It’ll probably come as no surprise to you when I say that weddings are expensive. If you are planning to get legally married in the UK in a church for example, you can’t do it for less £456 (and that’s if you’re getting married in your home parish). That’s still quite a chunk just to sort out the legalities of the whole thing. So with that out of the way, what other things can we look to to keep the costs down?
Make your own
From making your own invitations and place settings, all the way to making your own dress (or getting a friend/family member to help out!), these things will end up saving you a lot of money in the long run. Any time that you can save money by making something yourself means that you’ll have more money to spare on essentials for the wedding. For example, I made some really easy, cheap and quick-to-make photo props for a party, check out my DIY photobooth tutorial on my blog!
For most decor, food and stationary items, you’re are mainly paying out for labour costs of someone else to making it for you so can save a chunk of money by doing it yourself. If you start early enough (i.e many many months in advance) and plan effectively, you should be able to make the majority of the things needed within the wedding yourself or with the help of friends. And don’t forget that the wedding cake is just a normal cake wearing a lovely outfit, so I’m sure someone will be able to help you with that!
Cut out the unnecessary
You don’t have to go over the top on your big day – although I know it’s easy to get carried away! I’m not only talking about lavish decorations or luxurious food, this also includes inviting hoards of people that you barely know. Make up a guest list, but make it provisional. Who do you really want to be there? Don’t be reserved on your cutting back, either; people can still come to the evening reception if you’re hosting one, meaning that you aren’t having to pay out for a wedding breakfast for them. This can save you hundreds (if not thousands!) of pounds. A good rule is only inviting people that you have spoken to in the last two years. If you want to be more cut-throat, make it a year; it’s amazing to see how many people drop from the list when you really start thinking about it.
Outsource to others
As cost-ineffective as this may seem, hiring a wedding planner such as Creative Destination Events could end up being the best money you’ve ever spent. Not only will you have a great load of stress taken away from you as they sort out the finer bits and bobs that you may not have given two thoughts to but, if they are well established in their field and have links with different venues and companies related to weddings, they may be able to get you a sizeable discount. If you have your heart set on a grand venue but it was way out of your price range, why not let a planner negotiate a better deal for you? Every little helps, and these discounts do all add up. Often the fee for the wedding planner is covered by how much you have saved, plus a bit more on top.
Shop secondhand
A lot of couples get married, buy all of the decorations and adornments for their wedding day, and then have absolutely no use for them. These bits and pieces therefore end up at car boot sales and in charity shops so have a rummage around to find the things you need. Sites like eBay and Gumtree can be great ways to source cheaper items Look locally on the Facebook buying and selling groups and on Freecycle.org too to see if someone nearby has exactly what you need. And don’t forget to ask all your married friends and family if they have anything left over from previous parties or weddings – I can’t count how many times my bunting has been borrowed for other events!
I hope these tips have given you some helpful ways to ‘thrift’ your wedding day and please do leave me a comment to let me know how you saved some money on your own big day. I know it’s tempting to really go for it when it’s your own wedding day (after all, you’re only planning on doing this once!) but it would be such a shame if you were to be set back financially for years as a result. Happy bargain hunting!
This article is a sponsored collaboration. The pink links in the content indicate a sponsored link or information source. The blog post reflects my own experience and the sponsor hasn’t had any control over my content 🙂
