How to keep cost down for a small wedding?

[bells2810]

My fiancé and I are planning on getting married next autumn and would like a small wedding with maximum 50 guests. We would really like a rustic barn wedding, very intimate and informal eating arrangements etc.. We have just started looking at venues and have been a bit shocked to find a lot of venues start at £4K. My brother got married a couple of years ago in a village hall and has told me their wedding cost around £6k in total.

We would like to keep costs down as we are expecting a baby in spring, so will need to prioritise paying for childcare etc., as well as the horrific cost of living prices at the moment. We both work full time although I will be on statutory maternity pay for a few months at the start of the year.

Does anyone have any tips on keeping the prices down for a small wedding? I can’t believe how expensive it is just for the venue, and we don’t want anything over the top or excessive!

thanks in advance

We went to a lovely wedding reception in a village hall. The bride and groom had married earlier in the day with just parents and witnesses.
They asked guests for to bring a dish for the buffet in lieu of gifts.

Avoid any venue that markets itself as a wedding barn!

I would set a budget and plan towards it rather than setting out with a vision.

I bought a few wedding magazines and they all have lists of what you need and what they cost in. I went through and instantly scrapped numerous things: cars, favours, makeup artist, hairdresser etc. I also thought about what we could do ourselves : cake, music, invitations... It is easier not to have something at all than have it cheap and be disappointed.

A Youtube tutorial gets you a long way on DIY. dresses designed as bridesmaid dresses are cheaper and come in all the colours, just pick white.

A friend of mine got married in a hired field with a big marquee. She roped in friends to do flowers, cake etc and made her own elderflower champagne.

They made a playlist and borrowed big speakers for the music.

Straw bales for seats outside and overnight camping. It was lovely.

Congratulations by the way!

We got married in a nice registry office, no bridesmaids, just a best man who wore his own suit, we provided a tie. I had a £200 dress from Coast, wore shoes and jewellery I already had, husband wore a suit he already had (new tie!). Kids had new suits. I had a small bouquet and we had buttonholes for the wedding party only, no other flowers. Drove ourselves there, bought some ribbon for the car. Did my own make up and hair. Son played a very simple tune on his violin while we signed the register (he was only 6, so it really was simple)

Mates rates photographer, only at the ceremony, groups afterwards and candids at the wedding breakfast, no evening photos. Got a CD of the photos and printed out any we wanted.

I printed out all the invitations and place cards at home.

We had a wedding breakfast for about 40 people in a gastro pub, and paid for all the alcohol. My in laws slaughtered a bullock and provided the sirloin joint, so I gently encouraged people towards the beef choice. We didn't bother with a cake. Bought some colouring/craft stuff for the children.

Didn't do any table decorations, flowers or favours. No gifts for anyone because we didn't have any attendants and did all the organising ourselves.

Evening do was at a village hall, so all the chairs, tables, crockery, cutlery was there to use, and a stage. We decorated it with balloons and fairy lights and stuff, friends and relatives pitched in. We got alcohol and hired glasses at Majestic, but said people could bring their own booze if they wanted. Laid on a load of pasties (we live in Devon) and easy salads that I'd made, nibbles, bread, etc. Shop bought deserts. I made a load of fairy cakes, and shared one with my new husband, for tradition's sake.

We had a ceilidh band, and then had a playlist disco through the PA (also came with the village hall!) and hired disco lights and a smoke machine.

Because the village hall was in the middle of nowhere (nice, cheap and close to in laws) we hired a mini bus for people who didn't want to drive.

Anyway, we did away with loads of the "essentials" and a good time was had by all. I wanted everyone to have a really good meal, plenty to drink, lots of fun and nothing to worry about and ticked all those boxes.

We spent less than £5k, including a 5 night honeymoon in Switzerland, but that was 12 years ago.

We got married recently and this is what we spent for 80 people.
Clothes- £1200 this was for me, husband and our 3 grown up (sort of ) children. I wore an outfit I loved and cost the most by far!
Venue- £1500 this was actually our house & garden but we had to do a wee bit tarting up of the house, bought an event tent and some nice garden furniture and flowering plants for the garden, haybales etc
Alcohol-£1000 we paid for it all, just had Pimms, wine and beer. Still have some left.
Food & equipment-£1400 we had to hire fridges etc. Family member who is a chef in a fancy restaurant cooked the food.
Cars- £40 taxis
Flowers- £200 just for the wedding party
Invites- £0 Family member drew them and we sent by email
Cake-£200
Decorations-£50 made by family member
Hair- £100 for both of us
Registry £350
Speakers & music- £200

We could have spent less in a lot of areas but while we were trying to do it as cheaply as possible we still wanted to have a lovely day and provide a great party for our friends and family. We had a budget of 10k but came in a good bit under. However organising all this was very stressful!!! I would agree that you need to set your budget and work from there.

When my DM married my stepdad, they got the last registrar slot (I think it was 5:30) and just had an evening reception with buffet in the same room they married in. They they only fed guests once and didn't need loads

Yes @MsSquiz that’s a great tip!! Don’t have a morning wedding because you’ll end up needing to feed everyone 3 times (or have hungry and grumpy guests!)

Get married as late as possible so you only have to feed people once. We’re having a 6pm wedding

Find a venue with a minimum spend instead of a hire charge - we’re using pub with a private garden room

use deceased relatives wedding rings / I have my great grandmothers

use e invites

find a venue which doesn’t need decorating

Don't go for a wedding venue. Just a hall - our community hall charges £12 per hour, the village hall is about £17 per hour.

Do everything yourself - booze from Costco, ask a family member or friend if they can make your cake for cost of ingredients, make your own bouquet, bridesmaids and brides dress off the peg or even second hand - not bespoke made dresses. Do your own hair and makeup, or ask a friend who is good at it. You might even find a student who would do the photography for cheaper rates.

There are plenty of things you don't need - favours, chair covers, sweet carts and photo booths.

The only thing I would pay for a professional personally is catering, because it's a lot of hassle to cater for a large number.

Depending on your family and friends ask them for things for the wedding. Eg I went to one wedding where the groom's best friend was a chef so he did the food. The B and G paid for the food but the actual cooking was done by the friend.

Or ask people to bring their own booze instead of a present.

Do as much as you can yourself. If you are doing a barn then you could have picnics for each 'table' or family. It could all be prepped the day before and just packed in

Don't worry about fancy food, fish and chips or a burger stall are both fun options. I find the fancier the menu the less quality there is at weddings.

Have a fab time.