The Slant from the Corner: On a Budget? A Wedding for a $1.56

the couple outside their barn

When I hear about people saving a ton of money on
some-thing special, I’m always fascinated about how they did it. For instance, these stories of women collecting coupons where they enter a supermarket. They overload a couple baskets and then pay a mere $5.32 at the register. Or United Airlines last week mistakenly offering flights for zero dollars all over the United States. Crazy.

But how about getting married for under two bucks? You can’t buy a dozen eggs, a half-gallon of milk, or a tuna sandwich at the deli counter for that.

Weddings are a multi-billion dollar industry, and the markup is unbelievable. Yet a Scottish couple did just that.

Georgina Porteous and Sid Innes had the works for their wedding day—the cake, the food, the dress, the reception, the rings, and the photographer.

On a site called freestyle.com, Georgina found a 1960s handmade embroidered gown and paid $1.56. The rest of the wedding was free. The site also offered discarded chairs, mirrors, and lights, and the couple took many of these to decorate their barn and provide seating for their guests.

the couple's barn

Yes, their barn. That was the wedding site. It’s where Georgina’s mother conducted the ceremony flanked by a minister, who volunteered his services just to make sure the marriage was official.

Georgina’s aunt made the three tiered cake topped with the couple’s initials, and Georgina’s father, a jazz musician, played saxophone for entertainment.

And how about the food, you ask. Each guest was asked to bring a bottle of spirits and a dish to the wedding.

rings carved from antlers

And one couldn't forget the rings. Georgina carved the jewelry from antlers found near her garden. She also picked her own wildflowers in a field close to home and fashioned her own bouquet.

As for photos, the groom traded film editing services for the photographer’s presence that afternoon.

“I don’t see the point in these massive weddings," Georgina said. "We didn’t want or need a big fancy affair. We had a ball. The day went beautifully. People said it was the best wedding they have ever been to.”