Getting married is an amazing experience, one that many of us look forward to our entire lives. However, it can also be the most expensive experience of our lives, with the average couple spending around £20,000 on their UK wedding last year.
Although it is a really great reason to splash out, it can be easy to get carried away and spend much more than you planned to. This can sometimes leave people in debt, or having to make cut backs on the honeymoon.
To keep your wedding costs down, follow these simple tips:
Plan Ahead
It is important to plan ahead so that you don’t end up paying extra for booking things or buying things last minute. Planning ahead will enable you to budget accordingly, manage your costs and shop around for the best deals. Leave plenty of time for wedding planning and give yourself the most time to save.
Budget!
It might seem obvious, but some people get stuck into wedding planning without even discussing a budget. You need to get really detailed on your budget making sure you include everything and anything you will need to pay for, looking up how much that should cost you roughly and writing down a budget for each item. It is better to write the highest possible amount you will have to pay for each item. If you are getting money from family members towards the wedding, try to be upfront and ask awkward questions. It might seem rude asking upfront how much they want to contribute, but this does stop things getting awkward down the line. So if a family member has offered to contribute, ask them if they are wanting to pay for a specific aspect of the wedding like your dress or the venue, or if they want to give you a certain amount of money. If they are giving you a certain amount of money towards the wedding, ask if it can be placed in an account you can gain access to – this stops you having to ask them for money every time something needs paying for.
Seasonal Fluctuations
Remember that wedding costs will fluctuate depending on the season. Peak wedding season is summer in the UK, unsurprisingly because people want the best of the weather. If possible, consider a winter wedding or autumn wedding to avoid peak wedding season costs. Winter weddings can be done really cheaply and they can be absolutely perfect if planned in the right way. When it comes to other items for your wedding like flowers, you will want to actually work with the season your wedding is in. You might want a specific type of flower for your bouquet or reception decorations, but if they aren’t in season they will cost you a lot more. Consider opting for flowers that are in season to save costs.
Take Advantage Of Special Offers
Many people feel they can’t opt for wedding special offers as it might make them appear ‘cheap’ or come across as though they feel their wedding isn’t worth full cost. This is an out-dated attitude and most people now actively look to take advantage of special offer wedding services and packages in order to keep costs down and make their budget stretch further. Booking midweek or winter weddings can be a lot cheaper than weekend and summer weddings so maybe you should consider this too. Look online for special offers, looking at coupon websites and websites like who will all have special offers and promotions available on wedding services.
Home Help & Homemade
Don’t steer away from homemade favours and decorations. If you have anyone in your family who makes is particularly ‘crafty’ take advantage and ask them to help you out with your wedding. You might get really cheap rates or even get their services for free as a wedding present. Just remember if anyone is helping you out to say lots of ‘thank you’s’ and provide plenty of refreshments and nibbles for them – they are giving you their time and energy, they deserve a thank you.
Keep Track
Get an app, or handy notebook and write down everything you pay for in relation to your wedding. It can be easy to forget spending money here and there, which results in losing track of the budget. Whether it’s £10.00 on a bridal favour or £700 on a cake – write all the costs down to keep track of your budget.
Happy Planning!
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