Any advice on affordable weddings in the U.K.?

 Hello lovely forum friends!

Does anyone have any advice or suggestions on how to do a U.K. wedding on a budget?
It seems getting married here, is kind of pricey, and my hubby to be and I, would like to have a simple yet lovely, small ceremony.
We'd like to save our money for more practical matters like starting our lives together!
I heard it's cheaper to marry in the Anglican Church, I know in the U.S. we could do the good old-fashioned Justice of the Peace wedding, but we really want to marry in the U.K.
I've always wanted an outdoor ceremony at a garden or park, but a church would be just fine, the important thing is that we become man and wife! ❤
Any advice or suggestions on this matter, are highly appreciated!
We plan to marry in the Southwest near Bristol, if that helps. ☺

Thank you! xx

Hello lovely forum friends!

Does anyone have any advice or suggestions on how to do a U.K. wedding on a budget?
It seems getting married here, is kind of pricey, and my hubby to be and I, would like to have a simple yet lovely, small ceremony.
We'd like to save our money for more practical matters like starting our lives together!
I heard it's cheaper to marry in the Anglican Church, I know in the U.S. we could do the good old-fashioned Justice of the Peace wedding, but we really want to marry in the U.K.
I've always wanted an outdoor ceremony at a garden or park, but a church would be just fine, the important thing is that we become man and wife! ❤
Any advice or suggestions on this matter, are highly appreciated!
We plan to marry in the Southwest near Bristol, if that helps. ☺

Thank you! xx

If you're not religious, you could have a humanist wedding. Very much like a non-denominational wedding in the states. I had one and a good 50% of the weddings I've been to have been humanist.

The U.K. is really weird about weddings and you have to get married in a licensed room - so no outdoor weddings.

Groupon often has wedding packages.

I think the thing that kills me is how early they are booked.  I have two friends who got engaged this year and both have scheduled their weddings for 2018!

We got married in NYC City Hall for $25.  Got awesome rings and had a kick ass honeymoon.  Worked for us!

The U.K. is really weird about weddings and you have to get married in a licensed room - so no outdoor weddings.

Groupon often has wedding packages.

I think the thing that kills me is how early they are booked.  I have two friends who got engaged this year and both have scheduled their weddings for 2018!

We got married in NYC City Hall for $25.  Got awesome rings and had a kick ass honeymoon.  Worked for us!

Humanist weddings can be anywhere, even outside!

Does that mean it's a blessing and your legal bit is at the registry office?

My apologies - I forgot that it's a bit different in England. In Scotland, humanist weddings are legal ceremonies, and as I said, they can be held anywhere, much like in the states. But yes, in England it is different - you still have to do the registry office.

It's really starting to seem as if a U.S. wedding might be more practical..hehe..
Still, an outdoor wedding in the U.K. would be dreamy if possible...neither of us are religious, but can we do the Humanist thing in the U.K.?
I keep hearing about strict rules..i also don't want to have to wait, especially before my fiancee visa expires!
😣Argh...
Any more advice, my lovlies?
😃💓

Hmmm...maybe Scotland then...😏

My apologies - I forgot that it's a bit different in England. In Scotland, humanist weddings are legal ceremonies, and as I said, they can be held anywhere, much like in the states. But yes, in England it is different - you still have to do the registry office.

You can get married outside in England, the location has to be registered (or whatever they call it) to be able to hold the ceremony outdoors.

It has to be under a permanent structure. This gives you the details of the current rules.
http://www.youandyourwedding.co.uk/planning/essentials/can-we-get-married-outside-the-laws-on-outdoor-marriage-in-the-uk/20253.html

http://www.hitched.co.uk/outdoor-wedding-venues/

One of my expat friends had an outdoor wedding here. We met after she got married, but it was definitely outdoor and it was under a tree.

I'miss pretty sure it was in Yorkshire. But i'don't have to ask.

Lovely ideas!
Thank you so much.  😃

We were married in England in a Register Office, with photos in their lovely gardens and followed by a buffet lunch in our local pub's function room. It was all great and didn't cost very much at all. Fees for the for the room where we married in 1980 are£144 plus a non refundable provisional booking fee of £40. Not too expensive?

We just got married in Scotland. The registrar fees were a lot more than I expected, but it was a really lovely ceremony with 13 guests at the prestonfield house in Edinburgh. Their meals are $$ but still on par with higher end catering companies, and reserving the rooms was actually pretty reasonable. I didn't know about the humanist thing, everything we read said it had to be in a licensed place in Scotland as well. We still spent significantly less than most do on a wedding, and that included staying at the hotel for 2 nights. Cheap outdoor weddings are much easier in the US! And I will say, as a bride, I wished it was closer to home because trying to organize flowers etc from afar was incredibly challenging and led to some tears on the day while getting ready.