Aibu to do this after today?

[cowatthegate]

Went to a wedding fair today with DP, was shocked by the obscene prices that venues and additional extras were charging for the privilege of giving everyone a big party at our expense.
Aibu to just book a lovely intimate registry office wedding for 10 of our nearest and dearest at Chelsea Registry Office and then have a lovely dinner afterwards at a nearby restaurant , booking everyone into a hotel close by for the night?
Will have my 2 DS with me (2.3 and 7 weeks currently!).

Won't that cost a fortune to book everyone into a hotel?

The best wedding I have ever been to was very similar to that. :)

Nowhere like the £14,500 we were quoted for a ceremony and meal today!

This way we can keep it to under £4000 I reckon

Well if the hotel's not too expensive, I think that sounds really lovely.

Do whatever you want. Yanbu.

£4000 for a wedding with 10 guests sounds extortionate!

Probably less than that even , I read that the average wedding in Britain costs £27000!

Not really. Not for a really lovely meal and a nice hotel in central London.

Also can anyone recommend a lovely hotel (maybe boutique or a bit special) , a hairdresser or a babysitting/nannying service in Chelsea?

Your way sounds lovely! As long as you're happy with your budget and how it breaks down. I'd rather have a tiny wedding and be able to spend a little bit more on everyone/have slightly nicer details without it costing an arm and a leg.

Do whatever you want! FWIW this type of intimate wedding sounds lovely

Why do you think you would be being unreasonable?

@MiddleClassProblem just because it’s not the norm I suppose and I will have a few grumblers no doubt about not being invited

Yanbu we did pretty similar. Booked a small registry office that seated 30, boom guest list sorted! Dinner after.
We did have an evening do a local village hall to placate the parents who insisted it must be done but frankly wished we hadn't bothered.

OP I would totally do the same thing- sounds lovely. Hotel wise I have lots of suggestions. The Ampersand off High St Ken is gorgeous and boutique and reasonably priced (some rooms under £200 per night). Or The Mandrake or Blake’s (both more expensive but really lovely). And if you want something really small, intimate and quirky Artist Residence or Number Sixteen!

YANBU, weddings are crazy expensive if you get everything these wedding fairs advertise. £600 for table decorations anyone?

I think when you really look at it, there is no “norm” anymore. Wedding fairs, are just there to sell to you. And remember that an average figure for money spent can be skewed. A hundred people can spend the minimum to legally marry (can’t remember the price, say £350?) and then one can come along and spend 1 million and suddenly the average is huge unless using a mode average which is near impossible to do. Basically they add up all the figures on money spent on weddings and divide it by how many weddings held(because they don’t actual cost for each wedding). So with my figures it would mean it’s arounf £10k a wedding when it really wasn’t that at all.

As long as you do the legal bit, the rest is a choice.

I so wish we hadn't had a 'big wedding' , with hindsight it's such a waste of money .

I would go with your idea for sure, a small wedding doesn't mean it has to be any less special.

Defo do that op-if I had my time again I'd do everything differently but same groom.

Btw I’m not saying no o e has expensive weddings in the middle ground, just that more than you realise don’t. But that won’t sell magazines.

I did similar and I didn't even have a party at a later date. Shocking!!

But no stress and no ridiculous expense.

Sounds lovely. We did similar.

Registry office then booked a private room in a fab restaurant with a gorgeous meal and drinks. 26 people including us.

I’d do it again that way in a heartbeat.

My DB and SIL had a church wedding and a meal in a restaurant for 18. It was one of the nicest weddings I have attended.

We got married at Chelsea Registry office, stayed at the holiday inn opposite Green Park tube station and the Ritz and had a meal at Langhams round the corner. It was a beautiful day and my ds loved having the park across the road from the hotel