo, video, singer etc The number at the reception will pay for themselves if you make it known that you would prefer cash as a present. Most people give cash nowadays anyway. Just need a loan to pay off the hotel the following morning which you can pay back with the cash presents the next day or so. Either keep it really small or have a large crown and have a ball. Actually the only extra cost is the stationary

iguana

A good idea is to have a less formal wedding. Perhaps have a small civil ceremony followed by dinner with immediate family only. Then hire a really great venue and have a big party that evening.

http://www.tourismresources.ie/cht/castles.htm

This a link to self-catering castles and stately homes around the country that can be hired for 1 day to a week. (There isn't really much suitable in Dublin, but elsewhere there are some gems) It would be easy(ish) to prepare food for the after party a couple of days before. Something like a huge lasagne and curry/casserole and salads. Especially if their parents and close family help.

They could buy a couple of crates of wine and sparkling wine someplace like Lidl. That way they would be able to provide a drink for the toast for all the guests. Do the food and drink buffet style. If the guests want to drink later into the night tell them it's byob. This might sound odd but bear in mind that guests at a hotel wedding pay for all their own drinks apart from at dinner.

By having a party like that it can still be incredibly special and if the venue is great it can be nicer than a function room at a hotel. Most of the venues on that web-site come in their own grounds so if the weather is good you also get the use of the gardens which can be very beautiful.

Think about the music. Do any of your friends and relatives dj or play an instrument? Would they be happy to play as a gift. The same goes for the photos and video. Do you know any amatuer photographer or video who might do the pictures. Or is there anyone who might do the cake. Lots of things like that don't need to be done by expensive proffesionals and having them be done by friends or family can ad sentimental value.

Are there other things that can be eliminated, like wedding invites. Their are free online invites that can be sent to friends and work collegues. Close family can be told in person. If you really want to send invites how about making them yourselves and delivering them by hand.

Wedding outfits can be bought 2nd hand. Check ebay or Oxfams bridal shop on Georges St (much of what they sell has come from bridal outlets and are actually new).

There are lots of ways to cut the cost of a wedding, advise your friends to decide what they really want and what is important to them. Don't bother trying to match what other people do for their weddings, that isn't important. In fact doing something a little different can make the day more memorable.

BTW, a previous poster has suggested relying on cash gifts from guests but this is unwise. It is quite possible that you will get enough to cover the costs of the wedding but you may not and then where would you be?

Blisterman

If you wanna save money, don't have an open bar.

DG Leixlip

Thanks .. appreciate the suggestions .. some really good ideas there - esp. the idea of renting a venue and throwing a big party (great link too!) ... will be looking into that idea a bit further ...

pickarooney

Bring your own booze wedding?
Who's going to be paying for the wedding? If it's one or both sets of parents, it may be quite hard telling them who they can and can't invite and what they can and can't have at the ceremony, even if it's your day out.
If the two of you are paying for it, nobody really has the right to demand anything or be put out if you don't blow a bundle on the occasion.
The last wedding I went to, the invitations specified that money would be the best gift (in a very tactful way, honest!) as opposed to twenty toasters and fourteen sets of china.