Top Credit Crunch Tips for the Bride on a Budget

26 June 2009

Wedding Day Bliss

Credit crunch conscious couples are tightening their belts with weekday weddings, putting their honeymoons on hold and handwriting their own invitations, according to research released today revealing the nature of noughties nuptials.

In a study of 4,000 wedding guests, carried out by Visa Europe, nearly two thirds (65%) revealed that brides and grooms are doing more for themselves on their big day, with personal but financially cautious touches, e.g. writing their own invitations or asking guests to bring food and drink. One in five couples are also choosing weekdays to tie the knot and save money, whilst a quarter of them are delaying their honeymoons.

In response to an overwhelming demand for more straightforward financial and budgeting help when getting hitched (70% of those surveyed wanted clearer advice) ‘wedding doctor’ Sarah Haywood, has created a list of top tips, to help couples avoid having to say ‘til’ debt do us part’ on their big day......

Top Credit Crunch Tips for the Bride on a Budget

Money Management Plan only for the type of wedding you can afford. Create your perfect day not Posh Spice’s

Set a realistic budget and prioritise the main areas of spending: If flowers are more important than the cake for example then budget for a simple cake and spend more on flowers.

Keep overspending in check: If you overspend in one area of your wedding then immediately claw it back from another. So if the photographer was £150 more than budgeted, immediately cut £150 from elsewhere.

Keep control of your guest list: Around 50% of the budget goes on the venue hire food and drink. If the cost per head is £75 for example, then it is easy to see how inviting an extra 5 people will add a significant amount to the overall spend.

Beware of fixed price packages. Check what is included and what you actually want. Negotiate and do not be bamboozled into signing a contract until you are happy with what you are agreeing to.

Read the small print: are VAT and service included? If not, then an extra 10% service charge for food and beverages plus 17.5% on the total bill could mean hundreds if not thousands of pounds more than budgeted for. So do the maths.

Don’t be over-generous! ‘Favours’ are just table clutter. You do not need to buy your guests a gift and unless it is really worth having it will be left behind. And if you are offering a free bar you do not have to include spirits. Wine and beer is sufficient and often all people expect.

Borrow what you can and hire expensive items, don’t buy them. Who has recently got married and could lend you a veil or jewellery? And many items can be hired such as vases, topiary, linens and decorations.