WHY WASTE MONEY?: Meet Couple who spent just £1 (N253 ONLY) for their wedding ceremony

A thrifty bride and groom have proved a wedding day to remember does not need to cost a fortune after celebrating their nuptials - at the cost of just £1.

Georgina Porteous and Sid Innes organised their perfect day for family and friends, complete with rings, flowers, a cake and even a photographer to capture the occasion.
They also hosted a reception with a picnic, drinks, jazz music and dancing at a romantic setting in the Scottish Highlands, all on their unbelievably low budget.

But incredibly, apart from the £70 they had to pay by law for their marriage fees, their only expenditure was a pound on Georgina’s vintage wedding gown.

The newlyweds were toasting their good fortune today after spending only a tiny fraction of the average £20,000 cost of a wedding in the UK.

Georgina, 36, said: 'I don’t see the point in these massive weddings. It takes away from what marriage is truly about.

The only expense the couple could not avoid was the statutory £70 for the fees required to marry, but everything else was donated or sourced for free

The couple exchanged wedding rings hand-crafted by Georgina using antlers she found in their garden

'There is nothing to gain from spending a huge amount of money. The day is supposed to be about marrying the person you love and for us all that mattered was that we were becoming husband and wife. We didn’t want or need a big, fancy affair.'

Georgina, an artist, met singer-songwriter Sid, 39, at an art fair in Glasgow in 2009 and immediately said ‘yes’ when he proposed in Berlin last year. 

The couple, who live near Inverness, started planning their big day but as they are both dedicated to recycling and self-sufficiency, they vowed to keep their nuptials as simple as possible.

The only expense they could not avoid was the statutory £70 for the fees required to marry, but everything else was donated or sourced for free.

Georgina said: 'From day one of the engagement we knew we wanted a small and cheap wedding, it was a natural thing for us because we are so invested in recycling and self-sustainability. We were really excited to plan it all.

Georgina's mother Susanne, a church reader, conducted the ceremony in front of 70 guests in a run-down barn at their home

The £1 was spent on the wedding dress, a 1960s hand-made floor-length ivory wedding gown with embroidered sleeves, which Georgina purchased on the website freecycle

'We have always been a bit alternative and arty so I enjoyed doing something a little different from everyone else’s weddings.'

Georgina's aunt had baked a three-tier chocolate orange wedding cake infused with Lady Grey tea, with the couple's initials intertwined on top for decoration

An official wedding photographer was on hand to capture the occasion after Georgina, also a freelance film editor, offered to work for him in return.

Each guest had been asked to bring food and drink, so they tucked into home-made quiches, sausage rolls, boiled potatoes, fresh bread and salad.

Georgina’s aunt had baked a three-tier chocolate orange wedding cake infused with Lady Grey tea, with the couple’s initials intertwined on top for decoration.

After the wedding picnic, everyone partied the night away, as Georgina’s talented father, Harry, played some 1940s jazz on his saxophone.

Georgina added: 'We had so much fun and it was exciting to see what dish everyone had brought.

'We all sat around after the ceremony and had a little picnic, it was great and all the food was gone by the end so we didn’t waste any of it.

'There was quite a relaxed atmosphere and everyone was chatting to one another, and then when it got later everyone was enjoying the music and joining in with all the dances.
'We had a ball. The day went beautifully. It was really family-focused and emotional. Lots of people said it was the best wedding they have ever been to.'

But despite spending so little on their wedding, the couple intend to be more extravagant on their honeymoon as they will be spending a month in Berlin.

Georgina said: 'Although we spent a small amount, we do plan to spend a little more on our honeymoon.

'We are going back to Berlin, where we got engaged. We love it and we have friends living there, so we will still be able to save some money.'