Ash - if you want the big day, don't let it put you off that you have to wait. yeah, moving now is a PITA, and it will leave you short of money for a year or so - but why not plan in advance - maybe look at your fifth anniv of getting together (i know Feb 18 is important to you - me too!) - or look for the next time it falls on the day you got together cos then you know it will be your anniv to the day (so if it was 06, you can get married in 2012 cos that's the next time it's on a Saturday kwim?) - i know a wedding is an important and very public declaration of your love for each other - but you don't want to do something you'll be disappointed in and regret. it's possible to do the small thing, but if you plan (and start getting bits and pieces now) it's doable on a still reasonably restricted budget

FWIW - apart from "THE DRESS" which was initially going to be hand made, but ended up being an off the rack thing that i loved - and the only one i tried on - our expenses were minimal. we got spit roast catering, friend made the cake, i did all the invites myself (and they turned out fab might if i may say so myself!) - the "gift" for guests was a CD of music relevant to our relationship - which i made myself - cost maybe $2 a couple... i think all up (dress excluded) it cost us around $4000, which included $1000 over the bar, $1800 for catering (for around 115 people), gifts for everyone that helped out (bottle of wine with personalised labels), invitations etc. and was organised on a budget (DH unemployed at the time and paying mortgage/expenses on two houses for four months) from August 05 to Feb 06. it was full on, and i had to put in the hard yards on all the details myself, but it worked out really well.

if you need help with doing the "big" wedding on a budget, i'm here to help - add me on msn and ask away hun!