If you could go back in time, would you spend more or less on your wedding?

[IDKNABYBIF22]

Starting to plan our wedding and torn between potentially regretting not spending more on it in the future, or spending too much on it 🙈.

YABU = more
YANBU = less

I would have spent the extra £120 on a tiara that I saw in Harrods- tiaras weren't a big thing but I really wanted one - couldn't justify it as we were trying to keep costs down. Also would have included children which I was persuaded not to by MIL - I love her but I wish we hadn't listened to her on this point.

Apart from the fact I wouldn’t get married I would certainly spend less. We had a lovely wedding but I’m still pissed off about the fuckers (from DH family) who did nothing but moan and complain about our guest list. I paid 100% of our wedding costs as DH was out of work at the time and really wish we had just eloped and had a fabulous honeymoon instead

There's always some who spent 10 shillings and sizpence and had the best wedding ever....

We spent about £5K, including some vintage transport for guests, an off the peg dress for me and on off the peg suit for husband. Rings and dresses for the bridesmaids and suits for his sons.

I wish we'd spent a bit more on booze for people and putting more money behind the bar.

I wish we hadn't bothered with a photographer. Although she did a lovely job - We've looked at the photos a handful of times, it took up loads of time I'd rather have been chatting to people, and my favourite pictures of the day are some candid shots taken by friends.

That money would have been far better spent on booze!

The best thing I spent money on was a buffet provided by a nice local cafe so my family and his family could meet up the night before. Also the venue and food for the wedding, it was a local restaurant with a lovely garden and the food was amazing.

Neither, I’m happy with what we spent. 23 years ago, spent £5,000. Not lavish and around 35 guests.

Both of us were happy with our choices and wouldn’t change if we did it again.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing- but we had a magnificent wedding day so no regrets. Although this was just before phones came with cameras and we put those novelty disposable cameras on each table. I can honestly say apart from a cursory glance at hundreds of blurry dull pics, they've never been looked at again.

Less definitely. it was a lovely day but when I think of what we could have spent the money on now we have kids. Also our friendship groups have changed since those times. Our oldest friends are still close but we invited work friends and many others who we really don't see much at all anymore tho I guess they were important at that time on our life. I think we are still in touch with everyone that came even if some has drifted into fb friendship.

Probably about the same. Mine was about 15k. I used a family friend for a photographer and he wasnt great and I hate my wedding pics. Would defo splash more for a professional.

I loved my dress but bloody hell £1.3k was far too much in hindsight.

I wouldnt really change anything else though. I loved all the small touches and people still comment on what a lovely and fun wedding it was.

Spent about the same but wish I didn't get married.
My wedding was about £8,000
My parents paid about £5,000 and we paid about £3,000
Would have chose a more expensive dress though. My dress was £550 at the time in 2002

Thanks for all the comments, interesting that so many people have said the main thing that they regret not spending more on is the photographer.

If money was no object, then I think I would like a Saturday wedding in a nice barn venue, live band, good food, free bar, but my God the price of it! Looking at 'nice barn venues" and the cheapest is 6k for a Saturday just for the venue alone .

We have been saving for a house deposit for the last couple of years, and have a decent amount now by budgeting and working overtime, haven't bought somewhere yet so it's still sitting in our accounts, but the idea of spending quite a lot of money on one day makes me feel a bit queasy. It has taken a lot of time and work to save that money, Plus I worry that we might need money further down the line for something else, like IVF, house renovation, taking time off work once we have kids etc, and will regret spending so much on one day.

I'm completely fine with what we spent on our wedding, it wasn't madly lavish but it also wasn't especially cheap (c. £10k, 2 years ago, not including our honeymoon). I can't think of anything I'd cut from the budget. To echo others, I'm really glad we spent money on a decent photographer, looking back and remembering everyone being together has been really lovely during the past year.

I would have spent a bit more but not loads more: we earned very little at the time. My parents paid for a lovely reception but we couldn't afford a proper evening do - people just sat around chatting - there was no music etc. I would have loved to have had a band and more of an evening party. Also would have invited more friends (we were keeping it small because of cost). I also would have spent more on the bridesmaid's dresses as I didn't really like them. Would have spent more on a different photographer. He was a family friend and the pics were ok but nothing amazing. This was 2007 and I always notice now just how much wedding photography has changed between then and now.

I had already bought a house by the time I got married. No way would I have spent that amount of money if I was waiting to buy. In your case I defo wouldnt spend loads then! A house should be your priority.

We spent £5k ten years ago on a day do for 60 people and the evening event had 90 people. I think we did well in terms of value and it was a lovely day but I think we scrimped too much on some things and I regret it a bit now.

For example, we had the M&S wedding cake but it looked a bit sad in the photos, wish we'd jazzed it up with a nice topper or other decorations.

We didn't invite some people to keep costs down and I really wish they'd been there.

I did my own hair and makeup but I wished I'd paid to have them done professionally as I think I could've looked better/more polished on the day and I think that every time I look at the photos.

But, these are all minor things really and hindsight is great but I'm still glad we didnt get into debt for the wedding.

Loved our wedding. But we didn't over spend.
I really can't be bothered with many things at weddings, favours, bows, table stuff, etc etc.
we had a small church, and married in my parents back garden (farm so they had a barn)
We hired tables and chairs and we decorated the barn.
Walked to the church, brought flowers back to the barn.
Photos in their back garden.
Bridesmaids in nice dresses from Monsoon under £100.
Hog roast in garden, free bar.
All lovely and not OTT

If I was getting married now, I would spend less. As I now have other priorities - DC, school fees, home improvements, family holidays etc.

But if I had the wedding again, at the same point in time, then I would spend the same. It was a lovely time in our lives, and we were happy with how everything turned out.

It would be all exactly the same. We were also very lucky because our lovely kind parents paid for our wedding.

I would actually spend more looking back from covid times- but that's me looking back with rose tinted glasses! The chance to party with friends and family seems so precious looking back. We didn't skimp at the time though.

Our venue was expensive even for a weekday wedding which is what we had. Wish I spent less on dress too. My close friends though thought it was amazing due to venue.

I'd personally have spent less, but the reason we spent more (approx £10k) was due to what my husband wanted. Every option I presented him with he chose the most expensive one (and then moaned about the cost until I pointed this out to him )

We did ours on a budget - we loved it but if I was to do it again, I'd probably spend less on my dress

I wish my dress hadn’t cost so much. My dad insisted on paying for it, which was nice of him, but it was a waste of money.

Otherwise we could have spent more by having the reception in that castle grounds but the town hall was much more convenient for our guests.

Sent that too early!...as I was saying, I absolutely loved my dress, it was my dream dress but it cost about £1300 which looking back seems alot..an arty friend took our photos, they were really lovely but she didn't take as many as I thought she had, I was abit disappointed at first but soon realised it's not all about the pics - you don't need hundreds and hundreds. The day itself was incredible and I wouldn't change anything else!

I would have spent more and had a professional photographer and videographer.

We didn't have a set budget but had an acquaintance do the photos. That would be the only thing I'd have changed.

Spent about 4K all in for a small register office ceremony at 3:30, photographer for two hours, then pub reception for 55 people including full savoury buffet and free bar. Dress was £70, no bridesmaids, just my bouquet, did our own music and decorating, no favours, made my own cakes (served 120, demolished by my guests - I make good cakes!). Brilliant wedding, and I honestly wouldn’t change a thing nearly five years on. The photographer was a last-minute decision and was amazing, so I highly recommend a professional to take photos for at least a couple of hours of the day (I think she cost around £400?). Forget favours and other extraneous things (though the basket of flip flops was great!), and use money for stuff people will remember, which is food, booze and atmosphere.

Honeymoon cost more than the wedding and was incredible as well, in a no-expense-spared, unique and luxurious way, and I smile whenever I see the photos and remember how awesome it was.

Less on the wedding and saved it for the divorce.
The divorce has proved a wiser investment.😁