The average wedding in the UK costs a whopping £27,000 (jumping to £38,000 for those living in London), according to research by Bridebook. With this in mind, those due to get married are always on the lookout for ways to make savings and cut costs, keeping the overall spend down, and we’ve compiled 10 top tips on how to do just that…
Don’t Get Married On A Saturday
Rule #1 for those not wanting to pay over the odds their wedding; don’t get married on a Saturday. It’s not just the venue that costs more on a Saturday, it’s most things; bands, DJs, entertainment, catering and so on. It’s the most popular day, yes, but it’s possible to save hundreds, if not thousands, by switching to a Friday or even a Sunday (happy days if that just so happens to fall on a Bank Holiday weekend too, as most guests won’t have to go into work on the Monday).
Allow Plenty Of Time
Once the ring is on the finger, it’s tempting to go full-steam ahead on planning the wedding and getting a date in the diary, but it doesn’t need to be rushed. Don’t be afraid to leave a couple of years between getting engaged and getting married; allowing much longer to plan, save for and pay off the wedding. It’s far more affordable to pay bits here and there instead of all in one go.
Choose The Venue Wisely
Some venues will require the happy couple to use their vendors, at fixed costs, but choosing a venue that allows outside vendors will allow for price comparison, haggling and even covering areas without vendors. For example, hiring the bar and bar staff to be at the venue will cost a tidy chunk, but allows the happy couple to go to the cash and carry to purchase the alcohol and soft drinks themselves at a much better rate. Be wary of things like corkage fees too, as some venues will let you bring your own alcohol for the big day but will then charge a hefty fee per bottle to open and serve your chosen beverages for you!
It’ll save money choosing a venue to host both the wedding and the reception too; not only will there only be one venue to pay for instead of two, having to decorate just the one as well, but it will also cut costs on having to transport guests from one location to another – regardless of who’s covering the costs for that.
Avoid The ‘W’ Word When Making Bookings
Believe it or not, a wedding cake is just a cake, a wedding DJ is just a DJ and wedding flowers are just flowers. But add the word ‘wedding’ and everything automatically increases in price. When enquiring about costs, hold off as long as possible on mentioning that the query is for a wedding, as it’ll often keep the cost down. Vendors may try to increase the cost when they find out it’s for a wedding, but hopefully by that point a quote will have been given, giving the bride & groom better leverage at haggling the cost.
Restrict The Guest List
Everyone that gets invited to the wedding will cost you; whether that’s paying for them to join the wedding breakfast, partake in the evening buffet or even simply having a welcome drink. With this in mind, the best advice for the bride & groom is to only invite those they really want at their wedding. Don’t let Aunt Carol dictate that a long-lost cousin who has never met the family should be at the wedding, simply because she wants them there. Aunt Carol isn't going to be paying for them, after all.
With regards to plus-ones, don’t be afraid to limit them. If someone’s married, then it would be rude not to invite their husband/wife, but if it’s a relatively new relationship, or the happy couple haven’t met the boyfriend/girlfriend, then it’s perfectly acceptable not to invite them.
Many are now even choosing to exclude children from their weddings in a bid to cut costs and free up space for those who would appreciate the invite.
Rent The Suits
They help to make the groomsmen look very handsome, but they don’t hold the same sentimental value as the wedding dress and therefore it’s not unusual to hear that the suits for weddings are rented instead of purchased. It’s also possible to get a group rate when the suits are rented in bulk.
Don’t Get The Dress From A Dedicated Store
Wedding dress shops, whilst amazing for flicking through a rack of wedding dresses, aren’t the cheapest place to find a dress. A great alternative is to purchase a white prom dress and have alterations made to customise it, turning it into a one-of-a-kind wedding dress that’s going to be the talk of the wedding. Another great alternative that will save money is to buy a pre-owned dress, whether from a charity shop, online, or from a friend/relative. Again, a few alterations here and there and it’ll look brand new with no suggestion that it’s second-hand. Don't be tempted to order a dress online that you haven't tried on though; as this could end up costing you more in the long run when you realise it's no good.
Get Creative
There are so many small items for a wedding that can be made at home for those not afraid to get their hands a little dirty; wedding invitations, table centrepieces, flower arrangements, wedding favours and more. Local craft stores have everything that’s needed and there are plenty of videos and instructions on the internet for those who need a little help along the way. Not only is this cost saving, but it also puts a more personal touch on the wedding.
Don’t Be Afraid To Let People Help
Instead of asking for set gifts from wedding guests, ask them to help with various aspects of the wedding. Maybe one is a caterer and can help with the food prep ahead of the wedding. Perhaps one is a dab hand at arts & crafts and can assist with handmaking the decorations for the venue. Their input in the wedding can be far more valuable than receiving gifts that aren’t needed.
Honeymoon Donations
Many people, when getting married, already live together and have everything they already need. Another alternative to a gift list is simply to ask people to donate money towards the honeymoon. Weddings can cost thousands of pounds, sometimes not leaving any left over for the honeymoon, or a decent one at that. You'll be surprised how generous wedding guests can be, so you may even have a little leftover after the honeymoon to pay off some of the wedding costs.
Written by George Charles from the UK’s leading money-saving website www.VoucherCodesPro.co.uk.
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