I am helping some friends to try to plan their wedding locally and it is proving very difficult indeed, so much so that they are now thinking of chucking in the towel and going outside London as it seems a lot easier to co ordinate there. Any advice helpful therefore from anyone with experience as its proving very difficult.

Getting Lewisham Registry office to answer the phone was extremely arduous for them having to hold on for about 30minutes each time, as was actually booking the date to be held until the interview and then they mislaid their records of the booking after the date was settled so it was all a bit fraught. They have had no luck with booking wedding cars at all having contacted various firms on the internet most of whom sound quite dodgy and hard to get hold of. Addresses have been emailed but no one ever responds and this has been the case for the last few months or so. Booking reception venues was extortionate so they have opted for a simple do in a pub in Dulwich instead.

If anyone has any advice on how to make things nicer/easier/more effective it would be welcomed, especially any named recommendations for wedding cars, flowers, caterers etc- probably best done by PM. Thanks in advance.

PS They dont have a lot of money to flash around so we are talking budget, but also value for money, if that is in fact possible when talking about weddings!