Wow your guests for less
Even small amounts can make a big difference to your day - find out how to transform your wedding for £500 and under…
Whether you're at the end of your planning or at the very beginning, it's vital to make every penny work as hard as it can when it comes to your wedding budget. This month, we've been looking at some of the brilliant things you can get with just £200-£500, which could upgrade your wedding from good to great! One of the biggest differences your money will make is to pay for something that all your guests can enjoy - something they will all remember and be talking about for months to come. It's these things that will transform your day into a truly memorable event!
Outfits with wow factor!
If you've got a spare £200-500 in your budget, it's always worth asking yourself whether your outfit is absolutely perfect. "Adding a little finishing touch like a brooch or bolero means you can change your look from day to night without spending a fortune on another dress," says Rachel Moschke, editor of Wedding Ideas.
Don't forget about outfits for other members of the bridal party, including your husband-to-be and your bridesmaids. Perhaps he could hire a more stylish suit or you could buy your girls extra special accessories as gifts. It doesn't take much money to buy a few special bits and pieces that will make them look even more beautiful in your photos. Similarly, spending £200 on a few key, quality make-up purchases or on a professional make-up artist and hairdresser could make a big difference, not only to how you look but your confidence too!
With a professional taking care of everything, you won't have to stress about shaky eyeliner or a bad hair day!
Eat, drink and be merry!
Many venues will ask you to have your menu and drinks finalised long before the big day, but there's still a lot you can do with a spare £200-500 at the last minute. Serving canapés with the wedding drinks is one option, especially if you're worried that guests might get hungry waiting for the wedding breakfast. Or serve extra food during the evening celebrations, when guests might get peckish. There are plenty of other ways to make your choice of food more entertaining. Singing waiters are always a fun surprise, or if you're
"Have an ice cream stand - at £200, it's a fun and fabulous alternative to canapés…"
having a summer wedding, Lucy Elliott from The Chief Bridesmaid says: "Have an ice cream stand - at £200, it's a fun and fab alternative to pre-wedding breakfast canapés." Or how about some retro sweets? Place them in glass bowls and use them to add extra decoration as well as an after-dinner treat.
You can also make drinks into a talking point for guests, says Beverly Pearce from Bride and Beautiful: "Provide your guests with a choice of cordial. Not everyone will want Champagne so set up a table with glasses, jugs of water and oldfashioned cordials like Dandelion and Burdock, fruit and barley, and even cloudy lemonade. The only cost is the cordial!" This low-cost option leaves you enough money spare to decorate the table really well and turn it into a wonderful feature of the reception room. This sort of feature combines drink, entertainment and decoration all in one; and a vodka luge is another option, says Lucy Elliott: "Create a fabulous focal point for the big day with an ice sculpture that could have a chute in it to double up as a vodka luge - lots of fun for around £200!"
Dreamy decor
When you walk into your reception room for the first time, you'll want it to be magical - an extra £200-500 can help guarantee that you and your guests will be blown away by it. Award-winning planner Julie Tooby from Essentially-You says: "I always recommend chair covers! For the cost, the transformation is amazing and they can bring a colour theme together."
Wedding expert and author, Tamryn Kirby adds: "Consider hiring coloured table linen (tablecloths and napkins) - it makes a dinner look eye-catching and truly special." As day turns into night, make the mood and the décor more relaxed with subtle lighting.
Candles are ideal for creating a romantic atmosphere that feels decadent without costing much and fragranced candles can help refresh the mood. We like the fragrant and eco-friendly Paddywax candles, which come beautifully presented. Always check that your venue will allow naked flames inside the building - if not, Tamryn Kirby suggests: "How about having 100 one-metre tall lanterns gently rising into the sky? Watch the video at Jacksta Sky Lanterns to get an idea of how it looks - they're just £162, so it's a low-cost way to get the wow factor for your day.
" If you're holding your wedding in a marquee, there are lots of other low-cost decorating options. "At my friend's wedding, she scattered scented lavender seeds at the entrance to her marquee, which were then walked on throughout the day, creating a beautiful fragrance," says Editor Rachel Moschke.
Brilliant blooms
For many brides, flowers are the ultimate wedding decoration, and £200-500 will go a pretty long way.
"My friend scattered lavender seeds at the marquee entrance, creating a beautiful fragrance"
Pew ends will make a big difference to the ceremony and you can transfer them to the reception and enjoy them all day. Scattered rose petals on tables will also add a sophisticated ambience. Alternatively, Beverly Pearce says: "Provide buttonholes for all your guests, from simple carnations. People will really feel like part of your day and your photos will look great! At approx 75p per stem, for 100 guests that £75!
" If you've already order flowers and are looking for something more unusual, Beverly Pearce suggests: "One of my clients had a marquee in their parents' garden. A few months before, they planted bulbs in the shape of the word 'LOVE', with evergreen plants all around. On the day of their wedding, the bulbs had bloomed and 'LOVE' was spelled out in blue hyacinths. This cost about £200 for the plants."
For a floral gesture that will help unite your families, how about this, also from Beverly Pearce: "Ask the florist to make a bouquet for the bride that easily divides into three small pieces as a surprise. As you arrive at the end of the aisle, detach one and hand to your father to give to your mother as he takes his seat. At the end of the ceremony, as you walk out, detach the second small arrangement and hand to your new mother-in-law with a kiss, then carry on up the aisle as a Mrs!"
Musical treats
For £200-500, you can hire talented musicians to entertain you and set the mood for your celebrations. At the ceremony, drinks and the meal, a string quartet will sound so sophisticated. Or Claire Wilkinson at Every Detail says: "Look around for an excellent vocalist - it makes such a difference having someone sing as you enter the church and it's great for your guests while you are signing the register.
Alternatively, ask your guests if they know any singers - you could get one for even less." Later on, a live band will give your evening celebrations a real party feel, and Julie Tooby suggests: "If you are having a live band then it costs nothing to ask them to play a song that means something to the couple - a romantic gesture that will last a lifetime."
For something more exotic, Lucy Elliott says: "We hired a steel band for £500 and all our guests were on the dance floor." If your day is more informal and if guests are up for it, karaoke will also give you some fantastic memories!
For a musical idea that costs nothing but will mean a lot to your guests, include something on your invitations asking guests to RSVP with song suggestions - playing them on the day will ensure you get the musical tone right and that everyone hears something they like.
Evening entertainment
This is the biggest area where your money will make a noticeable difference to the day. Everyone will remember the fab toastmaster, salsa dancers or casino that made your celebrations so much fun. Claire Wilkinson suggests: "If you are concerned about your guests not mingling, hire a magician, human statue or caricaturist to get people talking. Book them for when guests are due to arrive at the reception venue, to work the crowd as they arrive, when people are quite shy - later on, the atmosphere and alcohol will take over!" Tamryn Kirby says: "I love Charles Burns, the fab silhouette Roving Artist - all the guests can take home an amazing silhouette cutting of themselves, so Charles is entertainment and favours all rolled into one! He's really popular at weddings - guests love to watch and they love their silhouettes."
Keeping children out of mischief is also worth spending money on! A créche or activity boxes during the meal will keep children occupied and make a big difference to their parents' enjoyment of the meal and your enjoyment of the speeches! Similarly, in the evening, guests may appreciate a quiet area that's separate from the party, to relax or talk. Tamryn Kirby says: "If you've got a marquee, for £200 you could easily create a fabulously funky chillout area with bean-bags, low tables (think Ikea!) and candles - it's much more comfortable than sitting on dining chairs all night!"
For something more unusual, our planners have plenty of other ideas. Lucy Elliott says: "For £200, how about a bucking bronco? Enormously entertaining and they produce some great photos!" Or Tamryn Kirby suggests: "Surprise your guests and learn about Sabrage - the skill of opening a bottle of Champagne with a sword! Find out more at La Confrérie du Sabre d'Or."
Alternatively, Claire Wilkinson says: "Do a raffle or quiz, spend £200 or so on prizes, or maybe give some of the money to charity. Do the raffle or quiz just after the speeches and tie it in with the theme of the wedding."
When the day ends, it's always good to go out with a bang, but that doesn't always mean fireworks. Julie Tooby says: "For my brides who would like fireworks (which can be very expensive for just a few minutes), I advise them instead to light a pathway of paper lanterns leading the way out, or to give guests sparklers and ask them to make a line to see off the couple."
Lasting memories
At the end of the big day, all you will have to remember those special moments will be your photographs. For many brides, it's worth spending a bit more to get your wedding photographer to stay all day, from morning into the night so he can capture everything, especially those more relaxed moments at the evening party
Another way to capture memories, and entertain guests, is to hire a photo booth. For £500, you can hire a booth for three hours from Party Prints Photobooths - images will be printed almost instantly for guests to take away as a memento, the bride and groom get a CD/DVD of all the pictures, which also go up on a password protected web gallery.
Alternatively, Beverley Pearce suggests: "Buy a Polaroid camera and lots of film! Ask guests to take their photo and write a message on the back for you to keep as an alternative to a guestbook."
For £200-500, you could also book a videographer, who will be able to capture even more of the big day, in more life-like moving images which you can then relive again and again. After all the money you've spent creating those special moments, you'll want to remember them in glorious technicolour forever!