Apart from the bride, the other big 'b' word when it comes to planning your wedding is 'budget'. You can't avoid it whether you're having a small or a large do, at home or abroad. From the day you say 'yes', you're suddenly dealing with deposits, installments, down payments and transfers flying out from your savings, current account, joint account and credit cards. No wonder so many wedding budgets spiral out of control.
Weddings on Female First
To help keep track of your spending from the start, it's worth trying out a money management app like Moneyhub. Through one log-in, you can see a continuously up-to-date balance of your debit card, credit cards and savings all in one place. You can create transaction categories for your wedding spending, such as 'venue hire' and 'flowers', allowing you to work out if you really can afford those seat covers or not.
Moneyhub's personal finance expert Dominic Baliszewski offers the following advice around how couples can make their budget go further:
Negotiate - Don't be afraid to haggle with suppliers on quotes. If you're in the fortunate position to do so, offer to pay the lion's share of a large payment upfront in return for a reduction on the overall price.
Buy some time - Never feel forced to commit to something on the spot by persuasive sales people. Can you get the same product at a better price elsewhere?
Make friends with your finances - Dedicate ten minutes every week to your finances to ensure everything has been accounted for, particularly if cash payments are made.
Double trouble - If your partner is also spending from the same pot, make sure they always have a clear view on your current balance. You can't spend the same money twice!
Create a stash for WPBs (Wedding Planning Bombshells) - "How much?" Set aside 5% of your budget for when unexpected payment bombshells land.
Cash in on your talents - There's a YouTube tutorial on everything now so if you have creative family and friends who don't mind helping, why not make your bouquet, buttonholes and wedding cake? Remember though, practice makes perfect.
Don't scrimp on your memories - If you have a photographer friend you trust to take your pictures, excellent. But otherwise it's worth paying for a photographer whose style you like and has the testimonials to warrant their price.
The food of love - Don't feel pressurised to follow tradition with an expensive three course wedding breakfast. Love Asian food? Have it on your wedding day! It will likely work out cheaper for your venue to cook a tasty curry too.
BYOB - Can you source your own booze? Bulk buying your bubbles will help balance out corkage costs. Supermarket promotions may vary online and in-store, so keep an eye on both.
After the wedding -The spending doesn't stop immediately but you can pace yourself. Changing your passport name costs £72.50, however wait until it needs renewing before doing this. Just remember to book airline flights under the same name as your passport or you might not be able to fly.
About Moneyhub
Moneyhub has certified bank level security and works on smartphones, tablets and desktops. It's available at www.moneyhub.com for £2.99 a month or you can download the app for a seven days free trial.