A very personal question that you want the answer to....
I think that the best we will be able to do for you is to tell you our own experiences.
We married 9 years ago.
The engagement ring was made for us using a diamond from one of my mothers (non sentimental) rings to a design that we saw somewhere and both liked. It was made for us in platinum, by a hells angel who had a shop in Lion Walk in Colchester. Cost: £190 I should add that I proposed using the original (donor) ring and had the stone re-set later.
The wedding rings were made to order by a high street jewelers in Norwich, platinum bands. Cost: £550
The dress was made for us by a seamstress in Norwich. It was an 'A' line in Shantung silk. Cost: £95
Wedding was in a registry office in Tunbridge Wells. Cost: about £50
Reception in Royal Spa hotel in a private room for 9 of us. No expense spared on food and drink (plus bridal suite and brekfast for us) Cost: £600
The room in the hotel was beautiful with lovely views over the gardens.
We kept the guest list small (immediate family) because we didn't want a big 'do' and we were not well off.
We are both really glad we did it that way and parts of my more distant family still don't really speak to me now.....but I didn't like them anyway
