You've just got engaged and are keen to start the wedding planning. Congratulations! Weddings are costly, but there are some clever ways to save oodles of cash without compromising the quality of your day.
Don't get married in the Summer!
If you choose to get married in the Summer, then everything will be charged at a premium. That's because it's peak time. Wait until the Winter months and you'll get a much better deal. My friend managed to bag her whole day in a package for HALF of what it would be in the Summer, thus saving herself over £2000!
Set yourself a budget
This is the most important thing about wedding planning! Set a realistic budget of what you can afford to spend on your big day, and stick to it.
Save as much as possible, even if it means getting a closed money bank* - you know the ones that need to be smashed.
Do the PlayPennies 1p Challenge and you'll have saved £667.95 without any effort and that could pay for your flowers!
Make use of your friends and family
If your Aunt Susan is a ninja with her Kitchen Aid*, or your cousin Katrina is a florist, then call in the favours. Use the talents of your friends and family to make the cake, the bouquet, or play music etc. Doing so can literally save you hundred of pounds. You don't even need to feel cheeky about it - just ask them to do it as your wedding gift.
Another way to lean on kind family and friends is to get them to chip in on your wedding desires with an Amazon Wedding List*.
Do it yourself!
Making invites, save the dates, favours and so on can really save the pounds. What about make-up? It was good enough for Kate Middleton, who reportedly did her own face for her wedding day. That's another £100+, you can save!
Use students!
Contact your local college and make use of those students in the local area that are looking to expand their portfolio. This can help save on photography costs, hair and make-up, the cake, music and so much more.
Do it alone
There's a lot to be said about eloping. If you truly want to keep costs down then why not get married with a couple of witnesses present? You can always use the free function suite in the local boozer for a good ol' knees-up with family and friends afterwards.
Don't mention the W word!
As soon as you say wedding to a florist, make-up artist or venue manager, you can double the cost. No, seriously! It's the truth. If you want to save money, skirt around the fact it's for a wedding. Okay, so it may be a little bit cheeky, but if you're serious about saving on your big day then it's a viable option.
Dare to be different!
There are no rules to say that you have to do the whole church/hotel reception thing. In Scotland, you can get married pretty much anywhere you like, by a Humanist Celebrant. This means you can avoid costly venues, and pick somewhere that truly means something to you both.
If you don't want something formal then opt for a barbecue or fish and chip van to cater, and have a local band play.
Get a dress without the stress!
It's all very well paying £££'s on a wedding dress, but after your big day all it'll do is gather dust in the attic, unless you have someone that'll use it - like a daughter.
Don't scrap the idea of an "off the peg" number, or preloved wedding dress. Shop bought can be customised to make them unique for very little, and preloved bridal gowns can be had for a fraction of what they were new.
Even if you want to get your dress from a proper bridal shop, it's worth while grabbing the bridesmaid dresses or outfits for other members of the wedding party from a High Street store.
Here are just a few places that sell bridal wear...
Good luck!
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