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!).

That sounds like my wedding! Except we didn't pay for a hotel 😂 Best day of my life.

Do it! The best weddings I've been to have been small and friendly, but thats probably because people are there because they really like you.

Oh and we didn't mention it was a wedding when booking the meal either. Had a fab champagne reception and 3 course meal plus all our photos for the price of.. Well the champagne and the meal.

I've just got engaged and we're thinking of doing something similar. Don't want the stress, hassle or expense of a big wedding - plus, it's second time around for both of us. It's your day, do it however you like and enjoy it. What you are planning sounds lovely.

I think I will call it a family celebration when booking the food ! Dp can handle the hotel booking as used to be a hotel valuer for a living so knows the ins and outs of bargaining for a room

Yeah but when you are there make sure they hear that you just got married that day just for some extra special treatment

Do it, I wish I had, would’ve saved loads of irritation and madness from the bloody mother!

My sister did this, had a private dining room at the bluebird in Chelsea

Sounds fantastic!
The hotel should be able to advise you on a babysitting service.

Sounds lovely! I think you should do what you want.

NBU at all. I think it sounds a lovely way to celebrate a wedding.

We didn't spend much on our wedding at all - small wedding, booked a (very nice) restaurant (booked the private function room), spent about £3.5K for a meal and drinks afterwards.

I think a big wedding is lovely too - but the expense of a big, big day can eye-watering.

That sounds idyllic to me, cowatthegate, it really does. If I were marrying now I'd do exactly that.

Ok so plan tomorrow morning is to bug people to get back to me about whether they can make it (6 months away!) , ring registry office to see if they have the date free hopefully , then give notice!

Then book the dinner and hotel, hair and make up for the day and research a florist for a bouquet for myself. Investigate Dp suit situation.
Anything else??

Chelsea and Westminster regiatry office. Wallis Simpson, Judy Garland, Patsy Kenait, George Best all for married there. There is a photography who does a lot of weddings their Guy something - I'm sue google will help you out. There is lovely posh B&B in Fulham called Barclay House a short taxi ride up the New Kings Road

Sounds perfect! My advice - get a decent photographer, they will last a lifetime.

We’ve decided to cancel all the plans we had for a $25,000+ wedding with over 100 guests and instead get married in a couple of months time with just my kids and 1 family friend there.

I’ve emigrated so my family are all in the UK (apart from the children), and most of the family members I would have loved to invite have sadly passed away.

We’re going to go for a high tea at an amazing chocolateria after the service then we’ve got 2 nights booked in a boutique hotel.

We’ll phone our parents to tell them we got married, make the announcement on FB then turn our phones off for a few days.

It will definitely ruffle a few feathers but DP and I just want to get married, we don’t want a wedding and we’d much rather spend half the wedding budget on a 3 week holiday than spend it all on one day. We actually worked out that the cost of the wedding we thought we had to have was more than a years rent!!

booking everyone into a hotel close by for the night

OP do your meal out plan but not this part!! It's too expensive on your part and not needed.

My brother had a similar wedding but without the hotel and more people. It was lovely. A couple of months before their original wedding date his girlfriend called it off and it transpired that she became hugely stressed about the whole big white wedding. That and turning thirty!

Get on Groupon!

I spent less than £1000! I had a proper wedding dress too.

We went to the registry office with our mums and had a bbq with friends/family after.

It was a lovely day, and very relaxed!

We had 9 + us for about 2.5k biggest expense was rings and outfits. We had dinner at my parents and photos at a lovely garden near by.

We had to cancel our big wedding as We would have had a newborn but it was the best decision we ever made.

We didn’t tell our family that they were coming to a wedding til a few weeks before so no one got stressed.

Some nice music for the ceremony and an opportunity during the day to hang out alone are 2 bits that made it for us. Oh and we played games as we were a small group and I couldn’t drink.

Good luck!

I think it sounds absolutely perfect! Congratulations! X

Ceremony is booked! Feels real now, next few months are going to be v hard as DM is dying but planning this is lifting my spirits somewhat.
👰🏼

So sorry to hear about your Mum. Congratulations on setting the date! Good luck with all the planning x

Quick q!!
We live together , have 2 dc, did honeymoon before DC2 was born so don’t need any house bits or honeymoon experiences.
How can we politely ask for John Lewis vouchers or similar?!!