It’s commonly known that getting married is considered one of lifes most stressful events. For those that haven’t been through the process of planning a wedding you might be wondering why a day that is usually dubbed as being ‘the best day of your life’ is also stressful. Clearly, events such as moving house, divorce or separation and the death of a loved one are stressful so why would getting married?
Having been through the process myself, I believe the bulk of the stress comes from the sheer volume of organisation required, managing guests expectations and the financial strain it can put upon a couple. The stress of a wedding can even disseminate to the family if you’re relying on them financially.
With a little bit of planning up front and some savvy money saving choices along the way it’s possible to save money on your wedding whilst still having the day of your dreams.
Budget
Set a budget and stick to it! Going into planning a wedding with open purse strings is a recipe for disaster. You will end up spending a large percentage more than if you had agreed a sensible budget from the outset. For example, agree the cost of dresses for your bridesmaids and perhaps do some research with your chosen bridesmaids ahead of time using sites like https://www.promdressfinder.co.uk/.
DIY
There are large parts of a wedding you can DIY – even if you’re not super creative yourself. From invites to decorations and even the wedding photos. For example, to save money, I decided I didn’t want a traditional photographer at my wedding. Instead I rounded up guests who were happy to take snaps with their professional cameras, or even just on their smartphones, and the results were great.
Another popular DIY is baking your own cake. With the resurgence of baking over the last few years there’s no reason why you, or someone you know, can’t whip up a cupcake tower or a ‘naked’ cake. Here’s an example of one I made for a friend:
Go Unconventional!
Want to get married on a Saturday in July? You’re going to end up paying top whack for just about every part of your wedding. Instead, if you’re looking to make your budget go a little further, choose a more unconventional season and/or date. You could see savings of up to 50% if you chose a Friday in February, for example. The important thing is that you’re married and those nearest and dearest are there to celebrate with you.
Bag a Bargain
Typically wedding decor and other wedding related items are only used the once and then end up on selling sites such as Facebook marketplace or eBay. You can pick up all kinds of wedding paraphernalia in pristine condition if you’re willing to put in the leg work upfront. Why buy something new and pay through the nose when you could help someone else out by taking it off their hands and saving yourself a bucket of cash in the process?
So, there you have it – four easy ways to save money on your wedding. Follow the tips above and you will find you may even have enough cash left for a deposit on that honeymoon!
