Bride advice: How to self-cater your wedding

Calling all brides on a budget! Here's some advice (and a few recipes) for everyone looking to do their own catering on their wedding day…


by Kayleigh Dray |
Published on
Gallery

Bride advice: How to self-cater your wedding

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Who says your sofa can't be pink? If you live on your own/with female friends/have a really understanding boyfriend then why not? www.ikea.comu25a110 of 51

Who says your sofa can't be pink? If you live on your own/with female friends/have a really understanding boyfriend then why not? www.ikea.com□

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This large sofa is perfect if you have a big family, or enjoy having a lot of friends over! twww.sainsburys.co.uu25a1 u25a111 of 51

This large sofa is perfect if you have a big family, or enjoy having a lot of friends over! twww.sainsburys.co.u□ □

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If you've got a small space, corner seats are still accessible for you. This one will fit into the snuggest of living rooms. www.direct.asda.com/georgeu25a112 of 51

If you've got a small space, corner seats are still accessible for you. This one will fit into the snuggest of living rooms. www.direct.asda.com/george□

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This one is perfect for the kids' nursery or play room. The colour is fun and it won't break the bank! www.tesco.comu25a113 of 51

This one is perfect for the kids' nursery or play room. The colour is fun and it won't break the bank! www.tesco.com□

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The good thing about this sofa is you can use practically any colour cushion and it would still look OK! www.sainsburys.co.uku25a114 of 51

The good thing about this sofa is you can use practically any colour cushion and it would still look OK! www.sainsburys.co.uk□

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Pink again. Because why not? Again, this sofa would be perfect for the smaller rooms as it definitely won't take up much space. www.direct.asda.comu25a115 of 51

Pink again. Because why not? Again, this sofa would be perfect for the smaller rooms as it definitely won't take up much space. www.direct.asda.com□

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If you want something seriously smart then this is the corner sofa for you. It also looks seriously comfortable! www.dfs.co.uku25a116 of 51

If you want something seriously smart then this is the corner sofa for you. It also looks seriously comfortable! www.dfs.co.uk□

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Want leather but it's coming up too expensive? This faux leather is a great imitation, and it's vegan friendly. www.tesco.comu25a117 of 51

Want leather but it's coming up too expensive? This faux leather is a great imitation, and it's vegan friendly. www.tesco.com□

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Simple but it makes a statement – these come in various sizes for creating displays19 of 51

Simple but it makes a statement – these come in various sizes for creating displays

Simple but it makes a statement – these come in various sizes for creating displays

Hang these from all of the walls to instantly transform your garden20 of 51

Hang these from all of the walls to instantly transform your garden

Hang these from all of the walls to instantly transform your garden

This design is really individual and would look great hung around the patio area21 of 51

This design is really individual and would look great hung around the patio area

This design is really individual and would look great hung around the patio area

If you have a pond that's become a bit boring, bring it instantly up to date with this simple spray feature22 of 51

If you have a pond that's become a bit boring, bring it instantly up to date with this simple spray feature

If you have a pond that's become a bit boring, bring it instantly up to date with this simple spray feature

What's not to love about this cute meetkat waterfall?23 of 51

What's not to love about this cute meetkat waterfall?

What's not to love about this cute meetkat waterfall?

This feature would make your old and boring pond interesting again24 of 51

This feature would make your old and boring pond interesting again

This feature would make your old and boring pond interesting again

If you have a brick-built BBQ, this feature would look so good placed near it25 of 51

If you have a brick-built BBQ, this feature would look so good placed near it

If you have a brick-built BBQ, this feature would look so good placed near it

Stood on some pebbles or even on your garden table, this feature would be a great addition to any garden.Buy these water features and more at www.primrose.co.uk26 of 51

Stood on some pebbles or even on your garden table, this feature would be a great addition to any garden.Buy these water features and more at www.primrose.co.uk

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If you've always wanted your own spotlight, now's your chance! We love this lamp from Argos. Argos31 of 51

If you've always wanted your own spotlight, now's your chance! We love this lamp from Argos. Argos

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There's something Oriental about paper lamps and this one is the perfect solution to those pesky windowless hallways. Argos32 of 51

There's something Oriental about paper lamps and this one is the perfect solution to those pesky windowless hallways. Argos

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This lamp is simple and cheap and does exactly what it's meant to do. Ikea33 of 51

This lamp is simple and cheap and does exactly what it's meant to do. Ikea

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Another twist on the paper lamp, this one from Amazon also comes in red. Amazon34 of 51

Another twist on the paper lamp, this one from Amazon also comes in red. Amazon

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A touch of glam on a budget, this sleek chrome light would suit the most stylish of rooms. Homebase35 of 51

A touch of glam on a budget, this sleek chrome light would suit the most stylish of rooms. Homebase

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Can you tell we love paper lamps? We imagine this one would look great in the spare room/office. Wilko36 of 51

Can you tell we love paper lamps? We imagine this one would look great in the spare room/office. Wilko

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Got a blue bedroom? Then this is the lamp for you. It also comes in a variety of other colours. Argos37 of 51

Got a blue bedroom? Then this is the lamp for you. It also comes in a variety of other colours. Argos

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We love that this lamp comes with a reading lamp, for those times when you just need a tiny bit of light. Amazon38 of 51

We love that this lamp comes with a reading lamp, for those times when you just need a tiny bit of light. Amazon

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Speaking from experience, one of the hardest things about saving money is avoiding the shops! There always seems to be an excuse hit Topshop during your lunch hour, and those emails from ASOS do not help.
But saving money doesn't mean putting an end to looking good because, honestly, looking good is essential to feeling good.
If you've got fashion bunny friends such as yourself, when you're getting ready for a night out together have a trade. You all get 'new' outfits, and you don't run the risk of being pictured in the same black dress again.
For more permanent additions to your wardrobe, vintage and charity shops have never been more in. A little tip: hit the charity shops in the nicer areas of town and you'll be surprised at some of the stuff you can pick up.41 of 51

Speaking from experience, one of the hardest things about saving money is avoiding the shops! There always seems to be an excuse hit Topshop during your lunch hour, and those emails from ASOS do not help. But saving money doesn't mean putting an end to looking good because, honestly, looking good is essential to feeling good. If you've got fashion bunny friends such as yourself, when you're getting ready for a night out together have a trade. You all get 'new' outfits, and you don't run the risk of being pictured in the same black dress again. For more permanent additions to your wardrobe, vintage and charity shops have never been more in. A little tip: hit the charity shops in the nicer areas of town and you'll be surprised at some of the stuff you can pick up.

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Along with clothes, make-up is another essential to looking good – but for good quality stuff you're looking at parting with a lot of your hard earned cash.
Visit make-up boutiques in department stores and not only can you usually get a free makeover, they usually give you samples too.
When it comes to hair you don't have to sacrifice going to a decent salon. Keep an eye out for student and trainee nights as you can get your hair cut for free at most of these, and they're all supervised by experienced stylists.42 of 51

Along with clothes, make-up is another essential to looking good – but for good quality stuff you're looking at parting with a lot of your hard earned cash. Visit make-up boutiques in department stores and not only can you usually get a free makeover, they usually give you samples too. When it comes to hair you don't have to sacrifice going to a decent salon. Keep an eye out for student and trainee nights as you can get your hair cut for free at most of these, and they're all supervised by experienced stylists.

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Your gym membership can be spent on more crucial things, like your phone bill or a couple of week's worth of food shopping.
But fear not, you don't have to get terribly unfit just because you're saving. For starters, walk to work wherever possible, or at least get off of the tube a few stops earlier.
Get a group of your friends together on a Sunday morning and, instead of going for brunch, go for a run. Being active with friends is a great motivation and you'll be saving money and calories!43 of 51

Your gym membership can be spent on more crucial things, like your phone bill or a couple of week's worth of food shopping. But fear not, you don't have to get terribly unfit just because you're saving. For starters, walk to work wherever possible, or at least get off of the tube a few stops earlier. Get a group of your friends together on a Sunday morning and, instead of going for brunch, go for a run. Being active with friends is a great motivation and you'll be saving money and calories!

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We know saving can effect your life in lots of ways, but sacrificing twice-weekly trips to Pod on your lunch break and dinner with the girls on a Thursday night is possibly one of the worst.
Look out for 241 offers at your favourite restaurants and have a Come Dine With Me style party, where everyone brings a different dish.
When it comes to lunches, cook too much dinner and take the left overs to work. It's not as glamorous as an M&S meal deal but DIY lunch is becoming surprisingly popular.44 of 51

We know saving can effect your life in lots of ways, but sacrificing twice-weekly trips to Pod on your lunch break and dinner with the girls on a Thursday night is possibly one of the worst. Look out for 241 offers at your favourite restaurants and have a Come Dine With Me style party, where everyone brings a different dish. When it comes to lunches, cook too much dinner and take the left overs to work. It's not as glamorous as an M&S meal deal but DIY lunch is becoming surprisingly popular.

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You might have to cut back on nights out but when you and your friends do hit the town, there are ways to make it more purse-friendly.
First of all go back to your student days and have everyone round for pre-drinks. This means less money spent on wine when you get out and also it gives you a chance to catch up without having to shout over a club's loud music.
DON'T buy food at the end of the night, as appealing as that greasy kebab seems. Make sure you have some kind of healthy alternative waiting at home and force yourself to be good!
If you live far away from town, try and crash at a mates instead of getting a taxi. Getting a tube or bus home the next day will be so much cheaper!45 of 51

You might have to cut back on nights out but when you and your friends do hit the town, there are ways to make it more purse-friendly. First of all go back to your student days and have everyone round for pre-drinks. This means less money spent on wine when you get out and also it gives you a chance to catch up without having to shout over a club's loud music. DON'T buy food at the end of the night, as appealing as that greasy kebab seems. Make sure you have some kind of healthy alternative waiting at home and force yourself to be good! If you live far away from town, try and crash at a mates instead of getting a taxi. Getting a tube or bus home the next day will be so much cheaper!

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Date nights are fun. They are also expensive. But there are cheaper alternatives, which can sometimes be more fun than a night at a top restaurant.
Suggest an outdoor movie night to your man (tent, laptop and snacks in the back garden), or meet in the park afterwork, with a couple of bottles of wine and some cheap but tasty take out.
At the end of the day, it's all about the person you're with, not what you're doing.46 of 51

Date nights are fun. They are also expensive. But there are cheaper alternatives, which can sometimes be more fun than a night at a top restaurant. Suggest an outdoor movie night to your man (tent, laptop and snacks in the back garden), or meet in the park afterwork, with a couple of bottles of wine and some cheap but tasty take out. At the end of the day, it's all about the person you're with, not what you're doing.

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