What was your wedding like?

[Helmlover1]

So my partner and I want to get married next year but we are 2 of the most indecisive people in the world. We both agree we want a small wedding but other than that we are completely clueless, so I was hoping to get some ideas from those kind enough to share their wedding experiences? Thanks in advance.

10 years ago, hired a castle and took 200 people away for the weekend.

Beautiful, almost like a fairytale kind of weekend. We hired a mobile creche and babysitting service for the weekend, which was by far the best ting we could have done - everyone got to join in the parts they wanted to, the DC never got bored, it was very relaxed. 4am on the day after our wedding DH's Uncle was playing Brown Eyed Girl on the piano and its my favourite memory of the whole weekend - everyone singing their hearts out and laughing.

I'd do it again in a heartbeat despite the cost.

Early hair and make-up appointment for me. Registry office for the official part. I wore a gorgeous dress,( then) dh hired a smart suit, button hole for him and his witness, I had a bouquet that I put on my brothers grave the next day.
Back to our house after for loooong afternoon of drinking and nibbles. Meeting his extended family for first time, our friends mingling. Slipped away for a night in a hotel. Had hired a drinks glasses pack. Kind friends had washed up and tidied up for when we got back. Expenses were cake, flowers, glasses, drinks and nibbles, hotel, clothes, invites and fees. Everybody took photos and sent us copies. All very relaxed and fun.

We had a festival wedding with tipis in a field. With 100 guests. Stared at 1pm. Married outdoors (has to be legally married separately).Partied til late. Had BBQ next day. Was amazing. Best day on my life.

I've had two! Loved them both although totally different.

13 years ago my first wedding was in a very small country church with 40 people at the ceremony and at the reception which was a relaxed buffet in a cosy country inn.

5 years ago my second wedding was on a beach in Greece with 10 guests, followed by a garden party/bbq with 80 guests, with the same band we'd met in Greece (they happened to be from England and returned when we did!)

50 people in a small a tiny barn.

We had one rule - if we hadnt spoken to them in the last 3 months then they weren't important enough to take up a spot at our wedding.

No great aunt Maude, no cousin Dave who I haven't spoken to since 1998, no parents friends.

Immediate family and close friends only.

Amazing day, great party, fantastic memories.

We had a smallish wedding, approx 70 guests for day and night , close family and friends, no extra guests for night do ( always found it weird only getting invited to night do but not the day)

It was just the best day , hired a cute village hall in the countryside with a large field attached to it, lovely, relaxed and informal, just amazing.
We did it all ourselves (on a budget) with help from family and friends. I did the flowers for tables and windows, roses, eucalyptus etc and my Mum who’s very arty did the bouquets and button holes. Wine, Cider, Gin&Tonics and beer were in coolers and you could help yourself, we had an honesty box which people happily put £20 into and had lots of booze left over ( think we went abit overboard with the booze!) lots of dancing inside and outside, it really was brilliant, lots of family and friends saying how relaxed it was and one of the happiest , fun weddings they have ever been to.
The clean up operation the next day wasn’t exactly fun, mind.

We had about 60 people to the local registry office which is in a pretty building then hired a restaurant for the afternoon/evening. It was all really lovely. Had extra evening guests as well.

Went to Scotland, 11 people in total inc us and kids. Stayed in a budget hotel, did tourist stuff in the morning, went back to the hotel to get changed into fresh clothes and then got married at 3. Went for tea at the pub and a few drinks after.

Had a massive party the week after in the village hall, we have a PA system and professional lights so we did the disco. I made the wedding cake and paid for catering for 130. It was great, no dressing up and loads of people up dancing and just amazing to have all my favourite people in one place

About 80 Guests we walked to our local village church later service about 3 ish. Then guests were taken by bus to nearby country house for drinks canapés and photo’s. Early evening sit down meal speeches etc in the ballroom we did the bar ourselves and friends took turns in manning it. After all the free booze it was £1 for everything glass of wine soft drink bottle beer etc.
Didn’t bother with evening guests just took everyone through the whole day.
Had a Ceilidh later as we wanted everyone to have a dance young and old together which was a laugh then we just had a sound system after.
Was a mixture of traditional but chilled and we did a lot ourselves.

40 people. Family and a few friends. Ceremony the to a restaurant for a meal. Over by 8 the back to our house for a party. We'd been together for 10+ years and had kids.

We had 60 guests but around 2/3rds family so we couldnt have cut down the numbers any further.
We had a civil ceremony in a Tudor barn in our nearest city. It was quite short, only about 20 minutes as we had no readings. Music was a harpist - absolutely loved her, worth every penny. 2 bridesmaids and 4 paige boys - all our nephews, nieces and my younger cousins.

We all then drove around 20 minutes to the reception venue. If you can avoid this I would recommend it as was not ideal. I think it is better to have one venue or have them walking distance to each other. However it did give us a chance to catch up as a couple before seeing everyone again which was nice, and nobody minded the travel really.

Reception was a golf club in the town where we live. Small so we had exclusive hire. Lovely sit down meal and then speeches etc. Evening started at 7 with an additional 40 guests or so. Band in the evening but the weather was lovely (August) so most people were chatting outside instead.

We didnt have a hotel or offer people to stay overnight, everyone just organised their own accommodation. However the vast majority of our guests lived within 20 minutes of the reception venue so it seemed a bit pointless to pay for a hotel. Those who lived further away were all family so able to stay with local family.

The next day we hosted a hog roast at my husbands cricket club for those family who had travelled further (and others) so their journey was worthwhile.

50 including (large) family and guests, MOH and Best Man only. 1:30 in the church for 40mins, 30 minutes for photos in church grounds while guests went on to golf club (we don't golf it was just a pretty venue at good price). They were given champagne on arrival as reception room open, 3:00 we arrive, high tea on buffet, informal tables, mingling, cake, two speeches. Everyone gone by 5pm. Casual and cheap. Compliments from everyone.

Biiiig.
We married in the middle of summer, 100 day guests and a further 300 odd evening guests. We married in our local church (2 fields from the farm) then had a marquee overlooking the sea on our land (bought the marquee). We had 3 bridesmaids and 6 groomsmen (inc best man), formal three course meal, croquet and other lawn games between day and evening, then we had a band and a DJ. It went on til 3am, everyone just dancing and drinking and having an incredible night! It cost an absolute fortune but I loved every single second. Best day of my life, best party of my life 👌🏻
We went on honeymoon five months later, 6 weeks on the other side of the world.

Just the 2 of us on a tiny beach on a Fijian island at sunset.

Had a church wedding for my first marriage followed by buffet in parents garden (self catered), now divorced. If dp and I decide to marry it will be a church ceremony as I'm Christian but probably followed by drinks at the back of the church then a meal in a nice restaurant with just family mostly. It's the vows in church that matter to me not the party, I know I'm unusual.

Traditional white wedding with 120 guests, outdoors, in a beautiful part of the country, by a lake, surrounded by mountains. We were so lucky as the weather was incredible which added to the gorgeousness of the day.

We had
A v relaxed, happy vibe
Cocktails on arrival
Free bar from arrival until 1am
A quartet playing all day
A proper fantastic band in the evening followed by a disco
Sit down wedding breakfast
I wore a stunning traditional dress with cathedral veil
DH wore black as did his best men and ushers, v ratpack esque
Lots of entertainment (magician, etc)

The photographer wrote to me afterwards and told me ours was the best wedding he’d done, so we must have done something right

It was simply the best day of our lives.

Good luck

Registry office which happens to be city hall so beautiful building. Just our parents, siblings and children.

We had a small relaxed meal together at a local restaurant then my husband and I went to a 5 star hotel resort where we had a more luxurious meal overlooking the most stunning scenery.

The only thing I regret is not having a proper photographer. The wedding was arranged at short notice and we just didn't think such a low key day would be photographer worthy but in hindsight it was.

A complete blur! I spent the whole day making small talk with people I hadn't seen in ages. Didn't get to spend much time with new husband or actual close friends and family. Didn't even get a piece of wedding cake. I'm divorced now but would never do it again! Complete waste of money (and I'm not just saying that because the marriage didn't work out) Thank god there was alcohol lol. I'm engaged to a different man now and I want to be married, just not have the wedding.

Just us on a Scottish beach and our witnesses were the photographer and bagpiper. We pleased ourselves!

120 people in a Scottish castle. 1pm church ceremony. 3 course meal, ceilidh, hog roast, cake, carriages at 12.30pm.

Amazing. It was October and wet but that meant the fires were lit. Amazing!