Paulina Gammon, a 21-year-old content creator and mother of two from the East Midlands, and her husband celebrated their wedding with more than 50 guests for approximately £1,800, including rings, a wedding dress, and venue costs. The couple got engaged in May 2025 and planned the wedding in just three months.
Budget breakdown
Speaking exclusively to Abbott Lyon, Paulina revealed the detailed costs: the registry office fee was £180, an evening function room cost £200, décor and bar totaled approximately £150, and a three-course meal for family at the Cosy Club came to £300. Her entire bridal outfit—dress, shoes, and bag—cost just £45, while her husband's suit from Charlie Brown was £200. The most expensive item was the rings, which cost £800 altogether.
“The most expensive thing we paid for was the rings, which kind of makes sense because this is the thing that's staying with you for the rest of your life, whereas anything else, for example food and décor, is just for the day,” she said.
DIY approach and family help
To stay on budget, the couple handled many tasks themselves. Paulina styled her own hair and did her own makeup, and family members decorated the function room. “We did as much as we could by ourselves,” she said. Friends and family also helped create decorations, party activities, and a snack bar using affordable items from SHEIN, Temu, and AliExpress.
“I got a lot of my decorations, balloons and other bits from SHEIN, Temu and AliExpress. I also got friends and family to do the decorations, and they did such a good job. They created everything from scratch, including party activities and the snack bar, which was insane,” Paulina added.
Planning challenges and flexibility
The couple decided to marry in August 2025, giving them only three months to plan during the busy summer season. Many venues were already booked or expensive. “There weren't many options for venues available, especially as we wanted to get married in the summer. However, we found quite a few that we were interested in that were within our budget,” Paulina said. They eventually secured a function room for £200 that accommodated more than 50 guests and included a bar.
Although Paulina had originally imagined a larger celebration, she adapted her expectations. “I had always imagined having a big wedding. However, we wanted to get married at short notice for personal reasons, and there was nothing really within our budget. Because it was August and we only had three months to plan, most of the venues left were very expensive, and a lot of things needed to be booked well in advance. It was very hard to find something suitable, but we actually found a function room for £200 for the night,” she explained.
Advice for budget weddings
Paulina’s top tip is to invite people who truly care about you and to ask family for help or do things yourself. “Weddings don't have to be expensive, and you don't need to have lots of money to get married. Weddings can be done on a budget, and that's something I discovered through researching different options,” she concluded.
