To be upset about my wedding venue?

[IfIDontKnowAndYouDontKnow]

Name changed
Basically have a tiny budget. We were going to cut our guest list but we don't want to. We love everyone on it.
Have been offered The British Legion as a venue for free. Best man works evenings there.
We have decided to take it so we can afford to give everyone a nice time. Its bloody ugly inside. Has lovely big field though/n pretty outside etc.
I know I chose this, and I am not wanting to save up for few years as I just want to marry dp and have all our friends and family there. And would be stupid to not accept such a generous offer.
Just venting I guess... and wondering what to do about the fading carpet, chipped paint, arcade machine...

Oh yes, alternatives to fish and chips for vegetarians

I suppose just chips is pretty poor option. I have 2 vegetarians coming, so not sure what to do regarding them

Apologies if it's already been mentioned (in a rush to post stuff and get other things done) but also see if you can enter as many competitions as possible.

Friend of mine has done so and managed to get discounts/free items - e.g. stationery, decor, flowers, suite hire.
She's also doing lots of DIY - so there'll be lots of candles/tealights etc.

PS - veggie option - quorn sausages. Although you can get 'fake fish' - it's by http://www.lindamccartneyfoods.co.uk/ourfood/fish-free-scampi/ Linda McCartney. You might be able to get your fish & chips van to heat it up?

Sorry - link fail.

Competitions are good...
One of the vegetarians eats Quorn etc, the other has never eaten meat & I know she wouldn't want to replicate it.

I'm a veggie and I'd be perfectly happy with chips! But chip shops normally have a couple of veggie options - could they do some cheese and onion fry-its or something? I'd ask the chip van, I'm sure they can come up with a couple of options for you.

Wilding Fry -its?

Hello OP

sorry if this has been suggested elsewhere, have you tried Freecycle or similar sites? all sorts of things get given away, and you can ask people for candles/fairy lights/ balloons etc - you never know, someone might have hosted a wedding or similar recently and wants to get rid of their stuff!

Ok so here's where I'm at the minute;

I have the venue which is free. The church service is Just under £500.We are having afternoon tea after the service which is yet to be priced. Fish and chips in the afternoon (either £450 at the most for chip shop delivery or £560 for the chip van) My food/drink budget is £800 maximum. So will have a bit left to buy the tea food bits and get drink for people)

Entire budget is £1500-£2000 (and that's stretching ourselves) Maximum. So once catering and ceremony have been spent then I have £700 left.

This is for outfits, cars, rings, flowers, decorations, Entertainment, Photos and I do want to look nice too (ie hair and make up)

I guess I could do without cars & flowers. They are very nice, but not essential. That would free up a bit. So just the rest

Hello wink1970 I will look there..

I think the church does sound expensive, yes. Does that include "extras" like the Mothers Union doing their own flowers, or bell ringers, or the organist?

No its the basic C.O.E wedding costs for 2014

Hello again OP

why don't you post your rough location, and if anyone's nearby they might feel able to donate 'stuff'.

personally, I have a size 12-14 wedding dress anyone in Kent is welcome to. It's been sat in a spare room after being cleaned & vacuum bagged.....

I'm in Kent.
The wedding is in Surrey.. Think Oxted/ Westerham way

Try looking at chapels if not particularly dedicated to one church. Much cheaper!

posted early..

Meant to say I have already on this thread had 2 amazing offers of wedding dresses, and really massive thanks however I feel like if you've worn your dress for your special day, it's a precious keepsake.

Thank you for your loveliness though

We've just had a quote for £350 for a photographer to do 2 hours work. Ours is a very unusual wedding but my rationale is this...

I would like a professional
Friends and family don't want to "work" on the day
The photos are better quality
A relative of DH photographed my first wedding. If you saw our album you would think only his side attended.
Professionals are discreet.

I don't want to be photographed getting ready.... Just literally a snapshot of the day (!)

our budget is about £3k, luckily we've had some help from parents with this (doesn't include my dress as my mum is buying). My bridesmaid has suggested we approach one of the make up departments in Fenwicks and see if we can get one of the make up ladies to do ours for us on the cheap. If that fails I'm going to approach our local college to see of any of the beauty students want a job.

I'm buying up lots of really cheap vases from charity shops and car boots then filling with the cheapest flowers from the market for the tables. Have had a quote for paper flowers, for £100 I can have 1 bridal bouquet, 2 bridesmaids bouqets and as many buttonholes as I like. There are plenty of tutorials online for things like this so maybe worth investigating if you're crafty.

Rope in the skills of friends and family, ask prolific cake makers to bake for the tea part of your day in lieu of a gift!

I'm buying a second hand ring to match my vintage engagement ring, my OH is having a titanium one that costs £12.50.

I'll try and think of some other things we're doing on the cheap and post them.

My OH's cousin has just sent save the date cards out for her wedding and her venue is amazing, have to admit I felt more then a little jealous when I looked into it. However I know our day will be so unique to us and perfect.

GlenandDenis Sounds like a very good deal.. Just that half our our left over budget.

HelloDoris Yy to the wedding envy. I know what you mean.. However I have forced myself to stop looking at beautiful barns/ wedding blogs etc since starting this thread. I am very excited to be marrying my dp and all the support on here has been fantastic. Your wedding sounds lovely

Sorry - bit tactless. We were going to approach a local art college if we didn't have a quote we were happy with.

Good luck x

We hired urns, cups/saucers and teaspoons from a local caterer for our reception, IDon'tKnow. We bought Earl Grey and breakfast tea, and a jar of Carte Noire from Asda and repackaged the tea in very nice jars (the sturdy ones you get with the airtight flip lids and metal clasps), £1 each from Asda. We also bought loads of Tunnock's Teacakes (from Lidl) and laid out a milk one and a plain one for each guest (the milk chocs are red and the plain chocs are blue - very pretty under the lights). We were allowed to use the kitchen at our hall to store milk from the night before. Do you reckon the Legion would let you do that?

Oh, and we also had a jar of sugar lumps!

Approaching a local art college is a great idea. My DSis is a photographer who has done quite a few weddings and would only charge £75 for the day on her first few jobs (and the pictures are beautiful). If anyone's in Glasgow or the West of Scotland, her prices are still very reasonable!

Blimey the costs have gone up! Is that not your parish church? Are there different fees for different "applicants"?

Ten years ago our licence was something like £75 and the chapel £10 including candles...

Glenanddennis No worries!

Horry No its the standard charge for anyone wanting to get married. As charged throughout C.O.E across the country. This does *not include the choir or organist.

Wow, that seems a lot, IDon'tKnow. Last year, we paid £60 for the organist and the priest was going to give us the chapel for free (we gave him £100 in the end). This was Catholic, though.

It was important for me to get married in a chapel, and I'm guessing it's important for you to marry in a church too. If it's not, I would suggest choosing somewhere else and paying a celebrant, but if it's something that means a lot to you, then don't budge.