If you had a beautiful wedding under £15k please tell me how

[Skiaddicted]

We have 80 people who we genuinely want with us on our special day (actually more than that, the 80 is being incredibly tough). Im happy to get a Wed2be dress and get a friend to do my hair and make up. Costs locally, however, just seem to be insane for wedding venues!
The best we've found is marquee venues who charge circa 3k for the land hire......then a marquee is 8k ish.....catering seems to be around the 6k mark somehow......it just seems madness

If you're doing a beautiful wedding cheaply please help!!

People will be travelling a long way (some over 6hrs) so we want them to have a lovely time too

[kjhkj]

Joke right? Nobody needs to spend £15k on a wedding.

[MissBPotter]

Tuesday (after a bank hol)
Winter
Venue that provides everything (food, service etc)
£300 dress which was on sale
Bridesmaids dresses from debenhams sale
‘Vintage’ ie 2nd hand engagement ring
Guests pay for drinks (but provided lots of welcome drinks, wine on table and Prosecco for toasting)
No band.
Only one I would slightly reconsider was having a band. We had a dj and would have preferred a lovely band overall. But was very budget conscious!
Spent quite a bit on
Nice food
Flowers
Had a beautiful venue.
I really think everyone enjoyed it!

[SalamanderOnHoliday]

We had 80 guests and it cost about £5k - a local restaurant, which we booked out for the afternoon and evening. They did a really lovely buffet (carvery basically but really nice). We didn't have top table or swagging of chairs and there was a garden for the kids to play in. We provided fizz and canapes on arrival and 1/2 a bottle of wine per person on each table and there was a bit of money behind the bar.

We had a DJ (v good) and a photographer (wish we hadn't bothered - we never look at the official ones and ones from friends are more natural).

DH had new suit, I had off the peg dress from Monsoon. Bridesmaids were little and had dresses from Monsoon.

We had cupcakes for our cake - from M&S. A very kind friend put sugar roses on them - all 80 of them.

[Skiaddicted]

@missbpotter We can't do midweek, teacher the rest of it we've already thought of. I think the fact we live in a very expensive part of the country in not helping one bit!!

@kjhkj we are geniunely struggling to find a venue in our area of the country which doesnt charge a small fortune for a wedding - we cant do midweek and people will travel a long way so we cant do a really short day, it seems ever so rude when its just not expected these days

[SalamanderOnHoliday]

I think not going for a wedding venue saved us a bit. And they also didn't try and sell us any essential wedding extras. Basically lovely restaurant that was happy to have 80 covers for the evening.

[MissBPotter]

@skiaddicted I’m also a teacher, did it in school holidays.

[Skiaddicted]

@SalamanderOnHoliday thats exactly the kind of venue I've been trying (and failing to find!) Ive spent ages looking online for a place to match your description.....maybe looking less locally is the answer

[GrumpyHoonMain]

Where are you? Hall type wedding venues targeted at Indian / Pakistani / Afghan people tend to be better value if you have an experienced planner who has good contacts with contractors. If not then it’s usually a good idea to get an all-inclusive package at a historic house / hotel. The marquee options are more expensive in the UK as they tend to be designed for Hindu weddings and so need to meet certain fire and safety regulations.

[Skiaddicted]

@missbpotter I had just assumed holidays would be more costly but will look into it, thank you!!!!!

[Skiaddicted]

@GrumpyHoonMain sussex/surrey border, plenty of beautiful venues with a beautiful price tag

[Skiaddicted]

Thank you ALL for replying its much appreciated

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

Book a registry office. Contact a local pub r hotel whose food you like who may do private rooms and ask for the cost of a 3course meal for 80 guests. Pile into your local for evening drinks in your finery and dance the night away.

[olderthanilookapparently]

Odd date??were got married on Friday 13th and saved £1500 off the venue cost

[Nelly325]

Our entire wedding was £7k. 70 people, hotel package at a gorgeous 4 star hotel. We had it on a Monday which saved money. Other than that, my dress was monsoon, less than £300, and it was perfect. Just didn't bother with anything fussy or unnecessary. Didn't feel like we cheaped out, it was all perfect and felt simple and classy.

[Candlesandrust]

You can't do midweek because you're a teacher? Do you not get any holiday? Most non-teacher professionals wouldn't get married on a day they're supposed to be working, they take holiday.

[Treezees]

Hi, we managed it on that budget - venue was a really lovely stone village hall in a place called Stagsden in Bedfordshire. Was £300 to hire for the whole weekend. Most of the money went to catering. Bought our own drinks and hired a company to serve. Got flowers locally and my MIL did the arrangements. Got a sale rail dress. Wedding in church up the road so we all walked to venue after. It was DIY and I only wish I'd hired a wedding planner for the day as I got a bit stressed being the only one who knew the whole plan!

Wherever you are - just look at village halls or club buildings. They aren't all those hideous 70s prefabs! :)

[stucknoue]

Are you joking? Lots of nearby hotels are offering complete packages for around £8k for that number, then there's outfits, photos. Friends recently spend £2500, had a church wedding and church hall, Waitrose entertaining for food. By beautiful you obviously mean ultra formal

[Skiaddicted]

Definitely looking into the week day but school holiday idea, i was feeling deflated but you have all helped no end!

[RogersVideo]

We rented a 6 bed house owned by the National Trust. We had the ceremony at the local registry office, and the reception at the house. We had the house for the whole week so our families stayed in it and did the catering. 70 guests, cost about £6000 (in the Home Counties). Beautiful setting but a bit non traditional.

[Surfskatefamily]

Thursday October. Church wedding followed up by local beach bar which was free as I brought 80 people too. Did a buffet and a request for no presents but please bring a dish for the buffet. Worked really well.
Wedding cost less than 2k in total

[Skiaddicted]

Nope not ultra formal at all, my preference would a beautiful barn set up and a huge bbq!

[PollyShelby]

I was allowed a day off to get married but loads get married in half term etc

[AfterSomeAdvice1234]

Have you looked at local village/church halls? Lots are beautiful inside and are flexible with DIY decorations. Ours didn't charge corkage either...

[Skiaddicted]

I think the problem we've had is we are searching the term "wedding" and its giving us the expensive places, lots of ideas to think of so thank you all