With the average wedding costing over £20,000, it’s no surprise brides and grooms are looking for ways to bring the cost down.From the dress, to the venue to the honeymoon, nothing’s cheap but by being clever with your cash and where and when you hold your wedding, you can bring that cost down. The money saving team at PromotionalCodes.org.uk have put together their guide on how to make your wedding budget stretch further and be a budget bride.
They say by doing it yourself, calling in help from your nearest and dearest and being sensible about where you shop, you can save on the big day.
Making small concessions like tying the knot out of traditional wedding season will save a fortune on your venue, with marrying on Friday rather than Saturday also being another tactic to save cash.
Heading to the High Street and sample sales for suits and the wedding dress and roping in talented friends and family for the wedding cake and flowers are other money saving tactics.
Darren Williams from PromotionalCodes.org.uk said: “Your wedding day is one of the most special days of your life so making sure everything is perfect is only natural.
“However the last thing you want to do is blow the budget and spend the whole day worrying about just how much cash you’ve splashed.
“These tips offer some common sense solutions to keeping your costs down without scrimping on style.
“A few tiny changes can make all the difference and could end up saving you hundreds, if not thousands.”
Here are PromotionalCodes.org.uk tips on being a budget bride:
The dress
Check out designer sample sales if you want a dress with a wow factor. These sales can see prices slashed by up to 80% but you need to be quick, book an appointment and set yourself a limit on how much you’re willing to spend.
Sale rails in wedding dress shops are a good place to check too. These will often be out of season dresses, but bearing in mind most dresses are pretty timeless, chances are you’ll find something you fall in love with. Be open mined though – you may hate the dress on the hanger. Put it on and it could be the dress of your dreams.
Alternatively head to the High Street. Most department stores offer some bridal dresses and they’re certainly work checking out.
Suits
Suit hire can be a bit of a money pit so instead head for the high street and see what you can find. The wedding party doesn’t have to be dressed identically – as long as the suits are all the same colour then you really won’t be able to tell the difference.
Bridesmaid dresses
As with the wedding dress, head straight for the sale rails and see what you can find. As long as you have a clear colour scheme in mind, you shouldn’t get too distracted.
For adult bridesmaids, check out department stores and popular high street wedding brands for some great finds.
If you have little bridesmaids, why not get a talented family member to make their outfits? That way you’ll have exactly what you want and it will fit the little ones perfectly.
Day and date you get married
Marrying out of the traditional summer wedding season can cost considerably less than tying the knot on a Saturday in the middle of August.
Aim to avoid June to September and see what deals you can get on the price. If you do want a summer wedding, consider getting married during the week. As long as your guests have plenty of notice, it shouldn’t be a problem.
Hair and make-up
Instead of opting for the best and most expensive in the area why not ask a friend to lend a hand?
As long as you have time to practice in the run up to the big day, it will hopefully go without a hitch.
Alternatively try someone in your town who is just starting out. Prices will be lower and they will be eager to do a great job.
The cake
Why spend hundreds on a wedding cake when you can DIY it? Ask a good baker to make the cake for you and an arty friend to decorate and you’ll have a unique cake which will add a personal touch to the day.
Wedding reception
Wedding venues are possibly the most expensive part of a whole wedding so instead look for unusual venues and even village halls. They are often a fraction of the cost.
Food can also be a major expense so keep the cost down by doing it yourself and keeping it simple. Rope in some great cooks among your friend and family too.
Rather than supplying all the drinks try hiring a bar instead. You’ll pay a nominal fee for the bar and they’ll make their money on drinks.
Wedding cars
Wedding cars can be an unnecessary expense when planning on a budget. If you know someone with a nice car then ask if you can use it. More often than not they’re happy to help out.
Bouquets and wedding flowers
You can save money on flowers by buying them directly from a wholesaler and by picking things in season.
If you have talented flower arrangers in the family, ask them to help you put the bouquet and table decorations together. They don’t have to be overly fancy – delicate, hand tied bouquets always look beautiful.
Photos
Have a good photographer in the family? Then ask them to come to the wedding camera in hand and take the pics for you.
A wedding photographer can set you back thousands, and if you want a professional on hand to record your special day, then shop around and see what deals they can offer you.
If you want more information on being a budget bride, please take a look round the rest of our website for more great advice and information.
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