It’s only one day, but it’s the most important day of your life… When it comes to weddings, how do you get the right balance between reining it in and splashing the cash?
Here are 18 top tips for cutting the cost of your wedding celebration so you have some money leftover for that dream honeymoon!
1. Your budget is your starting point
Unless you can wait for years while you save up, you shouldn’t plan your dream wedding then suss out how to pay for it. Start with what you can afford to spend and go from there.
2. Have a budget – and stick to it
With a little extra spending here and there, before you know it you can blow the budget. Thankfully, tracking your budget is easy nowadays, either using a spreadsheet or spending app.
Match your spending against the sum allocated to it and you can’t go too far wrong and always keep a few pounds back for those last-minute must-haves.
If you’re wondering where to allocate the most budget, your venue, dress and photographs will be the big things you’ll remember and treasure in the years to come.
3. Call in some favours
With a little imagination, you can source many elements for your wedding for next to nothing. Think through your networks – can someone design your invites, lend you a luxury car, whip up a wedding cake?
If not, the wedding team at Salomons Estate can point you in the direction of trusted local suppliers.
4. Pre-loved means quids in
From rings to dresses, suits to shoes – you can save a small fortune by buying secondhand. Most wedding clothing will be practically brand new, as they are only worn for one day.
You could even go vintage to add extra style to celebration.
5. Get haggling
You might feel tender about your future spouse, but you can still be hard-nosed with suppliers.
Get multiple quotes for things like catering, hair stylists and DJs, then ask for leeway on price if your preferred option is not the cheapest.
6. Save on food
A traditional wedding breakfast might not be to everyone’s taste. It might not suit your style of wedding, either. You can save pounds with some savvy thinking around food.
A buffet-style banquet may work out cheaper than a sit-down meal and be more in-keeping with your wedding theme.
7. Use a single location
You save a lot by having your wedding and reception in a single venue.
That way, you don’t need to pay for transport or duplicate decorations. Plus, some wedding venues in Kent are so grand, you won’t need to spend much to make them look incredible!
8. Go for a less popular season
Get married in peak wedding season and you can expect to pay for it. The colder months (November, early December, January and February) are the quietest time of the year for wedding venues.
A winter wedding can be magical – think of a hygge vibe with twinkling lights, lots of evergreen foliage and carols instead of hymns.
9. Get married on a weekday
Choose a quieter time such as a weekday, or an unpopular day such as a Friday 13th and you are likely to get the same venue for much less.
Holding your wedding on a weekday might make some guests turn down your invitation – but this will reduce costs even more!
10. Lose the kids
Don’t fancy having children at your wedding? It’s your choice, and at the end of the day they cost money and bump up guest numbers.
Specify that it’s a child-free wedding on your invites, or be a little sneaky and go for a weekday in term time!
11. Have a micro wedding
Tiny weddings with fewer than 40 people are a growing trend. They cost much less and have a more intimate atmosphere. You will also be able to pick from a wider range of venues.
12. Be brutal with your guest list
Headcount equals spending, so trim your guest list down where you can.
You might worry about offending that old school friend or distant cousin but people are usually understanding about these things and honestly, how often do you see these people anyway?
13. DIY invitations
Professionally printed wedding stationery can be really expensive.
Slash the cost using online templates that you print yourself, or even just use emailed invites for most of your friends, saving a handful of printed invites for older guests.
RSVP cards including stamps and envelopes are a big cost, too. Use email for a more environmentally friendly reply service!
14. Beware the hidden costs
An eye for detail is required to help you stick to your wedding budget.
Look out for things like quotes that exclude VAT and extra fees for corkage, cloakrooms, staff costs, and hire charges for tables, crockery and marquees.
15. Only spend where it matters to you
Don’t like fruit cake? Don’t spend hundreds of pounds on one. Not fussed about flowers? Skip them or go minimal.
It’s your wedding, don’t feel obliged to spend on traditions if they don’t mean anything to you.
16. Homemade is not always better
The trend for DIY weddings where everything is handcrafted from jam jars and doilies is great if you’re into that, but it’s worth totting up how much the materials cost and whether it might not work out cheaper to just buy decorations outright in the first place.
This is especially true if you don’t enjoy craft projects!
17. Buy, hire or borrow?
It’s a good idea to consider what you will do with your wedding purchases after the big day.
Some items may have resale value, meaning you can recoup your spending. If you buy a job lot of table decorations on eBay and resell them afterwards, you may even make a profit!
If an item is not something you want long term and would be hard to sell, consider hiring or borrowing it instead.
18. Go for in-season, local flowers
Flowers grown in the UK are often much cheaper than more exotic blooms which are air-freighted from overseas.
Go for options like gypsophila or even potted plants such as ferns. When grouped together they can make a strong impact but cost much less than grand bouquets.
Are you looking for wedding venues in Kent to hold your big day? Salomons Estate has years of experience making big day dreams into reality. Talk to the team today.