OK, so we're finally getting married. Budget hair/clothes/makeup for v small wedding?

[totalmisfit]

After much deliberation we've finally decided to get hitched in just over a month's time. At first we thought we'd just grab some witnesses off the street and take dd with us. Then we both started to feel sad about certain family members not being there so it looks like it will just be a few guests, very small, nothing showy, down the pub after type thing

But the thing is, there'll still be lots of photos taken and i don't want to look my normal 'pulled through a hedge backwards' self. I'd like to make a bit of an effort without looking like i've made too much of an effort iyswim?

We're both sort of late twenties indie kids at heart, so i was thinking of maybe finding a nice vintagey folky 60's/70's style dress (not too weddingy) and shoes to go with (god knows, i don't really 'do' shoes) on ebay perhaps as we're short of cash.

As for my hair, it's thin, poker straight and mousy. I was thinking it's got to be wavy/curly on the day, but how best to acheive such a look on a very tight budget? how would i make sure it 'went' with my over all look? And also, i don't want to look like a throwback, i'd rather have a retro influence than going the whole hog...

And then there's makeup - don't usually wear much although i probably should as my skin's been absolutely awful since i weaned dd from the breast over a year ago. I've looked at a couple of wedding/hair makeup artists online but they all seem to cater for the chocolate box look and cost about £300. Which is £300 more than we have!

I bet you're probably reading this wondering how i ever got someone to agree to marry me considering i look so grim. so am i tbh

Please help!

[Miyazaki]

Like a kind of headband round the forehead combed out plaits hippyish look?

Am looking...

[Miyazaki]

long dress or knee?

[MerlinsBeard]

we are getting married in november and when everything is paid for we will have spent around £1500 (that includes outfits for 6 of us (includes best man)rings, registrar, reception and food!)

its do able

For your hair, you could try curling it yourself?

dress, ebay? debenhams. coast do lovely ones

ask a friend to do your make up or go to a make up counter for a make over and copy what they did

[RubyShivers]

awwww

look on Ebay, Monsoon

Like the Miyazaki's idea of headband ...

[totalmisfit]

miyazaki - probably long as i have an ankle tattoo - headband round the forehead? i don't know...? could work but as i say my hair is pretty thin and yuk..

mumofmonsters - congrats, sounds like you've got the right idea. only problem is with us, our budget much,much less . Probably cos it started off as a spur of the moment thing, but getting more and more elaborate with every passing moment.

ruby- thats gorgeous, but probably not on me as i have serious arm flab even though i;m a size 10-12 apparently. and i'm trying to avoid white so i don't look too dressed up

[UpJacobscreek]

Monsoon for dresses .

Get a nice silver headband and go to the hairdresses and ask them to fit it do not tell them you are the bride tell them you are a guest at a function /wedding as soon as you say bride they add money on .

Ebay for bits and bobs and shoes .

Send Einvites rather then wasting loads on paper ones or you could have magnets made up on ebay with a funky photo and the date on ,These are only about £12.00 for 15 magnets and they make a nice keepsake.

Make up go to the body shop they do a reallynice job if you have time on the morning of the wedding be really cheeky and book a makeover tis all free then if not have one a couple of days before and copy the look ,or just keep practising at home yourself .

HTH

[RubyShivers]

BHS do a wedding dress range

and EBAY = honestly you can find some corkers

[MerlinsBeard]

ours is only costing so much because the registrar is £300

and then the ceremony venue is £300

[RubyShivers]

so cute

get a wrap/bolero thing if you are conscious about your upper arms

[totalmisfit]

hmmm... i have a bit of a fringe type thing going on, so not sure

[tweetyfish]

Oh Congratulations!

We did the exact same thing 2 years ago, it was just us, our 2 kids, parents and brothers from both sides, 13 in all. It was a really lovely day! I wore a white dress from Monsoon (£150, but DH said it looked really nice) with white converses (I live in them!) In fact the all 4 of us (me, DH and the kids) all wore converses!

I went to the hairdresser the day before and had my hair coloured and cut so it looked neat. I bought some new makeup and actually put some on, something that very rarely happens!

We had lunch in a private room of the local restaurant (Mum insisted!) and just went into London (not far!) for the evening.

All in all, I think like mumofmonsters it was around £1500 but such a lovely day and very chilled out!

[sorkycake]

Go to a department store and ask them to give you a make-over, tell them it's for your wedding and what you'd like.
I booked me and 4 bridesmaids into House of Fraser for our wedding day makeup and all for the price of a chanel mascara which i'd have bought anyway.
Lipsticks run to about a tenner and you can book your wedding day makeup at a specific time/day.

Heated rollers will give you curly hair, easy to do and will last about half a day.

ebay is the best place to go for a dress. Get the dress then worry about shoes, or go barefoot!

[Miyazaki]

Have found this, but it's short, it does have sleeves and the right size, sixties

[Miyazaki]

no headband action then if fringe! agreed.

fifties, but quite weddingy? too much?

[Peachy]

lots of dresses on debenhams

you might get someone to lend you a dress- especially if white not important?

[RubyShivers]

i know it is wedding-y but it is vintage looking and soooo pretty

[totalmisfit]

upjacobscreek - love the bodyshop idea, only problem is we're in the middle of nowhere, but i might pop in to our nearest one (about 20 miles away!) and see what they make of my awful skin. Good tip about pretending to be a guest as well.

MoM- that's pretty steep . we're off to the local registry office (about 15 miles away!) and it's about £100 odd quid, which doesn't sound so bad now you've told me that

Ruby - that's so cool, but i'm a shortarse and have a knack of making cool clothes look wrong, somehow.

off to have a browse on monsoon...

[overthemill]

i got my wedding dress from monsoon at bicester. it cost £35!!!

[overthemill]

ooh and try a local mobile beauty person, or someone on here

[RubyShivers]

can i just say totalmisfit that ALL brides look utterly beautiful on their wedding day

you will glow no matter what you wear

i have NEVER made it dry eyed through a wedding

[JackieNoHeadJustABloodyStump]

Silver?
Or short?

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

No idea about dresses as I am a fatty and live in jeans, but makeup and hair is easy enough to do yourself, or get a mate who does her own well and ask her to do your hair and makeup as her gift to you (if you choose this route definitely do a test run first!)

Get a facial and an eyebrow wax a week or so ahead of time, it will make you look and feel great.

[totalmisfit]

I'm in love!

[Miyazaki]

which one?

[totalmisfit]

the monsoon blue velvety smock dress is gorgeous - then there's a whole load of paisly/hippy/loveliness - i can't possibly decide

btw i think i might be the bridal exception who proves the rule...

oooh, mobile beauty personage.. going to see if theres anyone advertising on here, who might cover our neck of the woods