what do you all think?

I bought my dress in the US and carried it over with me. It was my 2nd wedding so I didn't want anything too frou-frou and wasn't worried about looking traditional bride-ish. I found a cream coloured beaded tea length slip-over-the-head-dress for less than $60 at Macy's. It was right after prom season, so there were loads of fancy dresses on sale. I got 2 chiffon dresses on sale from Target for the girls to wear, and little sweaters because we didn't know if the dresses would be warm enough.

We were married at Oldway Mansion (the local registry office) and the pictures from afterwards are gorgeous.  http://www.paigntondevon.co.uk/oldway.htm

Our friend who does photography as a hobby did them and while not every picture is perfect we had a very nice selection simply for the price of developing them. He did a video for us as well. It was less than £100 pounds for the marriage fee and venue costs I think.

We had a sit down meal and wine and champagne toasts for 25 at a local pub, and then later that night they closed off a room for us and we had a disco. People bought their own drinks that night, but for the mid-day meal and the buffet at the party it was £750 or so. It was also one of the nicest meals I've had at a wedding, very posh menu and not stereotypical pub type food at all.

We compromised on rings (Argos) and he rented his suit but because we rented 3 Burton's was having a deal and we got all 3 for £125 if I remember correctly. We bought a celebration cake from Mark's and Spencers, 2 different size layers and the kit where you build it yourself. The pub landlord built the cake for me and decorated it with flowers I provided. I was very pleased with how it looked and tasted and it was very inexpensive and easy.

Mother-in-law printed up the invites, a friend of hers did wedding favours, I did my own hair and make-up.

For us the main expense was food and evening party, and the meal was SO well worth it we considered that money well spent. All together we got married for less than £1500 approximately, and we didn't feel cheated at all.

Good luck with everything.

Missy, that sounds like it was really nice!

No!! Don't put worms in your wedding cake!!!

Ack! no, no worms in food for me

Missy, your wedding sounded like it was great Thats about what we are shooting for, 1500-2000. With the food being taken care of and hopefully the photography not full price thats one major expense we definitely wont have and one possible.

My rings were bought in Sept before we knew wed be getting married so soon, we planned a nice leisurely 2 year engagement and a wedding in Hawaii, as you all can see that didnt work out

However we got an amazing deal on my rings, the orig. price was $5000, when we went in they were down to $2200, we didnt get them that nite but I knew they were the ones (its a bridal set) so we went back two days later and it was down to $1500...df was saying it was almost too easy  We got them appraised and if we had had to pay full price they are worth every bit of it, so I feel it was a worthy investment, definitely going to become an heirloom someday I think

I had a horrible first wedding, I hated my dress, my makeup, everything. I got virtually NO choice in any of it, it was all done whether I wanted it done that way or not...my flowers were picked for me, my cake, even the music in the church I was not allowed to have non-church type music...I bought our rings...and then the reception.....there was no music, no dancing, nothing. Everyone was told by my in-laws to give us money...we were told not to open anything there, my chicken went back not once but 3 times because it was raw in the middle, so I never ate at all.

Honeymoon, it was only a few miles from his parents and his aunt. We had quite a bit of money in savings thanks to everyone, but we were not allowed to touch it at all, not even to go out to dinner at the restaurant next door ONE time...all our food was delivered by his parents/aunt...


So I guess thats why certain things in this are so important to me...the last one was a nightmare.

Oh and my makeup, I looked like I belonged on a street corner not in a church getting married thanks to my ex's sister-in-law
I imagine I will do my own, but my hair Im not so sure about. Its problem hair to say the least

I know this is long, but I was also thinking of trying out costco to see if they sell bulk flowers..they do in the US. Hopefully they do in the UK too, could be very helpful!

Well, Id just like to thank you all for the advice/support/help etc you have given me....

my fiance has told me now we essentially cant afford a wedding at all right now. We will still get married in July, just at a register office with just witnesses and nothing else. Ill be lucky to get a dress of any kind.

So  I guess this likely one of my last posts here, weve mentioned doing a wedding later...but I know how that goes, houses need to be bought, cars, bills, kids come along etc and the best intentions get pushed aside.

The important part is we will be together...but I must admit this is hitting me a bit harder than I thought.  I'll be deliriously happy that day to be sure...I just guess it was so out of nowhere is whats making this hard.

I told my mother and of course she just HAD to make rude comments that my fiance will resent my son (we cant afford the visas and flights and the wedding so its my son or the wedding it seems) or that I will resent my fiance for not giving me the wedding I wanted. She makes me so mad. I will not resent my fiance and hes a LOT more mature than she ever thought of being, he knows my son being with us is more important. 
I just dont ever want to talk to her again.

Aww, that's too bad.

Seriously, if you still have your heart set on a dress, check e-bay.  I got mine for $144, and that includes shipping from Hong Kong.  Or look in department stores for fancy dresses just after prom, like someone else suggested.

Could you not just invite some people along to the register office with you and just go to a pub after?  If you can't afford it, don't, but you seem to be really heartbroken about not being able to have a bigger wedding, so that might help.

But remember, no matter what else happens, at least you'll be together!    That's the important part, so just keep telling yourself that.

Well, Id just like to thank you all for the advice/support/help etc you have given me....

my fiance has told me now we essentially cant afford a wedding at all right now. We will still get married in July, just at a register office with just witnesses and nothing else. Ill be lucky to get a dress of any kind.

So  I guess this likely one of my last posts here, weve mentioned doing a wedding later...but I know how that goes, houses need to be bought, cars, bills, kids come along etc and the best intentions get pushed aside.

The important part is we will be together...but I must admit this is hitting me a bit harder than I thought.  I'll be deliriously happy that day to be sure...I just guess it was so out of nowhere is whats making this hard.

I told my mother and of course she just HAD to make rude comments that my fiance will resent my son (we cant afford the visas and flights and the wedding so its my son or the wedding it seems) or that I will resent my fiance for not giving me the wedding I wanted. She makes me so mad. I will not resent my fiance and hes a LOT more mature than she ever thought of being, he knows my son being with us is more important. 
I just dont ever want to talk to her again.

Man your mom sounds like my mother........are we related??

why do ppl have to be so nasty and bitchy??

keep your chin up as long as everyone is together and happy and healthy.....that is the most important thing!

you can always have a fab reception somewhere.......when everything is in place.......

Hugs, so you can't have the "Wedding" of your dreams right now, you will have the marriage, that is what matters.  This way you can plan for a bit and have it as perfect as you want it to be.

Well, Id just like to thank you all for the advice/support/help etc you have given me....

my fiance has told me now we essentially cant afford a wedding at all right now. We will still get married in July, just at a register office with just witnesses and nothing else. Ill be lucky to get a dress of any kind.

So  I guess this likely one of my last posts here, weve mentioned doing a wedding later...but I know how that goes, houses need to be bought, cars, bills, kids come along etc and the best intentions get pushed aside.

The important part is we will be together...but I must admit this is hitting me a bit harder than I thought.  I'll be deliriously happy that day to be sure...I just guess it was so out of nowhere is whats making this hard.

I told my mother and of course she just HAD to make rude comments that my fiance will resent my son (we cant afford the visas and flights and the wedding so its my son or the wedding it seems) or that I will resent my fiance for not giving me the wedding I wanted. She makes me so mad. I will not resent my fiance and hes a LOT more mature than she ever thought of being, he knows my son being with us is more important. 
I just dont ever want to talk to her again.

You've been married before, so you know its not the wedding that makes the marriage.   I wouldn't worry too much about not having a dress or the fancy wedding.   The fact that you have a wonderful man that you'll spend the rest of your life with is the BEST part of the wedding anyway

I should also say that when you are starting out in the UK, I doubt this will be the last thing you have to compromise on.  My husband wants to go to a concert in London in two weeks, but we can use the money for other things, so he's not going to go.  It sucks, but it has to be done.  I want things I can't buy because I want a nice big screen TV.    But, in the end, it'll be worth it.

P.S. Your mom sounds like a b*tch.  Ignore her...My mom can be like that too.  I think the greatest fact I ever learned is..parents are human and they make mistakes (some more than others).   Good luck

I talked more to my fiance and hes still determined to NOT go to the register office, I guess that was the one thing I misunderstood.  I can get a dress as long as its about $150, and flowers for me.

Other than that at this point I dont know what else we can afford if anything at all. We will get a more solid budget when I am there but it will be almost non-existant.

I took a bit had a good cry and was ok with it because I am still marrying the man I love and my best friend in the world, thats what really counts. All the other stuff is extra.

If we are able to we are going to save to have the big wedding later.

Yes my family is a hard to deal with...to say the least. I just let it go in one ear and out the other these days, because I know shes dead wrong.

So those that have bought off of ebay what was your experience? Esp the ones from China or Hong Kong, did you like the dress? how was the quality, and how was it dealing with them? Because I have seen some very pretty dresses on there.

I love the dress I got.  It was really good quality for the price, I think.  It didn't come with a crinoline slip, so I had to get that as well, but I found that for about $10 on e-bay too.

For about $100 more I could've gotten it custom made to fit my measurements, but I decided against that to save money.  I think any seller would be okay as long as you made sure they had good feedback.  You can also find a lot of used gowns on there that people sell after their wedding really inexpensively.

I have heard some good things about this e-bay store, but can't vouch for them myself: http://stores.ebay.com/gianinarbridal

This is the e-bay store I went through personally:
http://stores.ebay.com/Just-For-Bride

The gown I got from them is this one: http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL285/1461911/3068200/37564266.jpg

Good luck!

*edit* Forgot to add...dealing with the seller I went through was fine.  Polite and sent the dress really quickly.

I found a dress almost EXACTLY like the one I wanted on ebay for lke. $1 atm, its got a week left but crossing fingers it doesnt go too high for me...Im keeping an eye on it and not gonna get overly excited just in case.

It would be coming from Hong Kong I think, they say they ship to europe, but all shipping costs are in AU dollars? Was a bit lost on that...

Just saw the dres, gorgeous!

For some reason, most international shops are either in US/UK/AU monies.  So, its not unusual.  Probably because their customers are mostly from those countries.