Wedding on a budget: Kent couple's money saving marriage ideas - including venues, dresses, cake, and food

• Amy Louise Barnes and Rhys Pryor saved £16k on a wedding by opting for second-hand outfits and buying Buck's Fizz from Aldi
• The couple had prioritised saving for a house deposit and raising their three children before deciding to marry on a tight budget
• They hired their local church for £531 and the village hall for £250, spending £550 on fish and chips for the evening meal
• Amy found her £1,150 wedding dress on eBay for just £90 and bought outfits for her children on Vinted for as little as £12 each
• She decorated the village hall herself with items from charity shops and bargain sites like Shein, spending £473 on decorations

A resourceful couple saved £16.2k on their wedding by opting for second-hand outfits and purchasing Buck's Fizz from Aldi.

Amy Louise Barnes, 34, had been engaged to her partner, Rhys Pryor, 32, for 13 years before they finally decided to get married. During that time, they prioritised saving for a house deposit and raising their three children - Lola, 10, Mila, seven, and Charlie, four.

When they decided to tie the knot, they set themselves the challenge of keeping the budget tight at £4,000. They hired their local church for £531 and the village hall for £250, spending £550 on fish and chips for the evening meal.

Amy found a new princess-style wedding dress worth £1,150 on eBay for just £90, and bought her son and daughter's outfits for as little as £12 each on Vinted.

She decorated the village hall herself, sourcing decorations like glow sticks and fake flowers from charity shops and bargain sites such as Shein. The couple loved their special day and estimate they saved £16,202 compared to the average £20k wedding in the UK.

Amy, a teaching assistant, from Ashford, Kent, said: "For me spending huge money on nine hours is not worth it. I'd rather put it towards buying a bigger house.

“My dress was £90 from eBay. It was worth £1,150 - it still had the price tag on it. It had come from a bridal shop and been on display. It's beautiful. I wouldn't want to have spent anymore on the dress - it's completely black now.

"It got caught on brambles but I wasn't concerned. The decorations are Vinted, Shein and charity shops. It was completely magical. You don't know how it is going to turn out when you're planning a budget wedding.

"Everyone was very complimentary. It was the best day."

Amy and Rhys, a plumber, met in a club in June 2010 and hit it off straight away with Rhys getting down on one knee to pop the question a year later. But rather than planning their wedding the couple clubbed together to buy a house and start a family together.

Amy said: "We bought a house. We never had the money to do it [have a wedding]. We didn't want to start our life in debt." But after 13 years engaged the pair decided it was about time they wed and set about planning a budget wedding.

Amy said: "I didn't want to spend more than £3.5k. I enjoyed the challenge of finding things on a budget." Amy managed to find her perfect dress on eBay for just £90 and her shoes for £12 on brand new Quiz - which she sourced from Vinted.

She spent £50 on supermarket flowers to make her and her bridesmaids flower bouquets. She said: "It's a princess dress with pretty lace flowers and trails down. The shoes are brand new, never been worn and they match the dress."

Rhys found his three-piece suit in the Next sale for less than £100 and Amy found the matching trousers for Charlie on Vinted for just £12. Amy said: "It costs £200 to hire and he's very clumsy. The kids are going to want to end up changing anyway."

The couple wed in Orleston church on 8 June, on their 14th anniversary, before moving to their village hall for the reception. Amy decked out the venue herself - spending £473 on decorations and small touches such as a basket of flip flops and glow sticks.

She said: "I made all our table decorations and all the bouquets myself." Amy had her hair and make-up done for under £100 and spent £399 on a photographer. The fish and chips for 55 guests cost £550 and their wedding cake cost £120.

The pair didn't have to pay a corkage fee, won a bar in a competition and bought other alcohol from Aldi. Amy said: "Everyone likes fish and chips. It was £3.50 per glass for Buck's fizz - I can buy a bottle for that.

"I had so much fun finding and planning everything. It was absolutely incredible."

Breakdown of costs:

• Church - £531
• Village hall hire - £250
• Fish and chips - £550
• DJ - £150
• Wedding dress - £90
• Suits - £267
• Bridesmaids dresses - £125
• Shoes - £98
• Decorations - £473
• Cake - £125
• Rings - £70
• Flowers - £50
• Invitations - £6.98 (Designed on Canva and printed using Free Prints)
• Drink - £200
• Extra food - £130
• Miscellaneous (personalised items and gifts) - £197.60
• Hair - £45
• Make-up - £40
• Dress alterations - £399

Total - £3,797.58

We'd love to hear your thoughts on Amy and Rhys's budget-friendly wedding! Have you ever planned a low-cost event or found great deals on wedding essentials? Share your tips and experiences in the comments section and join the conversation!