8 Ways To Save Money On Your Wedding

No matter what budget you have set for your wedding, you are probably looking for ways to make your money go further.

I'm a wedding planner and I'm here to help! Here's 10 easy ways you can save £££ when planning your wedding.

ONE: Downsize your guest list. Reducing your guest list is the single easiest way to save money on your wedding. There are so many things that are directly impacted by the number of guests you invite, from catering to chair hire to stationary. You will be able to save anywhere from £50-£150 per guest on food and drink costs alone, so make sure all the names on your guest list are people you really want to be there. Micro weddings might have become a much more mainstream concept during Covid, but they were already a growing trend. My husband and I got married in the middle of the pandemic and had just 15 people at our wedding. Despite being initially devastated at not being able to have the big wedding I'd imagined, I adored how intimate and personal the whole day felt. We upgraded the menu and had an open bar and still saved a tonne of money.

TWO: Consider a midweek or off peak wedding date to potentially save thousands on your wedding venue. A lot of exclusive use wedding venues offer significant discounts for less popular dates. If you are happy to consider either a winter or a midweek wedding then you could book your dream venue at a fraction of the price of a peak summer Saturday. With exclusive use venues often costing over £10,000 to hire, this could free up thousands of pounds for you to spend on other areas of your wedding.

THREE: Pick your priorities and cut back ruthlessly on areas that aren't a priority for you. If you haven't decided what your wedding priorities are then go do that now! Focus your budget on the things that actually matter to you and be prepared to cut back on those you don't. You don't have to splash out on everything, no matter what Pinterest and Instagram might have led you to believe.

FOUR: Get quotes from multiple suppliers before booking. Prices can vary a lot so do your homework. I'm absolutely NOT saying you should go ahead and book the cheapest supplier, but it is important to get an idea of what your options are before booking. The right supplier for you is one who creates work that you love at a price that fits your budget. For some couples this might mean spending £1,200 on an intricate handmade cake, for others it will mean spending £300 on a simple cake. There are tonnes of wonderful wedding suppliers at a variety of price points in the UK so don't be afraid to shop around.

FIVE: Consider buying a preloved or high street dress. Wedding dresses can easily cost thousands of pounds, especially once you've paid for alterations. If you want a designer dress but not a designer price tag, then a preloved dress could be a great option. Bridal Reloved have stores nationwide that sell preloved, sample and ex-display dresses for half the RRP. Better for the planet, better for your budget! There are also some great high street options from ASOS, Monsoon, Ghost and more that start from as little as £130.

SIX: Swap the traditional wedding breakfast for something more informal. After venue hire, catering is typically one of the biggest expenses for many couples. According to Hitched UK, the average cost of a sit down 3 course wedding breakfast is £65 per head. Bear in mind that this is an average so lots of venues/caterers will charge more than this. Choosing a less traditional, more relaxed catering option will cost far less per head and your guests will be just as well fed! Street food is an increasingly popular choice, with average prices per head ranging from £10-£20. Another option is grazing tables, either set up as a buffet or laid directly on the tables. If you know you want a plated sit down meal, you can still save money by having something simple like bread and oils instead of a starter and choosing to have your wedding cake served instead of dessert.

SEVEN: Ditch the wedding favours. Not only can they end up costing hundreds of pounds, the majority of them are often completely wasted. I can't tell you the number of times I have seen dozens of wedding favours get thrown in the bin the next day.

EIGHT: Go paperless with your invitations. As much as I adore custom wedding invitation suites, the hard truth is that the majority of your guests will throw their invitations in the bin. Creating a wedding website and sending E-invites will cost a fraction of the price of sending printed invitations. If you know you want some beautiful stationery to feature in your day, why not pimp your name cards or print some stunning signage that lets your guests know what's happening AND looks beautiful.

If you're struggling to prioritise and manage your wedding budget then why not book in a Power Hour Call with me? Benefit from my years of experience in the wedding industry and walk away with everything you need to move your wedding planning journey forward. Pop me a quick email to book your slot.

Let me know your top wedding budgeting tips in the comments below! Happy wedding planning x