Splurge on a fancy wedding? Not us!
WEDDINGS are going out of fashion because of the cost (Mail). It’s been estimated that the average price a couple spends is £18,500 — not far off a deposit on a house. but you can get married for hardly anything and the marriages where a sensible approach is taken to the big Day are the ones that endure. I am one of five daughters and three of us made our own bridal gowns. The other two were made by local dressmakers. They certainly didn’t cost today’s average of £3,500. My bridesmaids’ dresses were made by my sisters. We all married in the chapel where we had spent a lot of our youth. The receptions were at the church hall or the Co-op hall. one of us has celebrated her diamond wedding anniversary; I have had my golden; another sister is not far off her golden; a fourth has been widowed twice; and, sadly, one sister died just after her silver wedding. I have a daughter, son and granddaughter, ten nieces and nephews, eight great-nieces and nephews and one great-great-nephew. Instead of spending a lot of money on our wedding days, we all decided to use our savings to put towards our first homes.
NORMA SMITH, Hull. MY LATE husband and I worked from 16, started married life with no money, but were able to rent our first home. he suffered an accident in 1963 and received compensation of £1,000, which enabled us to put a £700 deposit on a newly built two-bedroom home, but the mortgage was still a struggle. I went back to work after our son was born and continued until I was 65. Sadly, my husband died aged 54, and I am just about managing on my pension. I don’t want to give up my little home and garden for a flat with a window box. People like me are not the reason there are few homes available for the young. That’s due to the pressure on housing because of the high rate of immigration and the fact council houses were sold off. We need more housing association houses so youngsters can get a start in life. but instead it appears that former Tory minister Lord Willetts, who is targeting baby boomers to pay more taxes, wants me out of the home I love and have worked hard for.
BERNICE ISSITT, Spalding, Lincs.