When newlyweds Jamie-Louise and Sam Phillips were planning their wedding, they were determined not to pay an exorbitant price for their ceremony.

But the young couple managed to cut costs so well that they spent just £2,995 on the big day, £17,705 under the average British wedding budget.

These money-saving measures included Domino’s for guests, an Airbnb venue, and some good old DIY.

The clever Jamie, 22, and Sam, 25, met on Tinder four years ago and got along well – in the summer of 2022 they are buying a house together.

They both decided to get married after talking about marriage for years.

Just like their wedding, Sam’s proposal was casual. He said, “I thought, ‘Let’s just get married.'”

“I didn’t want to make such a fuss. We are so close on a personal level – we could never keep such a big surprise to ourselves.”

“We agreed to get married in 2023. One day we went to the beach and he gave me a ring that I had already picked out.

“It happened quite casually. It felt like there was no pressure.”

Although the couple was keen to get married, they did not want to be “financially burdened” by it.

Jamie said: “We just looked at how we could do it on a budget. Everyone said it was the most beautiful wedding they had ever been to and they said they felt so relaxed.”

When it came to the wedding ceremony, the couple were surprised that the local registry office in Norwich Castle and she spent just £270 on a legal ceremony.

They booked the venue for January 2023 and got married in August of the same year.

However, having difficulty finding an affordable venue for their wedding reception, they instead rented an Airbnb for three days for just £600.

In the period leading up to the big day, the couple puts some money aside each month for the big day and DIY wedding preparations.

Jamie, a pastoral assistant, designed the wedding signage on Canva and found stickers for the wedding favors on Etsy.

She found her wedding dress online at For Love and Lemons – and spent just £500 on a silk dress and alterations.

Sam, a civil engineer, and his wife-to-be then decorated the Airbnb’s garden themselves the day before the wedding – renting furniture for £300 and buying flowers for the tables from a local farm for £85.

On the big day, Jamie got ready with her bridesmaids and took a first look at the garden with Sam.

She did her own makeup and spent £80 on her eyelashes and nails and £210 on her bouquet of flowers from local shop Posy Flwrs.

The couple then had some photos taken around town – which cost just £150 – before returning to the Airbnb at around 4pm.

Jamie said: “It was the most relaxed morning. We spent an hour apart. We drove to the venue together.”

“I really enjoyed the city walk, everyone clapped along with us.”

The couple from Norwich had also decided to forgo a caterer and instead spent £200 on food – including £130 worth of Domino’s pizza.

Jamie said: “Originally we wanted a pizza van. It would have cost over £1,000. In the end we ordered from Domino’s. Everyone loved it. It was such a good idea.”

“In the heat, I wanted something light. We brought our own bottles in case anyone wanted a drink.”

Their best man took the rest of the photos for free and the couple ended the evening at 8 p.m.

Jamie said: “You don’t have to get anything that has the word ‘wedding’ in it. That drives up the price. Our wedding suited us. It wouldn’t suit everyone.”

We will definitely take notes for our future weddings.

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