We spent quite a lot tbh, mainly on food and drink, had 150 to the day and about 50 more in the evening, from 4 pm til 2 am. That cost about 9k for the hall, decor (expensive really, but it did look nice) dj, security, 3 course sit down for 150 with coffee and two types of pudding then evening buffet, and all drinks and the bar.
But we saved a lot on random stuff like no favours (they always pissed me off)
I got a vintage taxi but not sure I'd bother again, bridesmaids etc got a booked cab to the church and I would probably do that. then again, the taxi fitted my dress!
vistaprint are great for invites, I got about 100 fully custom pretty invites with fancy paper, matching envelopes with our names inside them, matching evening invites and envelopes, little personalised matching stickers for the information sheet and something else I can't remember now for £100. i got some of those gold shiny pens to write them in - the ones that click when you shake them? order of service was printed at home and looked fine. Place names we ordered blanks on amazon, cost about £4 for 200 and wrote them in the same pens.
We saved masses on flowers - found a local place to us, they were stunning and really good quality, £123 for a good sized brides bouquet, with lillies and Roses, 8 bridesmaids, 2 mothers, 2 grandmothers, fob, groom, best man and 4 groomsmen (if anyone is in sw London I'd be delighted to share their number they start at about 20 quid for a large brides bouquet). The venue did fake flowers in vases for no cost, the church ones were a little pricey but had to use their people, wouldn't have bothered if we didn't have to. If it was a reg office we probs would have made up some fake arrangements and then taken them to the reception
Bridesmaids dresses were another one, I think they cost us 30 quid each including fabric and were made to measure by a fab dressmaker we found -again more than happy to share contacts if you are in sw London.
Next have some lovely suits atm, full 3 piece suit for £100 or so in a lovely dark grey, we got them for our groomsmen. Other colours etc there too! dh's and bm's (prince edwards I think - long jackets no tails) off ebay - Formal Tailor is the shop name they were very good, we got their shirts there too. fast delivery and good quality. We got the ties on amazon, again very good. tbh I think we spent the same as hiring on buying but now they all have a formal suit shirt and tie, and tbh they felt better quality.
If you are having a meal in an organised place ask if you can bring wine and if they ask for corkage offer to pay a glass wash fee instead - we offered to pay £100 for glasswash, which meant we could bring as many bottles of wine as we wantedb- which weer ordered from tesco I think they had a deal on I made my ddad do this so I have no idea!
wedding cakes are actually surprisingly ok to make yourself if you can bake at all -if you use a stand rather than stacking them they are very very easy, really. No need to dowel, and just cover them with flowers, you can buy icing moulds for flowers and just use shop fondant, saves much much cash! You can hire cake tins if you don't have large enough ones, or make many smaller cakes. Freezer is your friend, and when using buttercream add egg white powder, a sachet per lb for stability.
a lot of shops you can buy sample dresses which work or much cheaper. again, I have details of shops that do a wide range of sizes (from 6 -26/28) and prices (starting from about £100) in south London.
Shoes etc -again, London but if you can get to Finsbury Park, just round the corner from the tube there is a road known as wedding Road, just full of shoes, dresses, bridesmaids stuff, mob outfits - please go! It's just past the temple (I think mosque) entrace under the bridge, (road to the right if you are facing towards the arsenal stadium)
spot the one still on her honeymoon who's not over the whole wedding thing yet 