Wedding Budget Ideas

Article Published 17/05/2023

How to Budget For Your Wedding




The thought of how much weddings alone cost in the UK alone can be overwhelming especially as we speak of this being a single day. Sources vary, however as a rough outline, a wedding in the UK costs between £20,000- £30,000.

Lets face it, unless you are actively saving for your wedding if you have the spare funds, considering the financial crisis that we all face, wedding can be cheaper and can be within budget providing that you are willing to reduce some costs and factors on the day.

Wedding budgets vary from individuals so remember that this is YOUR day not your friends, family or guests. Cutting costs from a number of different factors on your wedding day may give you the clarity on where your money should be well spent.

1. Let us start with your guestlist. If budget allows, i'm sure that you would want all your guests there with you to celebrate your big day however cutting your guestlists back can reduce the cost. If you opt for a small ,intimate wedding with close friends and family due to budget restrictions, this is completely fine, just be honest! Reducing your guestlist will also reduce the cost of catering, however you decide to do it. If you wish to invite those not attending the ceremony to the reception, be sure to make this clear in your invitations.

2. Save paper on your invitations. Why not consider the use of E-invites which allows you to send invities to guests mobile phones to invite them without the use of wasting paper and the cost of postage! Websites like www.123cards.com allow you to use templates, personalize and send e-invites for free to your guests. Why not add a photo of you and your other half to make your e-invites more personable, showing your personality through the invite.

3. Consider doing your own hair and make up on your big day. Each make up artist may charge differently and will factor in per head how long this may take, the use of the products and how much time is being spent on hair and make up for your bridal squad which soon tots up! Why not consider using tutorial videos and learn how to do your own make up, this will not only save you money on your big day but gives you a chance to learn new skills, tips and tricks to do with your own hair and make up going forward! Wedding hair is becoming more personable to the individual as we see this trending into 2023. From a slick back ponytail to loose beach curls or classic straight hair, hairstyles taylored to the individual which shines through your authetic self on your wedding day is a winner! Consider reducing the cost of hair and make up by simply doing this yourself or asking friends or family to help. It's amazing the hidden talent some of our friends have when it comes to hair and make up! Have a trial run or a pamper night with your friends. Did you know that Meghan Markle did her own make up on her wedding day and she looked stunning!

4.Wedding venue location may be a difficult choice for you to make. Especially considering if you are inviting a large number of guests. Wedding venues have been known to charge an obscene amount of money to hire out the venue for the day however why not consider a cheaper location to save money. This may include hiring a function room in a local public house, an outdoor location providing there is a wedding license (fingers crossed for the weather as this will need to be taken into consideration also). In some cases, you may be able to have bundles or packages within your venue which may in the long run, save you money rather than paying out individually for catering etc.There is also the option to consider getting married in a registry office with a handful of guests as witnesses if you wish to keep expenses down, be sure to check expenses within your area for registry office hire/charges. There is the option to consider an evening location for a reception party only or throw a party at home if you really want to if you have the space!

5. Consider your ceremony and reception in one location. This will not only save you money by choosing a single location, this will also reduce the amount of travel expenses and time for you and your guests- whilst also keeping those Co2 emissions reduced!

6.There is also the option to consider renting your wedding dress/suits on the big day to reduce the costs on the day. If you do wish to purchase wedding outfits, high street stores can also be used for a fraction of the price than your high end retainers. Online sites like Asos, Shein, Topshop & Topman are great websites to consider cheaper wedding outfits.

7. Why not opt for a simple 1 tier cake? If you have friends who are handy in the kitchen, why not consider them to bake your wedding cake and decorate it for you. Again, you are more than welcome to have a plain iced wedding cake and top it with natural flowers or edible flowers yourself to reduce costs. The wedding cake alternatives that are trending include cheese boards, pork pie stacks or even fruit cakes! Whichever option that you and your partner decide works for you within budget on your big day, go for it!

8. Wedding decor does not have to be over the top or expensive! Why not consider keeping it subtle and classy with minimal decorations? Depending on your location, the venue may have beautiful decor within the building that speaks for itself without the use of decorations. If you do wish to have wedding decor, why not consider second hand decorations that can be found online using sites like Etsy, Amazon or Facebook Marketplace. There is also the option to get creative with DIY decorations aswell. Nowadays social media platforms like YouTube & TikTok are filled with DIY tutorials which can contribute to keeping costs within budget.

The list goes on however by tweaking a few elements within your wedding day, this can save you money so you can keep within your budget.

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Written by
Zenouska Miller, Client Liaison Manager