Top 10 Tips for a wedding on a budget

Weddings are generally expensive with the average wedding costing in the region of £21,000. With the Royal wedding just around the corner, this could persuade wedding vendors to increase the price of their services as couples try to marry in the same year as William and Kate.

Not everyone can afford to have a luxury wedding day, but with these top ten tips, you can have the wedding of your dreams on a budget.

1. Set the date – Wedding venues will cost more to hire on a Saturday as for obvious reasons, this is the preferred day for weddings. Even though people may have to book time off work, having your wedding on a weekday could save you thousands of pounds.
2. Cut the guest list – This is where you have to be brutal. The more people on your day/evening guest list, the more expense you will be shelling out. Think about a cut-off point for guests and think about whether you really need to invite your great auntie’s cousin.
3. Wedding Cancelation Insurance – In the event of a disaster, it is always worth covering your big day with wedding insurance. This will protect your finances in the event that you need to cancel your wedding and re-arrange for another day.
4. DIY Invitations – It is possible with a little inspiration to create a number of wedding items yourself. Items such as invitations, place cards, seating planner, letterbox for cards are all easily assembled at a fraction of the cost.
5. “eBay it” – The popular online auction eBay is packed full of wedding suppliers. Most of them selling items brand new at very competitive prices.
6. Friends & Family – Your parents and your best friends will no doubt be playing a major role in your wedding day. So ask them to help out with planning and preparations.
7. Food & Drink – Speak with your caterers openly and honestly about what you want. Tell them you are looking for as low a price as possible. So if a traditional Sunday lunch is not on the menu, ask, it may be cheaper.
8. An online wedding dress – Possibly the most important part of the wedding and the most difficult to get right. After finding the right dress, have a look online to see if you can get it cheaper.
9. Honeymoon at home – Although we often dream of spending two weeks in the Bahamas or Mauritius, sometimes our budgets won’t stretch this far. So what could be more romantic than a honeymoon in a log cabin here on British soil.
10. The wedding venue – As long as you are getting married to the person you love, then the venue really is not that important. If you are really stretched for money then consider a registry office or even Gretna Green.