A savvy couple have revealed how they organised their dream wedding for less than £500.
Ellie, 26, and Alex, 27, initially planned on having a large farm wedding with 50 guests but it would have set them back around £8,000.
Mum-of-two Ellie decided she wanted to tie the knot without the “pressure of impressing guests”.
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And the couple were amazed when they discovered they could get hitched at their local registry office for just £57.
Ellie’s long, white gown set her back £250 and footballer Alex’s suit cost £150.
In total, the couple spent just £457.
After the ceremony, the newlyweds headed to McDonald’s drive-thru for a cheeseburger.
“We couldn’t justify spending £20,000 to £30,000 on one day,” Ellie said.
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“It’s ridiculous. Alex would have preferred a big wedding but that’s my idea of hell. I just wanted to get married.
“We looked at venues and we were being quoted thousands and then our guests would have had to book rooms on top of that.
“There were other things we needed. We wanted to buy our own home, we’ve got two kids and we wanted a nice honeymoon.
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“We thought if we didn’t just do it then we never would so we got married in a registry office with my mum and Alex’s brother.
“Afterwards, I was starving so we went to McDonald’s drive-thru and I had a cheeseburger and Fanta.
“It was an amazing day. It completely took the pressure off.
“We didn’t feel like we had to impress people.”
The couple also agreed that they would rather spend their money on a luxury honeymoon.
They flew to Paris for their “mini-moon” and will be jetting off to Dubai for a week in May, as reported by What’s the Jam.
Ellie says they couldn’t have pulled off the “perfect” day in June last year without the help of friends and family who chipped in.
The mother of the bride gifted Ellie a £90 bouquet, a friend did her hair and the couple drove to the ceremony together.
In the evening, the couple invited 20 of their closest friends and family to celebrate with them in a function room.
Parents of the bride and groom chipped in £500 for the venue and the cost included a buffet with burgers and chicken wings and a DJ.
Alex’s brother took photos of the special day and disposable cameras were handed out for guests to take their own snaps.
Ellie added: “It was so good.
“When my friend was doing my hair, she was asking if I was nervous and I wasn’t at all.
“It’s an amazing thing to celebrate but people should just do it how they want it.”
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