Real life Budget Wedding – Stephanie and David

I’m so pleased to share Stephanie and David’s beautiful wedding with you. Stephanie planned the whole wedding on a budget and shares some of her tips with us today!

Tell us a little bit about how you met your fiancé and how you got engaged?

We met on Twitter! David was the colleague of one of my followers, and I instantly liked his profile picture. He was really sweet and quirky.  Within 48 hours we had joined each other’s Facebooks and exchanged numbers.  He lived 300 miles away so this has been a long distance relationship until three months ago.  I was visiting him over summer when he proposed over a home cooked lunch in a sunny back garden.

What was your favourite part of planning your wedding?

A bit shallow, but choosing a ring and a dress! Every girl’s going to say that, surely?

What was your wedding Budget and how did you make the most of it?

We didn’t have a set budget, we just wanted to keep things reasonable all the way. We made big savings on the flowers - David is Welsh so we had daffodils from the village where we married, as table decorations in the church.  They were just picked by the lady who arranges the church flowers and so were very inexpensive, along with some other small blue flowers as a contrast.

I also had a knitted bouquet made by my mother who is a keen knitter.  It is a total one off and will last forever!

For the catering, we had a buffet, lemon tarts and chocolate brownies and 'mocktails', all handmade by an organic community cafe which is in the chapel, so everything was made from scratch.  They asked for a fee per head, and in total came to under £100.

I used an online boutique for my dress, simply send your measurements away and they make and send your dress.  I ordered it Xmas day and had it arrive from overseas on the 6th Jan.  Groom used Primark and looked handsome as anything, plus an online boutique for his tie and cufflinks.

 

What is your best money saving tip for other brides on a budget?

Do NOT be duped into parting with money because ‘your wedding HAS to have X, Y and Z.’ Says who? Have your essentials and don’t be swayed into getting ‘extras.’ We were quoted £400 for a vintage car to and from the church and we laughed at them.  Companies see you coming, and they get pound signs in their eyes.  Your wedding can be beautiful, unique and personal without it costing the earth.  You are just as married in a small registry office as in a large country house hotel.  I don’t know how those places sleep at night!  Also, don’t invite anyone you don’t genuinely want there.

Who were your favourite budget wedding suppliers?

That would have to be Clervaux Café in Darlington, and Lightinthebox.com for the dress.

Did you do much DIY?

My mother knitted my bouquet so there’s not another one like it in the world.  Also my witness’s sister made some cake toppers - ‘Amazing Cakes by Amanda’, which you can find on Facebook.

What did you enjoy most on your wedding day?

Spending time with our two witnesses, the organic home cooked food, and of course being husband and wife!

Did you have a theme for your wedding day and if so, how did you decide on it?

David’s Welsh, so we had a daffodil theme.  The men wore yellow- gold ties, I had knitted daffodils in the bouquet and the church had fresh daffodils on all the tables.  Perfect for Easter.

What would be your best piece of advice for all of our other Budget Bride Company readers?

Stick to what you want, not what society tells you you ought to have.  Don’t compare yourselves to others.

 

Thank you so much for sharing your wedding with us Stephanie! And big congratulations to you and David 🙂

 

Laura xx