What we wanted... What we got.... How we saved.... ..... PART 1... The Plan.
This is what we were originally expecting to be paying based on what we wanted and our numbers- and then later on once our wedding is complete I will put in the actual figures, what was saved and what corners were cut or changed to keep as much in budget as possible.
Our realistic Budget at the time was an absolute maximum of £5000 - and even that was really pushing it!
Our Church
The church where we grew up, the church where relatives have been laid to rest.The Reverend who has been there since our childhood... We couldn't get married any where else
- Ceremony, Verger, organist, Bells, Choir, Flowers, Banns, marriage certificate etc etc etc expecting in the region of £750
Reception and Catering
- including Hot Food for 70 Guests, an evening buffet for 80, arrival drinks for 70, Use of the main function room, patio, and quiet area, bridal suite for 3 nights and use of hotel facilities, Bar and waiting staff, use of cutlery, crockery, glassware, tablecloths and napkins, etc, informal host to ensure the running of the day Room set up, ceremonial cake cutting sword, red carpet, In the region of £3500+
My Dress
I went out looking for a dress around the £500 mark but fell in love with a gorgeous Gown that I can't get out of my mind for a whopping £1200!
Bridesmaid dresses
3 x adult Bridesmaid dresses- £300, 3 x childrens bridesmaid dresses £300 a total of 6 bridesmaid dresses - £600
Suits Hire or Buy
Allowed £100 per suit, Groom, 2x best men, 2 children ushers and a baby 'best man' in the region of approx £500
Flowers
Wanted Fresh Red roses, gypsophilia and Ivy was quaoted in the region of £500 for 3 large bridesmaid posies, 3 small bridesmaid posies, 1 bridal bouquet hand tied, 11 Buttonholes, 10 centrepieces approx £500
Gifts
Originally wanted quite lavish gifts, jewellery x 8 and engraved silverware x 8 originally looked at approx £150
Shoes for Bridal Party
- x 1 Brides shoes, 3 adult Maids shoes, 3 child maids shoes, 2 child usher shoes, 1 baby bes manshoes, 1 groom shoes. approx £250
Hair and Makeup for Bride and Maids
3 adult maids and 1 Bride full make up and hair styling - plus brides cut and colour and nails before hand; approx £450+
Overnight Childcare for 4 /5 children
Hopefully free if relatives can help out - however professionally CRB checked overnight Nannies we would be looking at £300 plus any extra travelling or accommodation expenses.
Favours
Sweet cones or Sweet buffet or the traditional sugar coated almond option - £100 +
Transport
Wanted an old Jaguar XJ. Expected it to be about £300
Entertainment
We would have liked a DJ for the evening (£300), a magician in the afternoon after speeches (£100) a bouncy castle (£50) and a children's entertainer for the Childrens Hour (£250).... at a cost of approx £700
Photography and wedding album
Luckily My cousin is a professional photographer and our July date was perfect, however his wife is expecting their first baby over our wedding date now so whereas he was going to provide my photography for free and I only had to pay for prints I have a feeling that I may end up having to pay what I had expected all along - in the region of £500
We didn't want a videographer or a photo booth or a running tab behind the bar but the
Total in the original planning stages is ....................£9,350 !!!!
I can assure you right NOW that this cost has been seriously slashed!
Keep checking back for our final costs paid when our wedding takes place in April
What's the one thing that I had not planned on spending out on in the original planning?
That's right - Wedding Insurance! Make sure you include it in your budget x
Happy Planning
xBBWx
Monday 2 December 2013
When Budgets don't stretch to cater for all.....
I am an avid follower of wedding advice pages on Social Networking sites and this morning I woke up to read one particular lady's request for readers advice. She is currently struggling with the cost of her wedding and had made a brave decision to invite those family members that she is closest to for the reception and to invite other family members just to the ceremony.
We don't know who wrote in for the advice and we don't know the circumstances behind her decision.
But lets suppose for a moment that the following apply:
I was simply shocked at the responses that were being posted. Some people told this person, a person they don't know - that she was being rude, had no manners and was selfish and should have chosen a cheaper food option accusing her of having no etiquette! . She was slated for even suggesting the option that she had decided on. These people then had the barefaced cheek to post links to other sites. I don't agree with their opinions and how they were addressing this poor girl and so I wasn't going to see what the links were to. I can only presume based on their comments that they were articles that would have content of no interest to me either . (I refused to click on these links to determine what they led to out of pure principle.)
One lady claimed that when planning a wedding you should choose who to feed and then what you can afford to feed them, and not choose what you want to eat and then see who you can afford to feed. Deep down I think most people do when initially planning their wedding but when finances change or other changes occur and you are stuck with your choice what do you do?.
Was her only option - the choice to invite everyone to the ceremony and only a few to celebrate after? It might well have been.
I really hope this bride has a beautiful day and takes the advice of just doing what she thinks is best. After all she knows her family, she knows her friends and if there's a perfectly good reason for her choosing that option then they would know that and I would hope would then understand. She only asked advice on how to word it in her invitations, not opinions on her choices.
Now, we have had to be quite ruthless on our wedding breakfast invites, however we have invited everyone to the ceremony and those who are of immediate family, a part of the bridal party and also family who are going to be travelling some many miles to attend are also being invited to join us for the wedding breakfast. This is a meal chosen by Mr F and myself for the simple fact that we wanted to cater for everyone's taste and appetites and be able to have our favourite meal. This is the most expensive part of our wedding.
Our other guests, family in the area that are not 'immediate family', and most of our friends have then been invited to attend the ceremony and to join us for an evening celebration with a small buffet and the chance to witness our first dance and the cutting of the cake, it was the best we could possibly do after our date was brought forward at such short notice.
So this got me thinking, what options are there for couples who have a large guest list but a budget that just does not stretch that far?
These options are not going to be suitable for everyone and potentially too late for the unwitting Bride to be who posted on the advice page, but if the Bride and Groom like any idea then surely as it's their day then it's perfectly acceptable whatever you choose.
The pros and cons listed are simply those off the top of my head and I imagine that there are so many more to each and some will relate to certain people, and some won't.
1. A later ceremony with an evening party and finger buffet only.
pros : Can be held anywhere, inexpensive option, can choose foods that you love and can mix and match both main course items and add in many dessert items. This works really well if you are catering for yourself or if family members are doing this as a wedding present perhaps?
cons: Over catering or under catering if no RSVPs, any risks associated with party catering can all on you, suppliers and/or delivery issues, probably difficult to arrange hot food for the buffet.
2. A wedding breakfast in a restaurant where you would advise your guests in advance that meals will not be supplied but they are welcome to join and order for themselves. You could then just pay for your bridal party perhaps on a tab at the restaurant before going on to the 'party' with snacks, nibbles or even a small buffet in the evening.
pros: .Cheaper for you. You may (or may not) end up with more guests at your wedding breakfast than if you bought for everyone.
cons: a bit of a touchy subject. May seem rude to some and so being careful and judging who wouldn't mind this option would be quite a job. Three different places would be required. Could restrict those who really don't have the money to be able attend because of your choice.
3. You could always be different and hold your wedding breakfast before the ceremony with the bridal party and close family particularly if a later ceremony or a second (or more) wedding and go for a cheaper celebration for all your guests.
pros: Cheaper, More intimate, unusual and pretty rememberable. Nobody feels put out after the ceremony.
cons: See the groom before - not good for superstition.
4. You could marry in a registry office (perhaps on a Friday) with those closest to you and then celebrate with a more formal blessing and party later on or even on the following day. I personally know this has worked in the past, I was a bridesmaid at a wedding that did exactly this and after the registry office we decorated the reception venue, sorted the catering and got all ready for the following day, there was less stress on their actual wedding day and they then have a 2 day anniversary each year.
Pros: Cheaper, more people can attend, and it is a lot of fun with your bridal party helping to arrange and set up with a few drinks!
cons: No good if you're religious or just set on a religious ceremony as you may as well do it altogether.Not great if you want the traditional running order or need it all in one day. Getting a church and registry office dates running together or on the same day may also be tricky,especially during the summer or a weekend.
5. Keep it small and Intimate
Only invite your bridal party and very closest family and friends. Explain to anyone else you can't afford a big wedding so settled on an intimate do and maybe the following weekend invite your friends and family to join you for drinks and a meal in your local pub or restaurant and maybe say you'll pay for a round of drinks.
pros: Cheaper, less to sort and arrange, can splash out a bit more on food or drinks packages.
cons: Not many people, quiet when you may have imagined a huge party.
6. Invite everyone to the ceremony and then a smaller wedding breakfast followed by a party for everyone. 'Day guest' invites have the ceremony and then it would state that they are invited to a wedding breakfast with evening entertainment afterwards. The 'evening guests' to have an invitation with the ceremony and then a reception starting at (time.)
This, as I mentioned above, we are doing. Our guests that we have spoken to about it have agreed that its a good idea. So fingers crossed as it was a difficult decision.
pros: Cheaper on the wedding breakfast and drinks packages, cheaper on the evening buffet as most day guests will have eaten late afternoon anyway and evening guests may have already eaten before coming.
cons: Some people may feel put out. Some may not be able to attend the ceremony or the reception but only one of them due to any number of reasons, particularly if they wanted a babysitter rather than bringing their children.
7. Host your wedding on a weekday.
pros: Cheaper venue, cheaper reception and also suppliers will probably have weekday deals.Cheaper for immediate Honeymoon booking after the wedding. Flights midweek are cheaper than weekends (however this is no good for Friday weddings though)
cons: Your guests may have to take a day (or more depending on travel times etc) off of work and potentially might not be able to. Children may need to be taken out of school which isn't always possible- even if children are not invited this can still cause issues of finding suitable childcare before/after school etc, If its midweek people may be more inclined to leave early due to work, early starts or travelling the next day.
8. Elope!
Invite a few witnesses, get married and then sort the celebration out for a later date. This has been so tempting while planning - its unreal! If you really do not mind that your friends and family are not there for the ceremony then eloping is your cheapest course of action. Planning a party at a later date is always an option.
Pros: Cheap, less plannning involved, Ultimately a great option for those who don't have many people to share their big day or for those who don't care for massive family attention.
Cons: No friends or family at the ceremony, no tradition.Your family may be quite upset as will close friends.
9. Go abroad.
Getting married abroad is a lot of work, and the flights and accommodation is expensive- however if you combine those with your honeymoon, you can go midweek and you an return midweek afterwards. Then on return you can hold a big party to celebrate with your friends who couldn't make it.
Pros: Forces a smaller guest list because of the expense the guests would have to lay out. Get 2 celebrations.
Cons: Important people may be missing from your big day due to cost, passports, time required, medical conditions or even a fear of flying! Planning from another country can get difficult especially if there's a language barrier. The legalities for getting married abroad are more complicated and would need sorting as a matter of urgency.There could even be a problem with your own medical requirement, your own passports or flight delays and cancellations.
If you were invited to be a guest at a wedding and given the current financial climate, the constant need to 'keep up with the Joneses' and modern day celebrations plus the fact that the day should be about the Bride and Groom and their families uniting- would you be offended if you were asked to attend only half of the day?
I personally am honoured to get an invitation to any part of a persons special day and love sharing their happiness with them no matter how small a part I can be of it.
Happy Planning!! and remember to get your wedding insurance sorted if you haven't already! Little changes can lead to huge financial loss and can cause upset to your day x
xBBWx
We don't know who wrote in for the advice and we don't know the circumstances behind her decision.
But lets suppose for a moment that the following apply:
- Something had happened that ruined her budgeting
- She had already committed and paid a deposit to a venue with their cheapest possible food option and so couldn't go for a cheaper food option
- She couldn't cut corners elsewhere
- She couldn't source a cheaper deal on the package or options she chose
- and she didn't want to ask for help towards the cost from her family or guests.
I was simply shocked at the responses that were being posted. Some people told this person, a person they don't know - that she was being rude, had no manners and was selfish and should have chosen a cheaper food option accusing her of having no etiquette! . She was slated for even suggesting the option that she had decided on. These people then had the barefaced cheek to post links to other sites. I don't agree with their opinions and how they were addressing this poor girl and so I wasn't going to see what the links were to. I can only presume based on their comments that they were articles that would have content of no interest to me either . (I refused to click on these links to determine what they led to out of pure principle.)
One lady claimed that when planning a wedding you should choose who to feed and then what you can afford to feed them, and not choose what you want to eat and then see who you can afford to feed. Deep down I think most people do when initially planning their wedding but when finances change or other changes occur and you are stuck with your choice what do you do?.
Was her only option - the choice to invite everyone to the ceremony and only a few to celebrate after? It might well have been.
I really hope this bride has a beautiful day and takes the advice of just doing what she thinks is best. After all she knows her family, she knows her friends and if there's a perfectly good reason for her choosing that option then they would know that and I would hope would then understand. She only asked advice on how to word it in her invitations, not opinions on her choices.
Now, we have had to be quite ruthless on our wedding breakfast invites, however we have invited everyone to the ceremony and those who are of immediate family, a part of the bridal party and also family who are going to be travelling some many miles to attend are also being invited to join us for the wedding breakfast. This is a meal chosen by Mr F and myself for the simple fact that we wanted to cater for everyone's taste and appetites and be able to have our favourite meal. This is the most expensive part of our wedding.
Our other guests, family in the area that are not 'immediate family', and most of our friends have then been invited to attend the ceremony and to join us for an evening celebration with a small buffet and the chance to witness our first dance and the cutting of the cake, it was the best we could possibly do after our date was brought forward at such short notice.
So this got me thinking, what options are there for couples who have a large guest list but a budget that just does not stretch that far?
These options are not going to be suitable for everyone and potentially too late for the unwitting Bride to be who posted on the advice page, but if the Bride and Groom like any idea then surely as it's their day then it's perfectly acceptable whatever you choose.
The pros and cons listed are simply those off the top of my head and I imagine that there are so many more to each and some will relate to certain people, and some won't.
1. A later ceremony with an evening party and finger buffet only.
pros : Can be held anywhere, inexpensive option, can choose foods that you love and can mix and match both main course items and add in many dessert items. This works really well if you are catering for yourself or if family members are doing this as a wedding present perhaps?
cons: Over catering or under catering if no RSVPs, any risks associated with party catering can all on you, suppliers and/or delivery issues, probably difficult to arrange hot food for the buffet.
2. A wedding breakfast in a restaurant where you would advise your guests in advance that meals will not be supplied but they are welcome to join and order for themselves. You could then just pay for your bridal party perhaps on a tab at the restaurant before going on to the 'party' with snacks, nibbles or even a small buffet in the evening.
pros: .Cheaper for you. You may (or may not) end up with more guests at your wedding breakfast than if you bought for everyone.
cons: a bit of a touchy subject. May seem rude to some and so being careful and judging who wouldn't mind this option would be quite a job. Three different places would be required. Could restrict those who really don't have the money to be able attend because of your choice.
3. You could always be different and hold your wedding breakfast before the ceremony with the bridal party and close family particularly if a later ceremony or a second (or more) wedding and go for a cheaper celebration for all your guests.
pros: Cheaper, More intimate, unusual and pretty rememberable. Nobody feels put out after the ceremony.
cons: See the groom before - not good for superstition.
4. You could marry in a registry office (perhaps on a Friday) with those closest to you and then celebrate with a more formal blessing and party later on or even on the following day. I personally know this has worked in the past, I was a bridesmaid at a wedding that did exactly this and after the registry office we decorated the reception venue, sorted the catering and got all ready for the following day, there was less stress on their actual wedding day and they then have a 2 day anniversary each year.
Pros: Cheaper, more people can attend, and it is a lot of fun with your bridal party helping to arrange and set up with a few drinks!
cons: No good if you're religious or just set on a religious ceremony as you may as well do it altogether.Not great if you want the traditional running order or need it all in one day. Getting a church and registry office dates running together or on the same day may also be tricky,especially during the summer or a weekend.
5. Keep it small and Intimate
Only invite your bridal party and very closest family and friends. Explain to anyone else you can't afford a big wedding so settled on an intimate do and maybe the following weekend invite your friends and family to join you for drinks and a meal in your local pub or restaurant and maybe say you'll pay for a round of drinks.
pros: Cheaper, less to sort and arrange, can splash out a bit more on food or drinks packages.
cons: Not many people, quiet when you may have imagined a huge party.
6. Invite everyone to the ceremony and then a smaller wedding breakfast followed by a party for everyone. 'Day guest' invites have the ceremony and then it would state that they are invited to a wedding breakfast with evening entertainment afterwards. The 'evening guests' to have an invitation with the ceremony and then a reception starting at (time.)
This, as I mentioned above, we are doing. Our guests that we have spoken to about it have agreed that its a good idea. So fingers crossed as it was a difficult decision.
pros: Cheaper on the wedding breakfast and drinks packages, cheaper on the evening buffet as most day guests will have eaten late afternoon anyway and evening guests may have already eaten before coming.
cons: Some people may feel put out. Some may not be able to attend the ceremony or the reception but only one of them due to any number of reasons, particularly if they wanted a babysitter rather than bringing their children.
7. Host your wedding on a weekday.
pros: Cheaper venue, cheaper reception and also suppliers will probably have weekday deals.Cheaper for immediate Honeymoon booking after the wedding. Flights midweek are cheaper than weekends (however this is no good for Friday weddings though)
cons: Your guests may have to take a day (or more depending on travel times etc) off of work and potentially might not be able to. Children may need to be taken out of school which isn't always possible- even if children are not invited this can still cause issues of finding suitable childcare before/after school etc, If its midweek people may be more inclined to leave early due to work, early starts or travelling the next day.
8. Elope!
Invite a few witnesses, get married and then sort the celebration out for a later date. This has been so tempting while planning - its unreal! If you really do not mind that your friends and family are not there for the ceremony then eloping is your cheapest course of action. Planning a party at a later date is always an option.
Pros: Cheap, less plannning involved, Ultimately a great option for those who don't have many people to share their big day or for those who don't care for massive family attention.
Cons: No friends or family at the ceremony, no tradition.Your family may be quite upset as will close friends.
9. Go abroad.
Getting married abroad is a lot of work, and the flights and accommodation is expensive- however if you combine those with your honeymoon, you can go midweek and you an return midweek afterwards. Then on return you can hold a big party to celebrate with your friends who couldn't make it.
Pros: Forces a smaller guest list because of the expense the guests would have to lay out. Get 2 celebrations.
Cons: Important people may be missing from your big day due to cost, passports, time required, medical conditions or even a fear of flying! Planning from another country can get difficult especially if there's a language barrier. The legalities for getting married abroad are more complicated and would need sorting as a matter of urgency.There could even be a problem with your own medical requirement, your own passports or flight delays and cancellations.
If you were invited to be a guest at a wedding and given the current financial climate, the constant need to 'keep up with the Joneses' and modern day celebrations plus the fact that the day should be about the Bride and Groom and their families uniting- would you be offended if you were asked to attend only half of the day?
I personally am honoured to get an invitation to any part of a persons special day and love sharing their happiness with them no matter how small a part I can be of it.
Happy Planning!! and remember to get your wedding insurance sorted if you haven't already! Little changes can lead to huge financial loss and can cause upset to your day x
xBBWx
Saturday 30 November 2013
Hiring a suit - a great review!
You may have read that today Mr F was attempting to find his wedding suit and came across a load of hurdles and issues in doing so. After his appalling visit to a well known menswear store I gently reminded him that there was a small hire wear supplier nestled away in our town that he had been threatening to go look in for ages.
With this in mind he made the executive decision to take his groomsmen to the independent small hire wear store expecting them to be less than helpful too.
I took our little baby into the coffee shop practically next door to write my previous post about his bad experience, and the troop of guys trundled off to 'Domino Formal Hire wear' in Thame, Oxfordshire.
When they emerged nearly 45 minutes later Minus the heavy shoulders, angry eyes and disappointed pouts; my spirits lifted as much as theirs clearly had.
Unfortunately Mr F refuses to tell me what suits they decided on as he wants to surprise me (I visibly cringe at the loss of control) but he has said that they will be booking their suits from there without a shadow of a doubt.
Their prices appeared slightly more expensive by about £10 a full suit than the other place - however they seem to have come away with a much better deal for it, plus they will be measured in January and the suits will be delivered no later than a week before the wedding date to allow for any issues,PLUS, its on our doorstep. Mr F is particularly amazed that the salesman knew exactly what he needed and what would suit him. They are definitely specialists in formal Hire wear in my opinion! Mr F has even been talked into different SHOES!
The experience with them was so much more pleasant.
Mr F said that:
'They had a great range in with loads of different sizes''
''the salesman was very helpful and his product knowledge was impressive- he knew what would suit me better than I thought I did''
'' (unnamed store) was a larger store yet Domino (*Formal Hire wear) was small yet had something to try on of everything as they had a good range of sizes so even some didn't quite fit- it was good for trying on purposes which (unnamed store) didn't have''
The shop itself is small and hidden away, it is in fact part of 'Foregolf' a golfing shop but really is a Hidden Gem - they have perfect customer service and clearly a great range of products, so definitely worth a look.
Mr F is not the most patient of men not to mention really fussy and easily aggravated but he sure does know what he likes, he absolutely hates shopping and despises trying on clothes unless he really has to, but thanks to the Guys in Domino Formal Hire wear in Thame, he really enjoyed himself and didn't feel so uncomfortable today after all!
There is also a Domino Menswear in Witney for those of you who may be closer to there to try..
If you would like to view the range that Domino Formal Hire Wear in Thame or Witney offer please visit: http://www.dominohirewear.co.uk/index.asp They have an online 'outfit builder' too which is pretty cool to play around with and create your desired look.
I cant wait to see the suit he has chosen- with the aid of what can only be described as 'expert help' and also to review the final service he receives from Domino Formal Hire Wear, Thame.
xBBWx
With this in mind he made the executive decision to take his groomsmen to the independent small hire wear store expecting them to be less than helpful too.
I took our little baby into the coffee shop practically next door to write my previous post about his bad experience, and the troop of guys trundled off to 'Domino Formal Hire wear' in Thame, Oxfordshire.
When they emerged nearly 45 minutes later Minus the heavy shoulders, angry eyes and disappointed pouts; my spirits lifted as much as theirs clearly had.
Unfortunately Mr F refuses to tell me what suits they decided on as he wants to surprise me (I visibly cringe at the loss of control) but he has said that they will be booking their suits from there without a shadow of a doubt.
Their prices appeared slightly more expensive by about £10 a full suit than the other place - however they seem to have come away with a much better deal for it, plus they will be measured in January and the suits will be delivered no later than a week before the wedding date to allow for any issues,PLUS, its on our doorstep. Mr F is particularly amazed that the salesman knew exactly what he needed and what would suit him. They are definitely specialists in formal Hire wear in my opinion! Mr F has even been talked into different SHOES!
The experience with them was so much more pleasant.
Mr F said that:
'They had a great range in with loads of different sizes''
''the salesman was very helpful and his product knowledge was impressive- he knew what would suit me better than I thought I did''
'' (unnamed store) was a larger store yet Domino (*Formal Hire wear) was small yet had something to try on of everything as they had a good range of sizes so even some didn't quite fit- it was good for trying on purposes which (unnamed store) didn't have''
The shop itself is small and hidden away, it is in fact part of 'Foregolf' a golfing shop but really is a Hidden Gem - they have perfect customer service and clearly a great range of products, so definitely worth a look.
Mr F is not the most patient of men not to mention really fussy and easily aggravated but he sure does know what he likes, he absolutely hates shopping and despises trying on clothes unless he really has to, but thanks to the Guys in Domino Formal Hire wear in Thame, he really enjoyed himself and didn't feel so uncomfortable today after all!
There is also a Domino Menswear in Witney for those of you who may be closer to there to try..
If you would like to view the range that Domino Formal Hire Wear in Thame or Witney offer please visit: http://www.dominohirewear.co.uk/index.asp They have an online 'outfit builder' too which is pretty cool to play around with and create your desired look.
I cant wait to see the suit he has chosen- with the aid of what can only be described as 'expert help' and also to review the final service he receives from Domino Formal Hire Wear, Thame.
xBBWx
Hiring suits - the palava of a large chain and no personal customer service
Hiring suits should be pretty straight forward. You find a supplier who has the type of suit you have in mind in the right colour with the accessories (tie,cravat,square,waist coat,shirts) in a variety of sizes, styles and fits plus the same in other styles that are options to you .You can make an appointment with the supplier or their affiliate, then attend your appointment and try on the different varieties one would expect from a suit hiring service.
Today Mr F attended his appointment with a company that I had personally colour matched 'the red' with them previously.
He arranged with his two best men, plus my brother and his father to come along. One of his best men had to travel a fair way for the weekend.
Shocked is a word that describes their experience perfectly.
Hiring suits should be pretty straight forward. You find a supplier who has the type of suit you have in mind in the right colour with the accessories (tie,cravat,square,waist coat,shirts) in a variety of sizes, styles and fits plus the same in other styles that are options to you .You can make an appointment with the supplier or their affiliate, then attend your appointment and try on the different varieties one would expect from a suit hiring service.
Today Mr F attended his appointment with a company that I had personally colour matched 'the red' with them previously.
He arranged with his two best men, plus my brother and his father to come along. One of his best men had to travel a fair way for the weekend.
Shocked is a word that describes their experience perfectly.
They went to a well known reputable suit hire company who I would have thought 'specialise' in formal wear.
On arrival They had only a very small selection of suits available to try and absolutely none that were even close to the size of Mr F or Mr F senior.
They had no shirts in the style that they wanted and only one waistcoat in a similar colouring. And were not able to even try on any trousers to check the fit, length and feel of those. Trying on oddly fitting jackets wrong shirt styles and wrong waistcoats with their jeans... Not exactly what they or I was expecting!
A total waste of time!
When Mr F asked why this was They were then told that the store would get the sizes in once they were measured and would only be measured once they had put their deposits down to secure a booking. The items would then arrive just 3 days before the hire date to try on. MrF was not pleased! He was not content in trying on his wedding outfit only days before the big event. He was concerned it would not fit correctly or would not suit them all after all and would need to amend his order or even need to use a different company if they couldn't 'suit' his needs. He was concerned that he would need to send these suits back and forth in the space of only a couple of days until they found the correct combination. He couldn't understand how such a large company would have so little in to try especially when the appointment was booked in.
I suggested perhaps he go to a larger store within the same chain where they are bound to have more in or perhaps take a day off work in the week to try on some suits. (My thought was their current stock was out on hire) but Mr F argued that he shouldn't have to! And he is very right in that! Why offer a Trying on appointment with a view to ordering hire wear with no items available to try?
I write this in a coffee shop next to an independent suit hire store that they are all currently in. I'm hoping the service they receive there is much better than the service they received this morning at a chain hire firm.
My advice to bride and groom to be ;
- ask how their hire services function before taking time out to attend appointments with them.
- ask what timescale you can expect your hired items to arrive in and how long alterations to your order can take.
- when booking an appointment tell the hire company the items you would like to try in the possible colours and the approximate sizes your gents are and explain that you want to see the exact look.
I would never have thought that one would have to find out such things or explain specifics when trying on hire wear, why would it be such a problem?
Bridal boutiques have their full range with accessories and can show you how the dresses would look on you even when not in your size. I personally would expect that with men's formal wear too.
Do check out my next post on the hire wear company Mr F and his groomsmen are finally happy with!
And remember - suit hire may go wrong! Get insurance :-)
xBBWx
Today Mr F attended his appointment with a company that I had personally colour matched 'the red' with them previously.
He arranged with his two best men, plus my brother and his father to come along. One of his best men had to travel a fair way for the weekend.
Shocked is a word that describes their experience perfectly.
Hiring suits should be pretty straight forward. You find a supplier who has the type of suit you have in mind in the right colour with the accessories (tie,cravat,square,waist coat,shirts) in a variety of sizes, styles and fits plus the same in other styles that are options to you .You can make an appointment with the supplier or their affiliate, then attend your appointment and try on the different varieties one would expect from a suit hiring service.
Today Mr F attended his appointment with a company that I had personally colour matched 'the red' with them previously.
He arranged with his two best men, plus my brother and his father to come along. One of his best men had to travel a fair way for the weekend.
Shocked is a word that describes their experience perfectly.
They went to a well known reputable suit hire company who I would have thought 'specialise' in formal wear.
On arrival They had only a very small selection of suits available to try and absolutely none that were even close to the size of Mr F or Mr F senior.
They had no shirts in the style that they wanted and only one waistcoat in a similar colouring. And were not able to even try on any trousers to check the fit, length and feel of those. Trying on oddly fitting jackets wrong shirt styles and wrong waistcoats with their jeans... Not exactly what they or I was expecting!
A total waste of time!
When Mr F asked why this was They were then told that the store would get the sizes in once they were measured and would only be measured once they had put their deposits down to secure a booking. The items would then arrive just 3 days before the hire date to try on. MrF was not pleased! He was not content in trying on his wedding outfit only days before the big event. He was concerned it would not fit correctly or would not suit them all after all and would need to amend his order or even need to use a different company if they couldn't 'suit' his needs. He was concerned that he would need to send these suits back and forth in the space of only a couple of days until they found the correct combination. He couldn't understand how such a large company would have so little in to try especially when the appointment was booked in.
I suggested perhaps he go to a larger store within the same chain where they are bound to have more in or perhaps take a day off work in the week to try on some suits. (My thought was their current stock was out on hire) but Mr F argued that he shouldn't have to! And he is very right in that! Why offer a Trying on appointment with a view to ordering hire wear with no items available to try?
I write this in a coffee shop next to an independent suit hire store that they are all currently in. I'm hoping the service they receive there is much better than the service they received this morning at a chain hire firm.
My advice to bride and groom to be ;
- ask how their hire services function before taking time out to attend appointments with them.
- ask what timescale you can expect your hired items to arrive in and how long alterations to your order can take.
- when booking an appointment tell the hire company the items you would like to try in the possible colours and the approximate sizes your gents are and explain that you want to see the exact look.
I would never have thought that one would have to find out such things or explain specifics when trying on hire wear, why would it be such a problem?
Bridal boutiques have their full range with accessories and can show you how the dresses would look on you even when not in your size. I personally would expect that with men's formal wear too.
Do check out my next post on the hire wear company Mr F and his groomsmen are finally happy with!
And remember - suit hire may go wrong! Get insurance :-)
xBBWx
Suits and whether to hire or buy
While it might be thought that buying a decent suit is more value for money especially if you're going for a classic style rather than tails for instance, just so you can get more wear for your money. But is that really the case?
Mr F was contemplating this question for some months now and weighed up the advantages and disadvantages to both.
If you're of a typical size and height buying a cheap standard suit from somewhere or a good quality second hand job from EBay may be a great option especially if your weight or size remains consistent. However Mr F has a broad chest and often fluctuates between trouser sizes and so he figured that hiring a classic suit for a cost of buying one would be just as good as buying one for the very fact that while it's possible he may be able to wear his suit again for the next occasion that comes along but there's always the possibility that he won't as he may have changed size or shape again and will have the same option of buying or hiring the next time he needs one.
Hiring comes with perks too,
Dry cleaning - done for you
Rips, stains or tears - insurance covers you
Ironing - shouldn't be too much required if any
No storage or space issues
Hire again next time you want a suit for the same all over again - even if you gain or lose weight
Matching suits, colours and accessories -spot on
I'd recommend hiring a suit over buying one definitely!
- how often would you wear your suit after all?
xBBWx
Mr F was contemplating this question for some months now and weighed up the advantages and disadvantages to both.
If you're of a typical size and height buying a cheap standard suit from somewhere or a good quality second hand job from EBay may be a great option especially if your weight or size remains consistent. However Mr F has a broad chest and often fluctuates between trouser sizes and so he figured that hiring a classic suit for a cost of buying one would be just as good as buying one for the very fact that while it's possible he may be able to wear his suit again for the next occasion that comes along but there's always the possibility that he won't as he may have changed size or shape again and will have the same option of buying or hiring the next time he needs one.
Hiring comes with perks too,
Dry cleaning - done for you
Rips, stains or tears - insurance covers you
Ironing - shouldn't be too much required if any
No storage or space issues
Hire again next time you want a suit for the same all over again - even if you gain or lose weight
Matching suits, colours and accessories -spot on
I'd recommend hiring a suit over buying one definitely!
- how often would you wear your suit after all?
xBBWx
Thursday 28 November 2013
Boudoir photo shoots .... Pricey? Art? Beautiful?
I'm still wondering what to get Mr F for the morning of the wedding.
We wanted to write our own vows, however having our wedding in a church has meant that our vows are restricted. This is not a problem a promise to each other is the same no matter how the words are written.
Our vows we wrote are now going to be written in letter form, I am giving his to his best men to give to him in the morning but I'd also love to give him a special something else just for him.
Many brides to be are considering boudoir photo shoots. This sounds a lovely idea for those ladies who don't have mummy tummys, stretch marks and grey hairs! I don't think I could bare all in the harshness of a camera that doesn't lie!
Airbrushing, dyes and coverup makeup, good lighting and showing off the good bits are all very well but if I'm marrying the love of my life who claims to love me no matter how terrible I look in the mornings would this not be a lie before we are even married! Or would it just be a way to say - look at me! I can look just as beautiful and perfect as any of those women in magazines but this one - this one you get to keep!
On that thought I would definitely want one!
But how much is a Boudoir shoot?
A quick google search returned lots of results and the best deal I could see was here;
Www.redbowboudoir.com
A company based in Canterbury, Kent.
£195 for makeover with hair style, 1 hour shoot including up to 2 outfit changes, 2 fully edited images on disc. You can also upgrade to a £250 package to have all your photos taken on the day edited and put on disc.
They have great testimonials on their site, a professional website, lovely easy layout to navigate round and have apparently appeared in a daily newspaper. Also worth a look is their before and after gallery! Some gorgeous work!
Unfortunately being at the very end of my personal wedding budget- this is now out of my price range but the deal this company are offering is very good for what it is - compared to other prices I found on the internet. My first port of call for an anniversary gift instead!
If you are looking for a boudoir shoot, my recommended go to which is based on price, testimonials, website and the photos shown on their site is most definitely "red bow boudoir"
Once I get the chance to try them - Ill let you know about the full experience too :-)
xBBWx
We wanted to write our own vows, however having our wedding in a church has meant that our vows are restricted. This is not a problem a promise to each other is the same no matter how the words are written.
Our vows we wrote are now going to be written in letter form, I am giving his to his best men to give to him in the morning but I'd also love to give him a special something else just for him.
Many brides to be are considering boudoir photo shoots. This sounds a lovely idea for those ladies who don't have mummy tummys, stretch marks and grey hairs! I don't think I could bare all in the harshness of a camera that doesn't lie!
Airbrushing, dyes and coverup makeup, good lighting and showing off the good bits are all very well but if I'm marrying the love of my life who claims to love me no matter how terrible I look in the mornings would this not be a lie before we are even married! Or would it just be a way to say - look at me! I can look just as beautiful and perfect as any of those women in magazines but this one - this one you get to keep!
On that thought I would definitely want one!
But how much is a Boudoir shoot?
A quick google search returned lots of results and the best deal I could see was here;
Www.redbowboudoir.com
A company based in Canterbury, Kent.
£195 for makeover with hair style, 1 hour shoot including up to 2 outfit changes, 2 fully edited images on disc. You can also upgrade to a £250 package to have all your photos taken on the day edited and put on disc.
They have great testimonials on their site, a professional website, lovely easy layout to navigate round and have apparently appeared in a daily newspaper. Also worth a look is their before and after gallery! Some gorgeous work!
Unfortunately being at the very end of my personal wedding budget- this is now out of my price range but the deal this company are offering is very good for what it is - compared to other prices I found on the internet. My first port of call for an anniversary gift instead!
If you are looking for a boudoir shoot, my recommended go to which is based on price, testimonials, website and the photos shown on their site is most definitely "red bow boudoir"
Once I get the chance to try them - Ill let you know about the full experience too :-)
xBBWx
Wednesday 27 November 2013
Why the stress? It'll never be stressful for me - she said....
So after I started planning my own wedding and refusing to believe how stressful everyone says it can be ..... I definitely concede!
The biggest stresses we have faced are:
The biggest stresses we have faced are:
- Finances in general
- Guest list decisions (because of finances)
- Dress shopping and finding 'the one' and then finding out the cost (upfront, deposits, and final payments!)
- Working out costs based on numbers, mileage, quantities, VAT, corkage!
- In our case our church needing to change our date after we'd booked everything else (so the exasperation of not having wedding insurance and luckily for us were able to transfer)
- Wanting the best, visiting stores and boutiques, attending wedding fayres and liking things (until you find out the cost )
- Hen and stag (delegating relieves stress temporarily )
- Colour matching - I officially give up trying to match the right red and am now embracing a variety of reds!
Mr F and I quickly cottoned on that because we didn't have a huge wedding fund ready and waiting we would need to save a lot in 2 years! We decided after looking at magazines and their ideas of average budgets for nuptials ranging from £15,000 to £30000 that we just didn't and don't have that kind of money and so set ourselves a modest budget of £5000. However the more things started to add up (and we haven't finished) the more over budget we were getting. Everything we adored was way out of budget! Anything we wanted was almost an impossibility.
I will show all our savings in a later post once our wedding planning madness is over. I don't know if we will have stuck to budget and I highly doubt we have. But I am looking forward to seeing how much our wedding would have cost vs how much it did!
Saving was a nightmare! We saved up £1500 in 6 months and were on track. ..... and then things go wrong - unexpected bills, a month of unemployment from a delay when switching employers, plus many other unmentionables that cost us our little nest egg. And we couldn't catch up!
Then our church bombshell meant that our goalposts were moving even further! We then lost 3 months of planning and 3 months of saving as well!
Luckily we have families willing and able to help us out when the going gets tough and the bride and groom go broke!!
The stress of wedding planning really is unbelievable when it's your own. You don't always know what you want and you don't know what you don't want until you see it. There's so much choice nowadays for weddings that you really are spoilt for choice - if you've got the budget! But take your ideas and change them to fit your budget where possible and do it sooner rather than later Don't rely on saving start by seeing how you can get something cheaper and plan to do so!
Have fun !
xBBWx
P.s- wedding insurance is a great idea! It's not just in case the groom doesn't show .... It's in case your suppliers let you down! Always get wedding insurance :-)
Tuesday 26 November 2013
Suppliers or sites offering subscriber discounts or low cost option
Suppliers and websites list :
This page is updated constantly and is currently under construction.
• freecycle weddings - check for this group on Facebook for raffles of amazing things over the UK - only postage is required if you are drawn or chosen at random! Bargains here !
•
Suppliers who are offering discounts to BBW subscribers and low cost options of services or products may be listed here.
If you would like to add your website link with a short description of your service - for free - please send me an email at -
beautifulbudgetweddings@live.co.uk
with the description, price ranges or offers and link for approval and copy of our terms for advertising.
This page is updated constantly and is currently under construction.
• freecycle weddings - check for this group on Facebook for raffles of amazing things over the UK - only postage is required if you are drawn or chosen at random! Bargains here !
•
Suppliers who are offering discounts to BBW subscribers and low cost options of services or products may be listed here.
If you would like to add your website link with a short description of your service - for free - please send me an email at -
beautifulbudgetweddings@live.co.uk
with the description, price ranges or offers and link for approval and copy of our terms for advertising.
To throw or not to throw - an engagement party!
Pros and cons of :
Throwing an engagement party.
Pros
- keeps you busy planning this first, rather than rushing in making decisions.
- those who make the effort to respond to an invite either way or even attend can shape your guest list especially great if you're keeping the wedding itself low key.
- it's a great way to tell everyone and a fun way to celebrate and appreciate your engagement
Cons
- the expense! If you're on a tight budget try settling for a drink down the local to celebrate with family and friends
- leave it too long after you've already excitedly told everybody and you may find that the excitement may have dwindled by the time your party comes round.
- the stress may just be enough to put you off the important planning for a while! And may have a negative effect on your beautiful day!
Questions to think about - how important is an engagement party to you both? Do you have the funds to accommodate a party? Are your guests travelling far? And if so is it reasonable to ask them to travel twice? Also how long is your engagement going to be?
If you really really want one then you should definitely have one, but if you're not fussed either way then do what we did and put the money into the wedding itself.
Most importantly Have fun planning and keep in budget!
xBBWx
Throwing an engagement party.
Pros
- keeps you busy planning this first, rather than rushing in making decisions.
- those who make the effort to respond to an invite either way or even attend can shape your guest list especially great if you're keeping the wedding itself low key.
- it's a great way to tell everyone and a fun way to celebrate and appreciate your engagement
Cons
- the expense! If you're on a tight budget try settling for a drink down the local to celebrate with family and friends
- leave it too long after you've already excitedly told everybody and you may find that the excitement may have dwindled by the time your party comes round.
- the stress may just be enough to put you off the important planning for a while! And may have a negative effect on your beautiful day!
Questions to think about - how important is an engagement party to you both? Do you have the funds to accommodate a party? Are your guests travelling far? And if so is it reasonable to ask them to travel twice? Also how long is your engagement going to be?
If you really really want one then you should definitely have one, but if you're not fussed either way then do what we did and put the money into the wedding itself.
Most importantly Have fun planning and keep in budget!
xBBWx
ASK MRS F - Your honest, open and online MOH! ...
If you have a question about weddings, budgets, or just want to ask someone else opinion You can ask me. I will give you the best answer that I can find or my honest opinion based on what you give me.
Leave me a comment or email :
beautifulbudgetweddings@live.co.uk
I will aim to answer as many wedding related comments as possible
and I wish to extend you a hearty Congratulations on your impending nuptials.
xBBWx
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