How to Have a Beautiful Wedding Without Going Bankrupt
Where to spend and where to splurge: we have the lowdown
We have included third party products to help you navigate and enjoy life’s biggest moments. Purchases made through links on this page may earn us a commission.
Wedding’s vary in price from couple to couple. While some wedding planning love birds like to say their nuptials within 6 months of engagement and plan their wedding as quickly as possible, others like to save for years to ensure that they have the most extravagant wedding day humanly possible. We all know that the average UK wedding costs in the region of £32,000, but how is that figure actually broken down, and, is it possible to still have an amazing wedding day without spending a small fortune?
The answer is yes. We must not forget that a wedding day is about the celebration of love that two people have found… not how expensive the dress was or how big the diamond is. Having a wedding is like having a big party, but with your best friends and family all in one place at the same time. You will want it to be special, and therefore choosing the best suppliers is essential if you want your wedding to be a huge hit. The biggest spend will be entertaining your party. A wedding day is always a long occasion to attend for the wedding party, and the wedding guests. You will want your guests to be entertained and comfortable through out the day, so one of the biggest spends will be the hire and catering of the wedding venue. There are thousands of fantastic wedding venues all around the UK to suit the style and size of your wedding. Cut your costs when choosing a wedding venue by selecting and viewing venues that are the right size to cater for your party. A big wedding venue will be expensive if you are only having a small wedding. A smaller venue will hold everyone nicely and keep your wedding party interactive. In terms of catering, see if you can save money by opting for a buffet over a 3 course meal, serving wedding cake as the dessert, or maybe see if any venues offer an all inclusive package which might include in-house entertainment. Getting married on a week day or a Sunday might also save you some money when it comes to selecting your wedding date, and your wedding venue.
The wedding dress is another big expenditure on the budget list. Even though you want it to be perfect a wedding dress can often cost a couple of thousand pounds. The design will be beautiful and the details on the dress exquisite, but several thousand pounds is a lot of money to spend on just one day. An equally beautiful wedding dress can be bought at a sample sale, or a bespoke designer might be able to create you a dress in 2 pieces so that you can wear it time and time again on other occasions. If you wanted to go for a vintage style dress you could always check out your local charity shops or maybe even ask your mother or grandmother if they have an old wedding dress hidden away in the loft somewhere.
Other ways to cut costs on your wedding day might be to ask your guests to take photographs with their own cameras or table cameras so that you can then create a fun album with the shots, rather than paying for a photographer. Be creative and make your own wedding invitations, and while you have your creative mind on, maybe bake your own wedding cake? Honeymooning close to home, doing your own hair and make-up, and making your own wedding favours are all contributing factors to cutting costs in preparation for your wedding day.
Top tips from hitched.co.uk:
- Create a ‘to do’ list during the early stages of your wedding planning to see in which areas you might be able to cut your spending
- Don’t be afraid to be creative. Sometimes receiving a hand made invitation or wedding favour is more meaningful to the guest
- Search eBay or borrow ‘nearly new’ accessories and decorations from friends who have recently been married them selves
