When I planned my wedding, I was disgusted at the "show" of it all.
I felt like I HAD to buy the best xxx... to impress xxx. It just got silly to me.
So, 4 months before the wedding, I moved it all to Mexico. Ate the cost on some deposits. We used the money to pay for family to come with us and we stayed at an all inclusive hotel.
We had a 4 day celebration, very low key... everyone loved it. My wedding cake was something the hotel picked out... and it came with the cost of the wedding package. After the wedding, we went to a place in town to dine.
Weddings can get so "you have to do this or you simply won't be proper"... it's annoying. It's your day, do what you want.
I went a friends wedding, who had a tiered strawberry cheescake as her wedding cake and huge carrott cake for the grooms cake. It was delicious and really cool.
Good luck on planning the wedding Grog. Do what makes you happy.
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather, to skid in broadside thoroughly used-up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: WOW WHAT A RIDE!!!!"