Welcome to Wedding Wednesday on our blog - today we'll be talking about how you can save money on your wedding costs, a hugely interesting area especially in these recessionary times.
Weddings and celebrations can be an expensive business, but there are many ways where you can cut costs, without comprimising on quality.
1. For a wedding, consider a long engagement. This gives you time to save up but, on the flip side, a short engagement doesn't give you time to keep changing your mind.
2. Subscribe to wedding or party planning forums to talk to like minded people who will share their tips on saving the pennies - You and your wedding, Wedding Ideas, Scottish wedding Directory, Confetti.
3. Book suppliers as far as you can in advance to get offered "this years prices". This might not always work though as you have to take the chance, especially in this economic climate that suppliers will cut prices.
5. Consider a midweek or Sunday wedding or event as usually less expensive than a Friday or Saturday event.
6. Look for a stunning party dress at the New Year or Summer sales and also for bridal shop sales for your bridal gown or attendants dresses.
7. Many high street retailers now offer beautiful bridal gowns and bridesmaids wear at reasonable prices - For example, BHS, Debenhams, Monsoon, Coast all stock fantastic party wear.
8. Beautiful tiaras and bridal and event jewellery can now be found in the high street- Monsoon, Next, Debenhams, BHS and consider fantastic designers such as http://www.nujoolz.com/ , http://crystal-jewels.co.uk/ , http://www.weddingandbaby.co.uk/, http://www.chezbec.com/ or http://www.tantrumsandtiaras.org/
10. When hiring kilts and suits for weddings and events, ask for details of discounts for multiple hire.
Available in places such as Moss Bros and Youngs suit hire, and most Highland Wear suppliers do deals when hiring many.
11. Book that special holiday or honeymoon through an independant travel advisor rather that the high street chains, thus avoiding overheads ie. http://www.travelarchitect.com/ or http://www.travelcounsellors.co.uk/
Hobbycraft is an excellent source of materials for this. However, if you decide to go with this option, it's important to remember what you save in money should be balanced in time cost.
13. Supermarkets now offer celebration cakes that can be customised for your event with your colours and theme. A three tier comes in at under £100, feeding at least 120 people. I am a big lover of the Marks & Spencers cakes having had one for my own wedding. Also speak to many cake designers who these days can be adaptable to budget constraints.
14. Have a buffet or hog roast instead of a sit down meal and, to follow this through, consider an independant venue instead of a hotel where you can bring in caterers.
15. Ask a friend or florist to move your flowers from ceremony to reception to cut down on costs, and consider seasonal flowers.
17. Consider having disposable cameras on your tables, it's a good an cheap way to capture the informal side of the day. These can be purchased at camera shops such as Jessops and in most supermarkets Tesco, Asda etc.
18. Consider asking friends or family that are talented at perhaps singing or playing and instrument. This will save you money on entertainment for your guests and can also be a lovely personal touch to your ceremony.
20. Always, always, always get wedding insurance. It will be the best £50ish you will ever spend, especially in this economic climate.
Great article! My wedding was inexpensive before watching your money was popular due to the recession and I, unknowingly, followed a lot of the hints given here - wedding dress from Monsoon, cake from M&S, disposable cameras on the tables, a friend who had a Daimler drove us to the ceremony and back etc - it was great and actually, having a lot of your friends helping out, made them feel really involved with it all too! Great article Ali!
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