Weddings on a budget

By Laura Warby, 30/11/09 Before the wedding 2 comments

A wedding on a budget doesn’t have to mean that it will be any less special. If things are tight and you need some tips to make your day more affordable, look no further...

The most important thing when it comes to organising a wedding is to know exactly what it is you want. A carefully planned budget will help you see where you can make savings and we’ve identified a number of ways to keep the costs down.

Start your planning here. Using a website like ours will help you see the options available without having to leave the house!
Start with the most important things first. Research well and compare prices. When you have the basics sorted you will be able to see how much you have left for the remaining details.
Try and reduce the number of guests. This is always a sensitive subject but it makes a big difference. Instead of inviting everyone for the whole day, why not invite the majority of friends and family to the evening celebrations rather than the ceremony and sit down meal.
Make your own invitations and wedding favours. Customise the invitations with different materials and let your creative side take over in making some cheap and cheerful gifts for all your guests.
A buffet spread can be just as special as a sit down meal and will help you save some pennies on catering.
Take advantage of the lower price of seasonal flowers for the decoration: apple blossom or irises in spring; orchids or daisies in summer; chrysanthemums or dahlias in autumn and snowdrops or holly berries in winter.
If you’re flexible about the type of music at your wedding, a DJ will be less expensive than a live band or orchestra.
Your wedding dress doesn’t have to cost a fortune. If you’ve fallen in love with an expensive designer dress, take a picture of it to a seamstress who can take inspiration and make something similar for a lower price.

Whatever you do to keep the costs down, make sure you over-estimate the amount of money that you will need to spend on each item. There are always hidden extras and unexpected surprises so keep this in mind along the way.

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2 comentarios en este artículo

Posted to: 21/04/2011 09:10

Lisa Llewellin

I'm doing my wedding on a budget. I bought my wedding dress which is an Alfred Angelo from a charity shop which only cost me £200 - bargain. The dress is beautiful and is every bit as expensive looking as one that cost £1,000. I am also baking and decorating my own wedding cake. This is the one thing that my fiance didn't want me to hire someone else to do. He loves my cakes and I am totally excited about the whole thing. We are also having a DJ who is conveniently enough a relative of a very good friend of ours. My friend Juney is doing our wedding invites as a gift and they are gorgeous. I had mine and my bridesmaids hair accessories handmade. My maid of honour is having her dress made by her aunt, who in fact made her wedding dress as well. I have decided to chop the number of people I'm inviting to the day by half and then inviting everyone else to the evening do. I've worked it out that if I am in regular contact with them or they have helped in some way with the wedding then they get an invite. If they are someone I work with or are friends with but don't see very often then they are coming to the evening do. It is really difficult and I don't want to offend anyone but needs must and if they are any kind of friend then they will understand. So far the only major expense is the honeymoon, which we don't mind because that actually lasts for two whole weeks and I can't wait.
Posted to: 21/04/2011 09:18

Monica Mccoy

Congratulations Lisa! That sounds great. It's all about being resourceful, getting help from friends and family, and taking advantage of your strengths, like baking. Thank you for sharing your tips! All the best to both of you!

Weddings on a budget

2 comentarios en este artículo

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