Newlyweds, 26-year-old Rebecca and 30-year-old Glen Maxwell, got engaged in August 2016 and spent three years planning a big white wedding.
“When we were planning our wedding, we started doing everything to please other people,” Rebecca said.

After seeing what their wedding would cost, the couple from the United Kingdom (UK) took the stress of planning this big event off their shoulders and ditched their original wedding plan to go for the most uncomplicated wedding.

Now they are sharing their story to encourage other couples to escape the pressures of hosting an expensive wedding.

The couple had spent months going through Pinterest looking at dresses, cakes, and decorations, however, found nothing that resonated with them. Their guest list was getting out of hand and they felt that they were inviting people to make them not feel offended for not being invited – not because they wanted to share their big day with them.

Rebecca had also bought a wedding dress for herself and her daughter for her big day, however when she went for her fitting, she ended up crying as she realised that it was not what she wanted.

“I felt like I had lost sight of why I was getting married. It was like I was trying to get married like Pinterest had told me to get married,” she says. Then Glen made the most beautiful statement, which became the inspiration for their new wedding plan.

“We could get married in jeans and T-shirts, and I’d still love you.”

Here is the list of wedding budget
– The couple’s original wedding was going to cost £14,000 (R268 000), however, they narrowed it down to £250 (R21 041).
– The original wedding was to take place at a farm on Christmas; instead, the couple got hitched at a town hall with 40 of their closest friends and family.
– As the couple reduced their budget, they had money left which allowed them to take their guests for a carvery dinner costing £400 (R7 616).
– For the wedding cake, instead of spending fortunes, the couple spent £35 (R666).
– The couple chose to go ahead with the t-shirt and jean concept for their wedding which meant the wedding party also had to wear similar personalised tops and jeans which cost £150 (R2 858).
– The flowers amounted to £200 (R3 800).
– The bride’s make-up cost £70 (R1 331).

The couple also bought personalised tops for the mother and father of the bride and asked their guests to show up in t-shirts and jeans as well.

“I want to show other brides that if they don’t have a big budget, it doesn’t matter. They don’t have to spend a fortune or put all that pressure on themselves. As long as you marry the person you love, surrounded by people you love, your day will be special. My husband and I are still married just like all those people who are in £20,000 (R380 000) debt,” Rebecca said.