Your wedding day is meant to be the most significant and enjoyable day of your life. When the big day can cost thousands, saving money where you can is essential, so it’s no surprise that one in six couples are saving already. From dresses and suits to the cake and the venue, not to mention keeping your guests entertained and booking the honeymoon, the costs can seem never-ending.
Weddings on Female First
Rose St. Louis of Zurich UK shares her 10 top tips for how to say “I do” without breaking the bank.
You’re engaged, congratulations! Now time to budget
Budget sheets are not the most romantic of post-engagement tasks, and with all of the excitement surrounding your engagement, it’s something that can often be overlooked. Come together as a couple and discuss your budget, as it will benefit you massively later on. Consider whether family will be helping and make sure you’re clear on the total budget before you crack on.
Make the most of your savings
Consider the best way to build up your savings, before you pay all of those wedding supplier bills, even for a short period of time. The most tax efficient way will be by using a cash ISA so you'll receive tax free interest while having instant access. However if you're already maximising your ISA limit, simply search a comparison site to find an account with a good rate of interest that offers you the access you require.
Social media is a great place to grab a bargain!
Social media is home to many wedding-themed groups. Small businesses use these as a platform for selling goods and promoting their services. From photography to floristry, many sellers online will be offering discounts. Brides and brides-to-be also share their money saving tips, bargain finds and some will be selling on items from their big day for a fraction of the original price. Before purchasing, make sure you read reviews and are protected when making payments.
Never underestimate the power of the charity shop
Whether your theme is boho, 1920’s or even Disney, make sure you take a look around local charity shops to see if you can pick up a bargain. For example, vintage tea cups and saucers or even suitcases could be used as features for flowers on the big day. Charity shops regularly stock eclectic glassware, which would make your tables glitter for a much more affordable price.
We get by with a little help from our friends!
Utilise your wonderful family and friends. Loved ones may be able to help with decorating, arranging and sourcing flowers, or even baking. You’ll be surprised at how many people will be happy to put hobbies or skills forward to help make your day extra special. Why not suggest they provide their services as their wedding gift to you?
There are crafty ways of saving!
Use sites like Pinterest to give you inspiration for homemade ways decorating your reception room. Be as creative as you like, for example wedding favours filled with pick and mix are fun for all ages. Paper cranes and fairy lights can replace expensive table arrangements and will still look impressive.
The unconventional can be beautiful
Weddings do not have to keep to the traditional format. Rather than a reception room a customised green space, a beach or even a loved one’s garden, can be a stunning setting for the celebrations. Be open minded and you may find you can make significant savings on venue hire too.
Get the gift of a honeymoon
If your budget is tight and you concerned your dream honeymoon is out of your reach, then consider asking your guests to contribute as a wedding gift. There a number of online businesses that you can sign up to where guests can contribute to a honeymoon, and some travel companies will even allow you to add excursions and shows to your trip. It’s also a nice way for your guests to feel included in your honeymoon.
Hen and Stag parties don’t have to break the bank!
When celebrating your big day with your friends, there is a tendency to allow the spending to get out of hand. Having a themed dinner party with everyone bringing a dish is a great way to include all your friends, have fun and keep the costs down. Alternatively, combining the hens and stag parties is an unusual way in which the wedding party can get to know one and other while being more wallet friendly than holding two individual events.
Keep your photography price perfect
Wedding photography does not need to be extortionate. Digital cameras are now of a high enough quality that you can have beautiful photographs for a fraction of the cost of a professional photographer. Another way in which to successfully document your day would be to encourage guests to add their own photographs to a file sharing site such as dropbox or to share them on social media using a common hashtag you can trace. This way you not only see the photographs you requested, but also gain a new angle from the guest perspective.
Make sure you’re covered
In the lead up to and on the day planning can be stressful and things can always go wrong. Anything from problems with the venue or the car arriving late can add extra strain. Always plan to avoid disasters, but consider taking out wedding insurance too. This will help ease the stress should anything unfortunate happen. However, it is worth remembering that wedding insurance typically doesn’t cover you for a last minute change of heart.
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