We were quoted £23K for our dream wedding but DIY-ed it and saved £16K – my dress was just £54 from Shein
A THRIFTY bride managed to enjoy a luxury wedding on shoestring - by scavenging decorations from parks and gardens and buying her £54 dress from Shein.
Debbie and Darran Brannigan, tied the knot on May 31 and saved a whopping £16,000 thanks to Black Friday deals and Shein offers.
9
Debbie and Darran Brannigan saved £6,000 on their wedding thanks to thrifty finds
Credit: Kennedy News
9
The entire wedding cost £6,632 from their savings
Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
9
The cake was free and made by Debbie's daughter
Credit: Kennedy News
The frugal mum-of-five even drove around scouting out spots to take cuttings of foliage, ivy and ferns from parks and her garden, which was used as decor in her bridal bouquet and buttonholes.
The couple, both event security officers, wanted a luxury wedding without the hefty £23,000 price tag - the
The couple managed to keep costs substantially lower, eventually splashing out just £6,632 from their savings.
Debbie, who had her heart set on a 'stunning' gown from a high street bridal retailer, felt she couldn't justify the £1,400 price tag so turned online detective to hunt for a budget dupe.
More on weddings
The savvy 60-year-old spotted a similar design for just £54 on Shein so snapped it up along with £56
suits
for 52-year-old Darren, the best man and ushers.
The bridesmaid dresses were snapped up in a Monsoon sale for just £12, the wedding cake was baked by Debbie's daughter and the rest of the decor was sourced on Shein.
The self-professed 'scruffy rocker' said guests were gobsmacked to see her look so glam on her big day and says 'it shows you don't have to get into debt to have a beautiful wedding'.
Debbie, from Willenhall,
West Midlands
, said: "Weddings can cost an absolute fortune, that's why I did it on a budget.
Most read in Fabulous
"We're good at saving, when you save money it's
nice
to see it well spent.
"I tried a dress on and it was phenomenal. I decided at the age of 60 I was going to make an entrance.
Shocking moment wedding guests carry out sweet tradition in VERY over-the-top way - and it's left people furious
"It was beautiful. This dress had a train and a half, it was stunning, but it was £1,450.
"I decided to research the dress and ordered 12 dresses until I chose that one [and sent the others back].
"We're scruffy rockers who wear jeans and t-shirts so I decided I was going to make an entrance - because of my age and I don't plan to ever get married again.
"I wanted the dress to be 'hippy boho' and I wanted something with long arms to cover my
tattoos
to respect the church as well.
9
The bouquet was made from foliage, ivy and ferns from parks and her garden
Credit: Kennedy News
9
Her dress cost £54 from Shein and she said it 'looked expensive'
Credit: Kennedy News
9
Darren also got his suit from Shein
Credit: Kennedy News
"I liked the cut of it, the dress had four layers, it had a lace train and it was so beautiful.
"I couldn't believe how cheap it was, it was exactly what I wanted, so it was a no-brainer.
"Shein has a reputation for being cheap but it didn't look cheap, it looked like an expensive dress.
"The bouquet was all fresh flowers. All the greenery, the ivy and ferns, I cut down from mine and my friend's garden and parks in
Birmingham
.
"I just drove around looking for it and it cut it down. I used it in my bouquet and the buttonholes.
"If we can get the ferns and the ivy from the park and garden there's no point in buying it, is there?"
9
The bouquets were completely free
Credit: Kennedy News
DISCOUNTED VENUE
Debbie booked St Giles church in Willenhall, West Midlands, as their wedding venue before heading to Oak Farm Hotel in Cannock, Staffordshire, booking during a Black Friday sale.
The reception at Oak Farm Hotel in Cannock, Staffordshire, was decorated entirely using Shein finds, with guests enjoying cake baked by her daughter.
Debbie said: "I signed up to the venue's mailing list and they sent an email for Black Friday.
"They did a really big reduction, this was a really good offer so we decided to take up on it.
"All the church was dressed with things from Shein - including the bows and silk flowers on the ends of pews.
"We made all the table decorations and the balloons, wedding arches, candles, from Shein.
9
The church was decorated with Shein bargains
Credit: Kennedy News
9
The couple insist you don't have to go into debt to have a beautiful day
Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
"To hire the 'love' letters was £160, so I bought them off Shein for £15 each letter.
"We're going to recycle everything and sell them to people. It felt really good not to be a scruffy rocker but a beautiful bride.
"There was shock on everybody's faces because they've never seen me in a frock, no-one's seen me dressed up really.
"I don't think they thought I could scrub up like that.
"It's not true that you can't do a wedding on a budget. It would gut me if I'd bought that £1,400 dress.
"It just goes to show you don't have to get into debt to have a beautiful wedding."
Wedding costs
Church donation - £950 (including church flowers, choir and bell ringers)
Wedding reception venue - £3,995 - Black Friday offer
Bride's dress - £54 - Shein
Bride's shoes - Monsoon shoes RRP £170 - bought from charity shop for £5
Fresh peonies - £50
Groom's suit, shirt, tie and shoes- £71 - Shein
Best man and ushers outfit - £71 x 3 (£213 total) - Shein
Bridesmaid dresses - £12 x 3 (£36 total) - Monsoon sale
Fresh peonies - £50
Wedding rings - £99 (£198 total) in Warren James sale
Hair and make-up - £60
Photographer - done by photographer friend for £350
Shein decorations - £600
Car hire - wedding gift from friends
Bouquet and buttonhole flowers - £40 (paid by Debbie's mum)
Foliage decor (used in buttonholes and bouquet) - free, sourced from gardens and parks
Wedding cake - free, baked by daughter
TOTAL COST = £6,632
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The Irish Sun
2 days ago
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LIKE most parents, Jordan Payne was always keen to find ways to bring in a bit of extra cash. But when she decided to start promoting items for TikTok shop, she never expected to make £40,000 in just ONE month. 13 Mum-of-two Jordan Payne earns thousands by promoting items on TikTok shop Credit: Jordan Payne 13 Her posts are focused around her family life and children Credit: Jordan Payne 13 Jordan sometimes promotes clothes on her TikTok account Credit: Tiktok/@jordanpayne25 And she reckons she's made a staggering £150,000 since opening up her profile on the video-based platform in 2020. The mum-of-two barely used any of her own social media when she first began posting on the app, hoping she might make a few extra quid. By December 2023 she was earning thousands a month - and 18 months later she managed to quit her 9-5 job as a technical product manager to focus full-time on her new TikTok career. 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The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- The Irish Sun
We were quoted £23K for our dream wedding but DIY-ed it and saved £16K – my dress was just £54 from Shein
A THRIFTY bride managed to enjoy a luxury wedding on shoestring - by scavenging decorations from parks and gardens and buying her £54 dress from Shein. Debbie and Darran Brannigan, tied the knot on May 31 and saved a whopping £16,000 thanks to Black Friday deals and Shein offers. 9 Debbie and Darran Brannigan saved £6,000 on their wedding thanks to thrifty finds Credit: Kennedy News 9 The entire wedding cost £6,632 from their savings Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media 9 The cake was free and made by Debbie's daughter Credit: Kennedy News The frugal mum-of-five even drove around scouting out spots to take cuttings of foliage, ivy and ferns from parks and her garden, which was used as decor in her bridal bouquet and buttonholes. The couple, both event security officers, wanted a luxury wedding without the hefty £23,000 price tag - the The couple managed to keep costs substantially lower, eventually splashing out just £6,632 from their savings. Debbie, who had her heart set on a 'stunning' gown from a high street bridal retailer, felt she couldn't justify the £1,400 price tag so turned online detective to hunt for a budget dupe. More on weddings The savvy 60-year-old spotted a similar design for just £54 on Shein so snapped it up along with £56 suits for 52-year-old Darren, the best man and ushers. The bridesmaid dresses were snapped up in a Monsoon sale for just £12, the wedding cake was baked by Debbie's daughter and the rest of the decor was sourced on Shein. The self-professed 'scruffy rocker' said guests were gobsmacked to see her look so glam on her big day and says 'it shows you don't have to get into debt to have a beautiful wedding'. Debbie, from Willenhall, West Midlands , said: "Weddings can cost an absolute fortune, that's why I did it on a budget. Most read in Fabulous "We're good at saving, when you save money it's nice to see it well spent. "I tried a dress on and it was phenomenal. I decided at the age of 60 I was going to make an entrance. Shocking moment wedding guests carry out sweet tradition in VERY over-the-top way - and it's left people furious "It was beautiful. This dress had a train and a half, it was stunning, but it was £1,450. "I decided to research the dress and ordered 12 dresses until I chose that one [and sent the others back]. "We're scruffy rockers who wear jeans and t-shirts so I decided I was going to make an entrance - because of my age and I don't plan to ever get married again. "I wanted the dress to be 'hippy boho' and I wanted something with long arms to cover my tattoos to respect the church as well. 9 The bouquet was made from foliage, ivy and ferns from parks and her garden Credit: Kennedy News 9 Her dress cost £54 from Shein and she said it 'looked expensive' Credit: Kennedy News 9 Darren also got his suit from Shein Credit: Kennedy News "I liked the cut of it, the dress had four layers, it had a lace train and it was so beautiful. "I couldn't believe how cheap it was, it was exactly what I wanted, so it was a no-brainer. "Shein has a reputation for being cheap but it didn't look cheap, it looked like an expensive dress. "The bouquet was all fresh flowers. All the greenery, the ivy and ferns, I cut down from mine and my friend's garden and parks in Birmingham . "I just drove around looking for it and it cut it down. I used it in my bouquet and the buttonholes. "If we can get the ferns and the ivy from the park and garden there's no point in buying it, is there?" 9 The bouquets were completely free Credit: Kennedy News DISCOUNTED VENUE Debbie booked St Giles church in Willenhall, West Midlands, as their wedding venue before heading to Oak Farm Hotel in Cannock, Staffordshire, booking during a Black Friday sale. The reception at Oak Farm Hotel in Cannock, Staffordshire, was decorated entirely using Shein finds, with guests enjoying cake baked by her daughter. Debbie said: "I signed up to the venue's mailing list and they sent an email for Black Friday. "They did a really big reduction, this was a really good offer so we decided to take up on it. "All the church was dressed with things from Shein - including the bows and silk flowers on the ends of pews. "We made all the table decorations and the balloons, wedding arches, candles, from Shein. 9 The church was decorated with Shein bargains Credit: Kennedy News 9 The couple insist you don't have to go into debt to have a beautiful day Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media "To hire the 'love' letters was £160, so I bought them off Shein for £15 each letter. "We're going to recycle everything and sell them to people. It felt really good not to be a scruffy rocker but a beautiful bride. "There was shock on everybody's faces because they've never seen me in a frock, no-one's seen me dressed up really. "I don't think they thought I could scrub up like that. "It's not true that you can't do a wedding on a budget. It would gut me if I'd bought that £1,400 dress. "It just goes to show you don't have to get into debt to have a beautiful wedding." Wedding costs Church donation - £950 (including church flowers, choir and bell ringers) Wedding reception venue - £3,995 - Black Friday offer Bride's dress - £54 - Shein Bride's shoes - Monsoon shoes RRP £170 - bought from charity shop for £5 Fresh peonies - £50 Groom's suit, shirt, tie and shoes- £71 - Shein Best man and ushers outfit - £71 x 3 (£213 total) - Shein Bridesmaid dresses - £12 x 3 (£36 total) - Monsoon sale Fresh peonies - £50 Wedding rings - £99 (£198 total) in Warren James sale Hair and make-up - £60 Photographer - done by photographer friend for £350 Shein decorations - £600 Car hire - wedding gift from friends Bouquet and buttonhole flowers - £40 (paid by Debbie's mum) Foliage decor (used in buttonholes and bouquet) - free, sourced from gardens and parks Wedding cake - free, baked by daughter TOTAL COST = £6,632
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- The Irish Sun
My trip inside ‘world Voodoo capital' that's become dark holiday hotspot for Brits who flock to watch grisly sacrifices
A MASKED goblin figure chases two unsuspecting tourists along the busy streets, shrouded in a long multicoloured cloak. A few feet away, a priest carries a goat, preparing to sacrifice its blood to 15 A Zangbeto 'goblin' guardian' chases tourists in the world's 'Voodoo capital' Credit: Kennedy News and Media 15 An altar appears to be covered in the blood of a sacrificed animal Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media 15 Voodoo dolls are used to cast love spells Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media 15 Brit tourist Keiran Brown poses with a snake around his neck after his visit to the Temple of Pythons Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media Welcome to the Voodoo capital of the world: Ouidah, in Benin, West Africa. Here the 'goblin' guardians, known as the Zangbeto, roam the streets wielding wooden swords - ready to ward off evil in both the human and spirit world. Visitors flock to the tiny city, which has a population of 162,000, to Despite its lack of attention in most mainstream holiday brochures, 337,000 tourists are reported to have visited Benin in 2019 and the numbers are believed to be growing. These so-called ' Benin, for its part, is happy to welcome intrigued visitors, with priests charging for their guidance and private rituals, and public festivals and Voodoo events charging admission fees. Kieran, 30, from Sidcup, Kent, visited the country during his tour along Africa's coastline and recalls his nerve-racking encounters at local landmarks including the Temple of Pythons. Inside a sealed room at a religious sanctuary, locals worship snakes instead of fearing them, and Kieran encountered dozens of the creatures slithering around. Snakes are said to represent the Voodoo god Da, who is believed to bring fertility and life to its worshippers. The priest even put one around Kieran's neck but insisted the potentially deadly Inside the Voodoo capital of the world where masked 'goblins' chase tourists and dogs' heads are displayed on spikes Kieran tells The Sun: "There was a thick door, the guy opened it, and there were around 60 to 70 pythons. "He put them around our neck and they seemed pretty chilled. "I didn't feel any energy and I don't believe in that but the people in the town are heavy believers. "That's the most popular religion in that side of the world, there is more Voodoo than Christianity." 'Land of the dead' It's thought 60million people around the world practice Voodoo, which is believed to have originated in Ouidah and where around 60 per cent are said to be followers. Voodoo - known traditionally as Vodoun, or Vodún - was officially declared a religion in Benin in 1996, and the annual festival, on January 10, attracts worshippers from all over the globe. Followers believe spirits control both the human world and the 'land of the dead', with different deities relied on to protect everything from villages to trees and rivers. They not only worship them from small shrines in their homes but they also attend public and private rituals led by community priests, who can be male or female. Voodoo dolls are sold at markets and sellers even claim the infamous figurines are able to make people fall in love with you. Snakes are worshipped as gods and animal sacrifice - including that of dogs - is commonplace and is often part of Voodoo initiation ceremonies. Dark arts During his visit, Kieran also recalls his encounter with one of the striking Zangbeto. These oddly dressed, masked figures act as the unofficial police on the streets of Ouidah, and are believed to keep residents and the religion's witches and spirits in line. Their name itself comes from 'zan', meaning night, and 'gbeto' that refers to person or people - so translates to 'people of the night', although they now appear in daylight hours as well. Kieran said: "When we were there we were walking around and there was a man dressed up as a Zangbeto and people were trying to get close to him and he chased people. 15 Voodoo dolls on sale in the city of Ouidah Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media 15 Masks and preserved animal parts are sold on the street Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media 15 The Voudoum festival takes place every January "We were walking through a street and he saw us. Because we were the only white people we stood out. "It was a man dressed up like a goblin, he had a thick mask on. "I can't explain it but he was dressed like a monster, people were running away when it came close. "People were trying to annoy it by running towards it and eventually it would snap and start chasing you, it seemed to be like a game, everyone was chanting." Temple of Pythons Ouidah is home to the religion's Mecca, The Sacred Forest, where trees are considered holy and capable of granting wishes. Due to the rituals of spells and sacrifices, parallels have been drawn to witchcraft, which was greatly feared in 13th to 15th century Britain and led to the execution of those accused of practising it. However, Voodoo is now recognised as a protected religious belief in Britain under the Equality Act 2010. And expert Viktor explains that Voodoo remains an everyday feature throughout Benin - visible on the streets and with most people's homes featuring aspects of the religion. 15 A statue representing past kings in the town of Ouidah Credit: AFP 15 Snakes are worshipped in the Temple of Pythons Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media 15 A Voodoo priest rides a cow before the animal is sacrificed Credit: AFP Viktor, who is also a Voodoo artefact collector and runs The Viktor Wynd Museum in Hackney, East London, said: "Wherever you go in Benin, everyone has a Voodoo altar and everyone goes to the Voodoo priests. "Each person has one main Voodoo spirit that they serve. "People dressed as Zangbeto do these dances to regulate the spirit world and the world of the living. They're intermediaries with the other world. "There's always something happening so a few weeks before we go we'll WhatsApp the priests and get all sorts of interesting invitations. "There's Voodoo in the Caribbean and it's very underground but in Benin it takes centre stage. That's why people find it so interesting. "It's fought back against the dominance of Muslims and Christians, who have marginalised the religion in other parts of the world." Dark side of religion While tourists in Benin are offered goat meat and trinkets with animal heads, over the years Voodoo sacrifices have been linked to much darker occurrences across the world. Notoriously, in 2001, a young African boy's torso was found in the River Thames in London. His head, arms and legs had been removed. Police investigators at the time believed that the killing was part of a Voodoo ritual. It's believed the body part may have been in the water for up to ten days and tests showed he lived in West Africa shortly before his death. Police believe he was trafficked to the UK, specifically for the purpose of a sacrifice. One factor that linked the torso to Voodoo was it had been carefully dressed in bright orange shorts before being dumped. Police eventually discovered that the colour was seen as powerful and used in specific sacrificial spells by those who practised Voodoo. However, due to the state of the body when it was found and cops facing a wall of silence during their investigation, the mystery remains unsolved. While Benin is credited as being the origin of Voodoo, it has spread to neighbouring countries such as Nigeria, Togo and even the Caribbean. In Togo, Kieran visited the world's biggest Voodoo market, where he found skulls of various animals - including dogs. The traveller spoke to the local Witch Doctor, who said each skull has different properties and are often prescribed to cure illnesses. Kieran said: "That region of the world in particular, I went to the world's biggest Voodoo market in Toga, where you can buy every type of animal skull. "It was a bit creepy, we were walking and there was every skull you can buy. "We spoke to the Witch Doctor, he explained it's normal in this culture. When I posted a video people were horrified but they could be horrified with some of the things in Western culture. "There were Voodoo dolls and spells, he said it is possible to make another person fall in love with you, but I didn't believe it." 15 A Voodoo shrine in Benin Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media 15 Another Zangbeto in the streets of the city Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media 15 The market sells macabre charms, skulls and animal skins Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media Goat slaughter Every year on January 10 the Vodoun (Voodoo) Festival is celebrated across Benin and especially in the city of Ouidah, where practitioners gather to honour their spirits with sacrifices, dancing and singing. The festival begins with the slaughter of a goat to honour the religion's spirits. The blood is used as an offering to the spirits and the animals - such as chickens, goats, sheep and cows - are then cooked and shared amongst the worshippers. Despite experiencing the 'creepiness' of the voodoo market and rituals, Kieran would recommend Voodoo tourism to Brits who want to explore that part of the world. Meanwhile, Viktor is keen to share his passion for the area and religion with the world and invites those who are intrigued to his museum and to join his unorthodox holiday tours. 15 Viktor Wynd is a collector of Voodoo paraphernalia Credit: Gone With The Wynd 15 Viktor's museum houses an array of unusual artefacts and creepy curiosities Credit: Kennedy news and media
