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Weddings are pretty expensive – even if you are planning the smallest of gatherings the cost can soon start to mount up. In this post I am going to share some of my favourite tips for cutting the cost of your wedding – whether it’s a gathering of 30 people or 300, there are always ways you can save some cash.
Opt for a weekday ceremony
Opting to get married on a weekday instead of a weekend could save you a lot of money if you’re looking at a venue that offers an all-inclusive package. Typically, weekday packages are much cheaper as they are less popular. While this will mean you and your guests may need to book time off work, this shouldn’t be an issue if everyone is given plenty of notice (although do keep in mind there may be guests who can’t book time off during the week, such as teachers).
Another option could be to look at booking your wedding on a Sunday, particularly one that falls before a bank holiday, so any guests that are travelling won’t need to book an additional day off work.
Choosing a cheaper weekday wedding should mean your budget will stretch much further – this could enable you to have a wedding venue you wouldn’t be able to afford if your wedding was on a weekend. Time of year makes a huge difference too – even the jump from August to September or September to November can see a saving of thousands of pounds.
Avoid Disposable Cameras On Tables
Having disposable cameras on each table might seem like a brilliant and fun idea. In reality, it’s a pretty expensive way to end up with a lot of blurry photos taken by kids and drunken pictures of peoples feet. Getting these cameras developed costs around £5 per camera – that money is much better going towards your budget for a professional photographer.
Most of your guests will have a much higher quality camera on their phone anyway, so a better idea would be to use something like a wedding photo sharing website, where guests can upload their pictures after your big day and you can choose to get the best ones developed.
Think Outside the box when it comes to wedding outfits
What you wear on your day wedding may well be one of the most expensive things after the venue and catering. While it’s easy to think you need to splurge hundreds on your wedding dress, the reality is that you’ll only actually be wearing the dress for a few hours and there are plenty of significantly cheaper options than going to a wedding boutique.
Buying second hand is an excellent way to save money and is good for the eco-conscious bride. There are shops that specialise in second-hand wedding dresses so you can even try them on before you buy. There is also a trend for vintage wedding dresses, with brides choosing to wear their mother’s gowns and veils.
When it comes to your bridesmaids there’s no need to spend a fortune on dresses. Again, shopping around is key and you might find something in the most unexpected places. My bridesmaids dresses actually ended up coming from Tesco’s F&F range!
Another way to save could be to try prom dresses rather than bridesmaids dresses. Choosing the right prom dresses for your body type is essential and you may want to consider letting your bridesmaid choose a style they find most flattering but ask they all pick the same colour.
Ditch the favours
Wedding favours may be traditional but they can end up being pretty pricey and more often than not, guests end up leaving on them on the tables. If you really want to give your guests a small treat a sweet table or a chocolate fountain is a much better idea.
Some final tips
When speaking with suppliers, don’t be afraid to try and haggle a little – especially if you have taken the step of having a weekday wedding where it’s likely they will be less busy anyway.
Below are a few last tips for saving money on your wedding.
- Ask if you can serve your wedding cake as dessert to save on catering costs.
- Rather than directly asking for a discount, ask for something extra to be included instead such as the DJ or order of service.
- Wedding venues will often provide set menus for you to look at but there may be room for negotiation – for example – choosing not to serve a starter or opting for afternoon tea instead of a sit-down meal.
- Having a cheese wedding cake that doubles up as evening food may also be an option.
- While top hat and tails look nice, it’s worth choosing a suit the groom can wear again. My husband has worn his wedding suit to three weddings since we got married just opting for a new tie each time.