Two questions, where do I begin to plan a wedding? And how much can I expect to pay for a horse drawn carriage?

[WhenSantaGotStuckUpACunnyFunt]

Hoping to get married this October, but I don't even know where to begin to start planning! Help me please!

Also, I've set my heart on a horse drawn carriage, any ideas on how much I can expect to pay for one? My lovely, lovely, far too generous Grandma has given us 5k to get married so I'm hoping it can be done on that (although grandma has said we can have more if we need it. I tell you, she's far too generous, always has been!) so I don't want to blow a chunk of budget on just transport!

Congratulations!

Where are you (roughly)?

The website of these stables has a quick quote option that you might like to have a go with. They're not far from Peterborough.

Thank you :) although we have actually been engaged for about 18 months, now we finally have the money to do it!

Thanks, I'll check that website out.

We're in Lincolnshire by the way, hoping for just the ceremony here, but reception elsewhere as we want a bar and those 'mobile' bars you hire charge extortionate amounts for drinks! So I think a wedding car (even a classic one) would look a bit out of place at such an old building :o

I've just got a quote back from The Ostler horse and carriage company, for £200. Is that fairly reasonable?

Cunny... Firstly Congratulations!

Secondly - I would have thought so because they're going to need a horse box to get the horses and carriage to wherever then the time they spend getting you there etc - get a quote for an old car and see how the two compare (we had a 1937 Roller)(too far for a horse and cart!). You would need to check out their set up - perhaps find out when they're next doing something and see if you can see things once they've dropped the bride off and everyone's gone in or something?

I would get venue and registrar sorted out so that you know the date and the time and work other things around there.

The venue looks lovely - but you will also need to get caterers etc so you'll have to watch your budget.

Good luck with it - and plan something that you'll enjoy, not the day you think other people expect you to have.

Firstly you want to book a venue.

Have a look at a few you like, get quotes. Ideally, one that doesn't do 'packages' as you always end up paying for things you don't really need, and there are 'hidden' costs in packages. Bespoke venues are much better and fairer.

Do a rough guest list so you have an idea of numbers.

Set a budget, and then break that budget down in to categories (clothing, catering, venue, flowers, ceremony, drinks etc). Then decide how you'd like to spend your money! Some things can't be helped (such as church/humanist/registry office fees) and others are negotiable.

Decide on a ceremony type (religious, civil, humanist, pagan etc) and make sure your venue is licensed for it - or find an alternative ceremony venue (bear in mind this will likely incur transport costs from Vermont to reception venue).

Decide on catering. Sit down meal? Buffet? BBQ?

Drinks - will you do reception drinks? Wine on tables? Open bar? Toast drink?

Evening - DJ? Band? Catering?

Dress - yours, bridesmaids, groom, groomsmen etc. near these costs in mind when asking people to be involved!

Think of what you can do yourself. Can you make your own invitations? Table plan? Menu cards? Favours? Decor?

Loads to plan! Have fun!

Oops I didn't read the email in full it's actually £650ish

Thank you mistle (hello!) and Juno, very helpful :) now, who wants to plan/arrange it for me? :o

OK, so ceremony c. £1k plus registrar (got no idea on that one).

If your heart is set on the carriage you might still consider it. However, you might decide that you don't want to go to that much expense and a car might cost less. In fact, you might need a car anyway depending where your reception is.

What sort of reception do you fancy? Sit down meal? buffet in a pub? Ox roast in a pub garden / marquee? ie Formal v. informal.

How many people do you need to feed at this do?

What sort of music do you want?

What are you going to wear - and what is DHtB going to wear.

Are you having any bridesmaids etc.

Firstly book the registrar. When I was at our registry office the amount of disappointed brides ringing up having booked stuff to he told the date wasn't free was surprising. Don't do anything else until your date is in that book.

Then crack on.. congratulations

Okay, reception will be a buffet, probably at a local working mens club (DP doesn't want a sit down meal and tbh I see his point, there'll be two 3 year olds there :o ).

We'll have a disco.

Wherever the reception will be it will still be close to the ceremony. The ceremony venue is literally right in the centre of town and all the possible reception venues :)

Not sure of amount of guests yet. I need to add them all up.

I will be in a wedding dress, not sure of style yet but I want it to be very pale gold.
Men (DHtb, best man and my dad) will just have simple suits i think. DP doesn't want loads of layers so just a shirt and jacket, no waistcoat. Their ties will match the bridesmaids dresses, I'm hoping for a coppery colour.

Bridesmaids - my 2 sisters (ages 27 and 8), neice (age 5) and daughter (age 3) :)

So... find a local pub or club that has a function room that you think will give you the room you need. Sometimes pubs will do the food (as might clubs) (and the golf course does a wedding package too out of interest). How much is the room? Can they do the catering or do you need to arrange that - if the latter, do they regularly have the same caterers coming in they can recommend or is there a local company you can get a quote from.

Find a decent DJ (and please see how he manages an event if you can - I went to a wedding where he had everyone on the floor and then changed track and everyone sat down and he then didn't play anything that most people wanted to dance to). How much are they and will they fit etc with the venue.

Bridesmaids - can you get matching dresses or ones using similar material that the three younger ones will look good in (dare I suggest you might even have a look in the sales and take account of the growing they are going to do) and then use flowers or similar colour / other features to link to your older sister - again, if you don't want to spend a fortune, she could perhaps even look in the sales now?

My mother and I made my dress - there was nothing in a style that I liked at the time, and it worked out a lot less expensive that way too.

Monsoon do beautiful wedding dresses for cheap. In fact, I got mine reduced from £250 (which I went in expecting to pay) to £67!!

Registrar roughly £300 to come out to your venue, though of course it will be much cheaper at the registry office.

Does any of your guests have a skill that could be utilised? One of.ours made the cake and the other did the photos.

Look into a hot sandwich buffet - roast ham.or beef, baps, wedges, gravy and salad. Every wedding Ive been to that had this (inc my own) it has been very well received

www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/Budget-planning

this is a good budget planner.