Philip and Stacy pulled off their awesome steampunk inspired wedding for just £5000! “Our venue, Papplewick Pumping Station was the perfect backdrop for a steampunk wedding”, the bride said. “The theme inspired the groomsmen’s styling. The bridal party were more traditional, but with an alternative twist, much to the surprise of my family who assumed I would wear a gothic or neon pink dress!”
“We both wanted the celebration of our marriage to be fun and memorable”, she continued. “The reception was akin to a children’s party with candy floss, lucky bags, games and toys. We gave guests raffle tickets at the ceremony, and during the speeches we drew it. The prizes were various toys and games we had collected in the previous year.”
“To keep costs to a manageable level, the majority of our accessories, such as the groomsmen’s buttonholes, were DIY. My Auntie and I had a crafty week before the wedding where we made the order of services booklets and customised all the bridal party accessories. We even bought a cheap bunch of roses to make a few buttonholes and for some guests which was the only expense on fresh flowers. My own bouquet consisted of skull buttons and feathers!”
The couple were very sensible about not going into debt for the wedding. “It was important for us not to start married life with any wedding debt, which we achieved”, Stacy said. “We prioritised our funds, opting for buffet food as opposed to a sit down meal. We chose a local pub for the reception, which suited our small wedding party of around 80 guests, and everyone embraced the relaxed atmosphere.”
“We asked a few family members to gift us certain key items towards our day, instead of a post-wedding present. This also helped us to keep control of our budget. My wedding dress was last season and ex-display, so was 70% off!”
“The best thing about planning our wedding was that we did it together, every step of the way”, she concluded. “The only thing I kept secret from Philip was my dress. Trying to meet everyone’s expectations of a wedding without compromising our wishes was hard but I’m so happy with how things turned out in the end. Being married is the best!”
