Tell me about your low cost / intimate weddings please!

[Beatricebotterx]

Weddings and/ or Marriages

Me and my fiance would like to get married next year, but we don't want a big fuss, or to spend a fortune (we're renovating our house and life is.. well expensive 🤣) we also have a baby! we would like to keep costs below £5k. We also want to keep the number of guests low, but would consider maybe a party on a separate weekend with friends.

We have been throwing ideas around, we were thinking maybe going to a registry office and then maybe a meal after with close family, or even hiring out a house in the country to celebrate for a weekend for circa 20 guests (get married before).

We are still looking for inspiration, and would really love to hear about your weddings! If you don't mind sharing, the costs / extra tips / little things that made it special would be a bonus!

We got married in a local landmark which belonged to the council and cost about £1000 with the registrar (not long before covid).

We had parents both sides, DC and our siblings. Less than 20 people.

One of each sibling were witnesses, FIL pressed play on the stereo for our music.

We then went to a nearby pub and treated everyone to lunch. We had a long weekend away in the UK somewhere unique in the SW (can PM you location if you like, its a perfect honeymoon place).

Biggest extravagence was hiring a nice car for the weekend to go take ourselves to the wedding and honeymoon in.

We got a dress and a suit on the high street, both of which have been worn since.

We did a little "party bag" for each of the guests with some chocolate with personalised wrappers and seed packets and stuff.

No bridesmaids, ushers, best man etc.

The whole thing cost less than £3000 and was exactly what we wanted.

We both have big families and a decent amount of friends but we simply couldnt be doing with a big do. We did think about doing a party after, but didn't get round to it in the end.

Run away to Gretna Green!

We flew to Florida for £350 each, stayed in an air bnb for 2 weeks which was about £800 and then went to the courthouse - marriage license $90. Holiday and wedding in one. Just us. No witnesses needed.

We got married in a pub, it had a beautiful barn function room attached and did a really reasonable wedding package. I found it through checking all the local council pages for their registered wedding venues. They weren’t really advertising their weddings at all.

Its lovely because we can go back whenever we want and have a meal and take the kids into the barn area and show them where we got married!

Look for elopement packages.

We are getting married later this year in a beautiful hotel, just the two of us with our children (but we could have invited a small number of guests if we wanted to.) The package includes evening meal, overnight stay, breakfast, flowers, photography, decorations, witnesses if needed. We've come in under 5k for absolutely everything (and could have done it for less if I hadn't splurged on my dress!)

We're going to have a party for family and friends at some point too- so will need to pay for venue, catering, decorations.