A mum has revealed how she achieved her dream wedding on a budget of less than £2,000, including her wedding dress.
When Diana Hill, from Portsmouth, started planning her wedding day, she dreamed of tying the knot on a sandy beach wearing her fairytale dress and drinking champagne.
But when she and her husband, Ray, 47, started visiting locations along the south coast, they quickly realized their dream location was out of reach – with an average rent of £10,000.
Diana, who is a stay-at-home mom, felt hopeless and decided to use her crafty and clever skills to create her special day on a budget.
She set herself a personal challenge of £2,000 for the entire soirée.
When Diana Hill, from Portsmouth, wanted a fairytale wedding but felt empty when she realized their dream venue was out of their price range
In total, the whole day cost £1,700, including her wedding dress and their cake – which they made from scratch themselves.
“I made my own bouquet and Ray was busy in the kitchen preparing our wedding cake,” Diana said.
“The night before, we went to the venue and decorated it with candles and balloons.
“It was truly magical to see all of our personal touches come together.
Husband Ray was given the task of baking their wedding cake, adding to the overall savings
Diana got her wedding dress off eBay for just £60 after going to bridal shops to find the type of dress she wanted
Mum bagged a bargain when she found a pair of white heels for just £25 in a bridal shop
“I didn’t really have a budget for my dress, but I knew I needed it as cheap as possible, yet very pretty.
“I was a bit cheeky, visiting bridal shops and trying on different dresses until I found a style I liked.
“Then I went home and scoured thrift websites and newspaper classifieds to find an exact match.
The money-saving duo managed to spend £1,700 on their wedding day, including all expenses, after setting a budget of £2,000
This pretty pink icing flower cake is one Diana made from scratch for another family wedding
Diana and Ray got their balloons and decorations from the pound shop and went into the venue to decorate it themselves
This impressive blue cake is one Diana made from scratch for another family wedding
For wedding favors, they created a “bag full of randomness” filled with string, a marble, a gobstopper, and a penny
“I had only been looking for a few days, but I was starting to get fed up because nothing fit the bill and everything I wanted was out of budget.
“Until I came across the perfect dress on eBay.”
With “beautiful” beading details and the fairytale style she’d always hoped for, she bought the wedding dress at a bargain, for just £60.
Diana, aged 41, also hit the jackpot with finds including a £3 tiara, shoes from a sale in a bridal shop for just £25 and a replica ‘Heart of the Ocean’ necklace, which retails for £600 for just £2.
Their venue, a seaside hotel, cost them just £500, which includes a hot buffet and DJ.
Diana made her own bouquet, which consisted of beautiful different types of navy blue and white flowers
Bride Diana picked up her tiara for just £3, and got her necklace – a replica ‘Heart of the Ocean’ necklace that costs £600 – for just £2
For wedding favors, they created a “sack full of randomness” filled with a piece of string, a marble, a gobstopper and a penny – each with their own special meaning.
She said, “We came up with the idea because we wanted something meaningful for our guests to walk away with.
“The string is so you can always keep things together, the marble in case you ever lose yours, a gobstopper to keep your foot out of it, and a penny so you’re never broke.
“Even though I was terrified all day, once we said our vows I felt relaxed and like everything finally fell into place.
‘All our guests were amazed and couldn’t believe that we had done everything ourselves, especially for so little money.
“They kept saying, ‘We can’t believe you made this, it’s so professional’ and that made us so proud.”
Diana and Ray met in 2010 after exchanging messages on the dating website Plenty of Fish, before he proposed in March 2011.
Just two months later, they found out they were pregnant with their first child, Ellie-Mae, now 11.
Although the arrival came as a shock, the couple were overjoyed and gave birth to Karalyn, seven, and Eithan, one.
But when their firstborn arrived while they were planning the wedding, their savings quickly dwindled – and they had little hope of a baptism, which they had always wanted.
Fortunately, their reverend came up with the idea of doing the religious ceremony at the same time and the couple believe the ‘unconventional’ plan saved them £500.
Diana said: ‘It was a great idea as it made our special day even more special and we were able to ensure that all family members were present on both occasions.’
Diana made her daughter’s christening cake from scratch and saved herself a lot of money
Diana said she had her wedding and her daughter’s christening on the same day, which saved her an estimated £600
Since her marriage, she has even been tasked with organizing street parties for royal occasions where all her neighbors gather and celebrate
Diana and Ray are pictured dressed in English flag and Union Jack flag dress as they attended their street party
Ray poses next to a pop-out photo of the Queen – at a street party that cost them less than a tenner
Now the family of five is practicing thrift in their daily lives, learning how to upcycle beloved furniture and making their own Christmas decorations.
Diana has also been tasked with decorating her cousin and aunt’s weddings on a tight budget, costing £100 each, as well as street parties for royal occasions – with her next mission, the coronation of the king costing less than £30.
She added: ‘Our wedding taught us that you can do anything on a shoestring budget.
Diana said: ‘If we find a piece of furniture we like, we will upcycle it into our own creation’
The mom has upcycled and given new life to furniture – like this pink table and chair set
Diana said she’s managed to find items like a life-sized Grinch for under £10 – perfect for Christmas
‘When we find a piece of furniture we like, we upcycle it into our own creation and at Christmas we’ve made our own decorations, including a life-sized Grinch for under £10.
‘For the Queen’s Jubilee I was able to throw a whole street party for under £10 and can’t wait for my next challenge with the coronation.
“I loved our day and it was everything I could have imagined — it was my alternate fairytale wedding come true.”