Weddings that won’t cost the earth

WEDDING-BUDGET

Want an A-list day on a Z-list budget? These fabulous packages mean you can achieve the day of your dreams without breaking the bank! Emily Berryman reveals how to plan a budget wedding that is still amazing!

Wed in a windmill!

Where? Cley Windmill, Norfolk.
The deal: If you prefer quirky over conventional, this cosy mill on the north Norfolk coast is well worth checking out! Brimming with fabulous photo opportunities, guests with be thrilled by the pretty round rooms, cosy fireplaces and rustic beams. And the best bit? Exclusive hire with all the trimmings can be yours for as little as £3,665! This includes one-night mid-week accommodation for 20 guests, a chic canapé and prosecco drinks reception followed by a decadent three-course meal with wine for 24 people – the only problem is, you may never want to leave.

Get hitched in the capital!

Where? Hotel Russell, London
The deal: If you want an iconic celebration on a shoestring, this opulent hotel in the heart of London’s Bloomsbury is hard to beat! Offering a range of packages to suit all budgets, get more bang for your buck by plumping for the ‘Perfect Day Package’, which will keep a party of 50 elegantly wined and dined for a very pocket-friendly £3,995! Including your own wedding coordinator, a sumptuous three-course spread, fizz and a complementary first night stay for the newlyweds – a DJ or yummy canapés will also be thrown in to make sure your day goes with a bang.

Spectacular scenery!

Where? Cotswold Water Park Hotel, Gloucestershire.

The deal: Craving a Cotswolds wedding? Brilliantly, this luxury four-star hotel offers an impressive all-inclusive package for celebrations held during January and February, starting from £4,995. Including all the essentials – from room hire for your ceremony and reception, a top notch wedding breakfast for 60 people and an evening buffet for 100 – plenty of coo- inducing extras will be thrown in for good measure such as a red carpet welcome and use of the picture-perfect lake for your wedding snaps!

Fairy-tale dreams!

Where? Combermere Abbey, Shropshire

The deal: For a bespoke day full of breath- taking views and Happily Ever After charm, this spectacular Abbey offers “Magical Winter” and “Marry in March” packages for an impressive £4,500 – saving you £1,300 off the usual hire rate! Available for weddings held on Fridays and Saturdays during the months of November, December and March, this price includes exclusive use of the Victorian Glass House and Walled Garden Pavilion, a first night stay in the cosy Stone Lodge, plus oodles more lovely goodies such as a champagne breakfast hamper and use of a vintage car. Well, a bride needs to make an entrance!

Take to The Thames!

Where? Runnymede-On-Thames, Windsor 

The deal: For a wedding with real wow factor, this beautiful hotel offers an “Unconventional Package” for £135 per person – which means you can party with 35 of your nearest and dearest and still come in under the £5k budget! Including venue hire for your civil ceremony, a delicious riverside three-course barbeque and four-hour riverboat cruise, complete with stunning views and your own banging DJ – why stay on land when you can take your party to the river?

Farm charm!

Where? South Farm Cambridgeshire

The deal: For couples who prefer to do things a little differently, this gorgeously rustic venue offers an amazing “Intimate Winter Wedding Mid-Week Package”, which costs £3,750 for 40 people. Including a romantic civil ceremony in The Old Dairy, a hot buffet wedding breakfast and bacon butties for the evening reception – some drinks, the dance floor and use of the bridal suit are also included. A few pounds still left in your wedding piggybank? We recommend paying a bit extra for your guests to spend the night in restored – and very cute! – gypsy caravans.

Rochdale bargain!

Where? The Royal Toby, Rochdale

The deal: For matrimony that won’t max out your credit cards, The Royal Toby
have created a bargain off-peak ‘Sapphire Package’ for couples who get married on any day but Saturday! Catering for 50 day and 100 evening guests, everything from your ceremony and reception room hire to a three-course meal and evening buffet are included – plus wedding essentials like your DJ, linens, and centrepieces.

Hire a castle!

Where? Lumley Castle, County Durham

The deal: Think a castle wedding is out of reach? Refreshingly Lumley’s ‘Fairy-tale Package’ means history-loving couples can now enjoy all the grandeur of high society for as little as £2,500! Say ‘I do’ in one of Lumley’s magnificent state rooms before enjoying a formal three-course wedding breakfast fit for a king, for 40 people. An evening buffet and first night stay in one of the castle’s grand bedrooms is also included, so you are guaranteed to feel like royalty.

Get hitched at Gretna!

Where? Smith’s Hotel, Gretna Green

The deal: For a Scottish bash with your nearest and dearest, what could be more special than becoming Mr and Mrs in the UK’s wedding capital, Gretna Green? Exchange your vows in the famous Blacksmiths Shop in front of 18 guests before heading to the swanky Smiths Hotel for a yummy three-course wedding breakfast and evening spread of sausage sarnies and chips. A steal at £2,375, this package also includes your wedding photos, cake, toasts and first night stay.

Country chic!

Where? Stapleford Park Country House Hotel, Leicestershire

The deal: A secret hideaway for countless celebs, if you are looking for a small but perfectly formed celebration, this sprawling estate is a must-visit. Offering a spend-savvy ‘Intimate Package’ at £115 per person (available for small weddings held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays), doing our marital maths, this means you could bag the tranquil grounds, a stylish drinks reception and three-course wedding breakfast for 30 people for just £3,450.

Clever ideas for foodies

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Everyone knows that the wedding breakfast and reception will eat up the biggest chunk of your wedding allowance. So how can you squeeze the most out of your budget, while still being bang on foodie trend?

Informal dining options such as buffets, bowl food and rustic platters are shaping up to be hot this year. These all give guests the freedom to move around and enjoy proceedings, making for a more relaxed atmosphere. Remember, the key is to include a good mix of meat, fish and vegetarian options to accommodate all guests.

Offering wedding canapés as a starter or dessert adds a fresh twist and provides a good talking point for guests. Think miniature steak and chips with a warm horseradish cream – lovely!

Another huge trend this year will be reinventing classic dishes. Pay homage to your childhood favourites, with a twist. Think pie and mash, mini sirloin hamburgers, bangers and mash, or fish and chips all made from local produce. We particularly love the fish and chip option. If it’s not formal enough for the day time, it would definitely work for your evening guests, and it may work out cheaper than a buffet.

When it comes to desserts, the key is to think small! Opt for dessert tables or platters with an array of miniatures. smatterings of your favourites such as cupcakes, mini cheesecakes, dainty trifles, chocolate brownies or crumble will allow guests to tuck in. And with light portions they won’t be left feeling lethargic, meaning they can dance the night away!

One particularly lovely trend ‘bring a cake’ dessert table. Brides are asking friends and family to bring their favourite homemade desserts – cakes, flans and more. It’s a cost-effective way to add a personal touch, guaranteed to get everyone talking.

For a novel menu idea, why not serve an actual ‘wedding breakfast’ a la Carrie and Big in Sex and the City? A beautifully served full English with locally sourced produce, fresh orange juice or fruit to start and pancakes or waffles for dessert.

The Grooms to-do list

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Men aren’t usually as good at multi-tasking as women and many have a habit of leaving things until the last moment.

So, to stop the stress factor rocketing, we’ve created a last-minute checklist for your new hubby-to-be so he can see at a glance what he has to do and when – and you get the peace of mind of knowing that he’s on the case, hopefully.

A ring is an everlasting symbol of your love and commitment for one another and it’s the groom’s job to get the rings organised. No pressure there then!

Your husband to-be needs to buy wedding rings for both of you and check that they are the correct sizes. If you’re having something bespoke created then you need to be sure that the rings are going to be ready in time, and the pair will need to be cleaned and tucked away somewhere safe until the big day. Your rings are a main event when you tie the knot so it’s essential that they fit correctly and that he has them ready.

Losing the rings may be something that happens in sit-coms but it has been known to happen in real life, too! It’s traditionally the best man’s job to take care of them in the church and hand them over to the groom in time for the ceremony.

Most grooms rise to the occasion of their wedding and dress smartly, even if they don’t go the traditional morning coat and tails look.

Whatever type of wedding suit your fiancé wears, it needs to fit him perfectly and should be cleaned and brushed. He needs to have every aspect of his outfit in place and organised well in advance and absolutely not go shopping the day before.

Take his suit out of its bag and hang it up the night before to air and allow any creases time to fall out. It’s also a good idea for him to have a spare shirt handy, just in case something gets spilled down his front at the last minute.

Wedding accessories are also key to a groom’s look. Firstly, he needs to have some new socks on. They don’t have to be black, if he wants to rock a colour or stripes then let him. Just make sure his socks don’t have holes! Other accessories he’ll need to have are cufflinks for his shirt, his tie or cravat and any other option extra’s that he wants to wear with his outfit.

His shoes should be shiny and polished and if they’re new he needs to wear them in a bit before the big day – just as you have been wearing in your wedding shoes. He might want to wear a tie pin as a piece of jewellery and if you want to give him a gift of jewellery for your day, then this is something to consider.

Just like you, your groom needs to be thinking about his hair on your big day (just think of the photographs you’re going to have taken). He should have it cut no more than a week before the big day. If he wears it longer it needs to be shaped and if it’s short, then it needs to look sharp.

If you want to treat him, you could organise for him to have a cut and shave at a high end hair salon so he feels really special.