Venue Question and Tight Budget
by Sally
(Birmingham, England)
I have only recently got engaged to my lovely fella! It's fantastic, but the cost is incredibly daunting! We're in quite a lot of debt already so we have come to the conclusion that we would like to spend £4000 at the most.
My fella doesn't want a registry office or function room type thing so we have been looking around at stately mansions and gardens. These venues are far too costly for our 60 person guest list. I'm having trouble coming up with other ideas, so I was wondering if you knew of any cheap venues in the Birmingham area that would fit in with my fella's ideas of grandeur?
Another problem I am having is my bridesmaids' dresses. I am having two bridesmaids and both of them are a size 24. I also feel that getting a cost effective dress for myself will be a problem as I am also a size 24. Do you know of any stores that offer decently priced wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses? I am getting married hopefully in November 2009 so all help appreciated!
Thank you!
Answer:
With your total budget being £4,000, I'd say that your reception costs are going to be about 50% of this, so you've got £2,000 to spend on your guests. With 60 guests, this works out at £33 per head for all your food and drink. With most fancy 'wedding' venues charging at that for just the three course meal, you're going to struggle to find a venue that fits with your fella's idea of grandeur.
What you could try though is a nice gastro pub or restaurant and hire a room or the whole place out for the evening. I'm not familiar with the Birmingham area, but I'm sure you could find somewhere that meets your needs and sense of style.
Another alternative would be to look on your local council websites and see what venues they have for hire. Large cities often have lovely old buildings which you can hire out (town halls, arts centres, conference centres) and some of them will provide catering too. The architecture of these buildings will fit with the stately home look, you've just got to get your fiancé thinking past the fact they're not the traditional wedding venue.
With your budget as well, you're going to have to be inventive about the refreshments you serve. You may want to consider providing a set amount of wine for the meal and toast, and then offering a bar to your guests. Alcohol is expensive and with the amount you have to spend, getting your guests to pay for their own drinks will stretch your budget further.
You'll also need to think carefully about the food. Don't be afraid to ask your caterers about working within your budget, or consider doing your own food. Think about what you need and keep an open mind as to how you can achieve what you need within your budget. There are some great ideas in the wedding catering section.
With your dress dilemma, there are certainly plenty of stockists of plus size wedding dresses that aren't too expensive. With larger sizes, unfortunately the choice decreases, but all it is not lost. There are a couple of good online retailers who have a large range of plus size dresses for both brides and bridesmaids. The first is
www.bigbeautifulbrides.co.uk who offer all sorts of advice and tips for plus size brides as well as forum. The second is www.plussizebridal.co.uk who offer dresses, but unfortunately neither websites give pricing.
If you're feeling adventurous and you've got time, then why not try eBay or a second hand wedding dress website? Many eBay sellers will make up a dress to your specific sizing, just make sure you get measured professionally and check their feedback. With second hand dresses, you'll also find plenty of cheap options. Dress websites such as www.sharethedream.net and www.sellmyweddingdress.co.uk have a good range of bridal dresses and some bridesmaids dresses too.
Hopefully that will give you some food for thought. Best of luck with your search!
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