Five Ways to Make Your Wedding More Affordable
21st January 2021
Did you get engaged recently? When did it happen? Given the popularity of proposing marriage around Christmas time, it’s likely you are one of the estimated 100,000 who popped the question last month.
A festive proposal gives you the opportunity to start the new year with wedding plans in mind, and while the average wedding cost has shot up to over £30,000 recently, a summer wedding this year may not be financially out of reach.
You still have plenty of time to create a beautiful wedding that won’t break the bank. If you’re looking for some budget-friendly inspiration, here are five ways to create your dream day without spending a fortune.
Affordable Venues
The bulk of your budget will be spent on the venue. Some venues charge over £20,000 in the peak summer months, so it’s easy to see why average wedding costs are shooting up. Therefore, if you have your heart set on a July date, you may need to rethink your venue and opt for something low-key.
Cheap wedding venues that tick the boxes in high summer do exist. Smaller hotels and pubs are more likely to have availability in the warmer months.
Should you have your heart set on a particular venue, you may find that compromising on the time of year whittles the price tag down dramatically. While summer weddings look stunning, falling autumn leaves or snow-covered branches also make for gorgeous wedding backdrops.
Similarly, swapping to a mid-week date could see you make some serious savings on your venue. What costs £5,000 on a Saturday could be £1,000 on a Tuesday, so it’s worth shopping around and getting quotes for different days to see what you have to work with.
DIY Décor
Once your venue is booked, you can then start planning how it will look. A lot of wedding venues will add room-dressing to the total cost, and before you know it you have paid an extra £300 for chair covers.
To avoid spending excessive amounts on decorating the space, why not do it yourself? Not only will you save money, but you can put your own personal stamp on your day by including touches that reflect you both as a couple.
Before you begin buying your decorations, set a décor budget and plan how you want to spend it. Carefully think about how you want it to look and start researching how much things like lanterns and fairy lights cost. Some cost-effective, yet attractive details you might like to incorporate include flower garlands, vases and tealights.
Go Vintage
What you wear on your wedding day is an important part of the celebrations. However, wedding attire can be expensive, with the average wedding dress cost coming in at over £1,000. When you’re planning your nuptials on a budget, £1k can be a substantial dent in your funds.
If this is where you’d like to spend a little more money, one way you could cover the cost is to take out a wedding loan. This could help you cover the cost of the dress without impacting on the money you’ve set aside for the rest of your big day.
Alternatively, you could try researching vintage stores and second-hand boutiques to see what’s out there. Auction sites such as eBay are also great for finding affordable wedding fashions.
Handcrafted Creations
Your cake is a sweet treat designed to round off a perfect day. When the average wedding cake costs £300, though, it might be worth shopping around for cheaper alternatives. One cost-effective solution is to ask a loved one to make your cake for you as a wedding gift. This not only saves you money, but it is a gift that is both practical and thoughtful.
Likewise, wedding flowers can cost more than your budget stretches to, starting from around £250 and going up to £1,000, depending upon how floral you want the venue to be. Again, for an inexpensive option, it’s worth going down the homemade route. Head to your local flower market the morning of your wedding and create some bouquets tied with raffia.
If your funds stretch, you could invest in a bridal bouquet from a florist as this will be photographed a lot and use your flower market blooms for the bridal party and centrepieces.
You might also be able to bag some bargains at your local florist if you opt for seasonal flowers, as they will be readily available.
Dance to Your Own Beat
Rather than hiring a DJ or band, why not create your own playlist for the day? As well as being a cheaper alternative, this will be a lovely way to spend some time together, curating a list of music that has meaning to you both.
Whether you use a music streaming service, or you use your own music library, you can plan every musical moment, from the service right through to the last dance of the night.
Whatever your budget, your day is sure to be special.