When you’ve already got so many things to pay for in order to have even the most basic wedding, it can be difficult to find the extra funds for those would-like-to-have items and fun flourishes. But, if you want to personalise your wedding and make it feel luxurious without splashing the cash, it CAN be done.
How can you save money on your wedding essentials? Here are some ideas to help you cut the cost of those not-so-necessary items that’ll make your wedding look truly special, without you needing a massive budget to achieve them…
1. Frugal flowers
It’s lovely to have beautiful blooms at your wedding and to carry a gorgeous bouquet down the aisle with you. However, I’ve found that flowers tend to be massively overpriced when you bring the word ‘wedding’ into the mix. When I got married I thought to myself; how can I save money on my wedding flowers?
Sure, you could hire a floral designer to decorate your venue with Instagram-worthy displays using hundreds of blooms however, you could also get a stunning effect by using fresh flower bouquets from a flower delivery specialist instead.
Bouquets that you can buy as a gift and send directly to your recipient are beautifully and professionally arranged – just like the kind of bouquet you would carry down the aisle or use as a table centrepiece – so there’s no need to spend twice as much for a ‘wedding’ version of these arrangements.
Plus, buying a pre-arranged bouquet isn’t pot-luck, you can still choose a luxurious selection with the flowers you love and that suit your wedding theme, from blousy roses and elegant lilies to seasonal posies of gerberas or wildflowers.
The great thing is that you can order and pay for the bouquets waaay in advance and organise for them to be delivered on a specific date just before your wedding. Then simply unwrap and pop them into vases as centrepieces or trim the stems shorter and add a beautiful ribbon around them to carry as a bouquet.
2. Cost-cutting cake
This is another item that is guaranteed to cost too much when it’s classed as a ‘wedding’ cake. Really, it’s just a big celebration cake dressed up with pretty decorations. And you’ll pay a lot for it. So, there are a few options here.
You could ask if a baking-enthusiast family member is willing to make the cake for you. You could supply the ingredients for them the bake and decorate it, or they might be happy to make the cake as their extra-special wedding gift to you.
Another option is to look at pre-made celebration cakes with plain white icing – supermarkets often have these in a selection of sizes so you could get three different sizes and stack them up to create an impressive tiered cake. Then you just need to add a cake topper or some ribbons to decorate the cake to fit your theme.
Remember that your wedding cake only needs to be big enough to serve the number of guests you have. There’s no need to have cake left over – as long as everyone gets slice, they’ll be happy. And, as cutting the cake is one of the last things to be done during the wedding reception, each portion only needs to be small, as everyone will already be full after the lovely celebratory meal you’ve just had.
Finally, you could have a dessert buffet instead of a traditional wedding cake. My friend Devine Bride did this for her wedding as a ‘Bake Off’ buffet, with guests bringing their own special bakes to the wedding for everyone to enjoy.
3. Thrifty outfits
Of course, I’m not suggesting that you scrimp on your dress or suit BUT there are stilling savings to be made on the clothing needed for your wedding. For example, if you’re having a number of bridesmaids or ushers as part of your ceremony, it can cost a lot to kit them all out in matching ensembles for the day.
So, why not go for a relaxed look and ask the bridesmaids to choose their own dresses but on a theme – perhaps a specific colour or ditsy florals or, if you’re going super-glam, all sequins! I’ve found that bridesmaids are often happier to choose their own outfits because they’ll get something that suits their usual style, that they feel comfortable in, and that they can re-wear in the future.
Likewise, for the groomsmen, most will already have a suit in their wardrobe. The one they wear for every special occasion. It doesn’t matter what the colour is, as you can help them all to coordinate by just buying matching ties and pocket squares. They’ll all look super-smart and you’ve only had to pay for a small accessory.
What do you think of these thrifty ideas to help you save a bit of money in your wedding budget? If you’re able to make savings on these items, you’ll have more available to spend on your honeymoon or future life together, which is always a handy thing to have. Let me know what other hacks you did for your own wedding in the comments below, I’d love to hear how you cut the cost of some pricey party essentials.
Pin it for later
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 🙂
