Wedding preparations

GD is getting married in less than three weeks.
It's a very exciting time for us all; her and her lovely fiancé especially.


I thought I'd share with you how we have managed to make her special day as brilliant and as financially manageable and frugal as possible.


Firstly, when she walks down the aisle, it will all have been paid for.


Although it's been a couple of years since I wrote my last blog about frugal living, we still live the same way, and the wedding didn't sway us.  The budget *we could manage was worked out and has been stuck to.  GD is as frugal as we are, as you'll read.


*(Her birth father decided he didn't wish to take part or contribute financially, which actually made it less complicated.)


GD herself scrimped and saved and bought her dress.
It's stunning.
(And I promise a picture after the event.)


I've made attendants outfits and adjusted other cheaply-bought items to fit people beautifully.


The bride and groom have made: confetti from old sheet music; table decorations from jars, sand and stones; miles of bunting; their own orders of service.


We negotiated a hefty discount from the reception venue for paying up front.
Other services' prices were negotiated face-to-face.


We've used friends, and friends-of-friends, as much as possible.
Bride and Groom have said "No" to additional things that they feel are unnecessary (additional room drapes?) and have made as many things themselves as they can (thank you gifts, for example).


Some items have been added in after careful consideration.
Like today.


Bridal make-up.






They've saved hundreds by using a friend who is a photographer- the photos are a wedding present.
But looking stunning for said photos? (Well, I think she looks beautiful every day, but for her wedding album...)
So a try-out today and Oh My Goodness....I was close to tears, folks.


Now then, my outfit I had my eye on for months.
As regular readers know I don't buy new clothes.
But this is the wedding of my only child, and I wanted to wear something, well, very smart.


So I looked around online and found The Outfit.
Then I sat and waited.
And waited.
And finally, six months after I first saw it, my outfit was reduced in a sale!


So I bought it from my PayPal pennies.


And it's gorgeous.




With just a few days left now, I'm spending my evenings finishing off a wedding quilt for the newly weds.


I'll share the making in a future post if you're interested?



 Have you had a huge event to pay for/save up for?
How did you do it so you didn't break the bank?

What would you do differently next time?