GETTING married is one of the happiest times of your life, but planning a wedding can be incredibly stressful and very expensive.
The average UK wedding now costs over £19,000, so it’s no wonder that couples find that their budget spirals out of control.
GettyA couple has revealed how they cut costs on their big day to save some cash[/caption] GettyThere’s even a handy tip that will help you save hundreds on a wedding dress[/caption] Getty - ContributorAnd your invitations could be costing you a fortune when it doesn’t need to[/caption]And with so much to consider, brides and grooms can quickly find it becoming overwhelming – both mentally and financially.
To get rid of some of the stress, one couple decided to break tradition and do things a little differently.
And they actually managed to save a jaw-dropping £10,250 in the process.
Holly and Dan, both 29, from Birmingham, were overjoyed to be engaged – but were quickly blown away by the costs.
Determined not to start married life in debt, they made a bold decision: cut the fluff and focus on what mattered most.
In the end, they managed to have a beautiful wedding for under £8,000, packed with love and laughter — and most of all, no regrets.
People still tell us it was one of the best weddings they’ve ever been to. And the best part? We didn’t start our marriage in debt
HollyThey’ve now opened up about some of the decisions they made in a bid to help other engaged couples save some vital cash.
Holly and Dan revealed the seven key things that made the biggest difference – and it wasn’t cutting down the guest list.
Speaking to wedding dress experts at Chesca, Holly said: “We weren’t aiming for a luxury wedding, but even basic things were spiralling.
“It started feeling like we were paying for pressure instead of meaning.
“People still tell us it was one of the best weddings they’ve ever been to. And the best part? We didn’t start our marriage in debt.”
The first thing they did to save some money was decide that they weren’t getting married on a Saturday.
Being the peak day of the weekend, Saturdays are the most popular for ceremonies amongst brides and grooms.
But where the demand grows, so does the price tag, meaning it is often one of the most expensive days to tie the knot.
Often, venues will charge a few thousand pounds less for the same size of wedding on another day of the week.
Dan said: “The same venue was £2,300 cheaper on a Thursday. We grabbed it — and guests were more than happy to take a long weekend.”
We weren’t aiming for a luxury wedding, but even basic things were spiralling. It started feeling like we were paying for pressure instead of meaning
HollyAnother key way to save money is by not having printed invites – with almost everything being digital in this day and age, it seems like an easy way to cut back
And Holly said it meant they got their RSVPs back within hours instead of weeks – and saved them £400 in the process.
She added: “We used a free wedding website and set up a WhatsApp group. No printing, no postage, and RSVPs came back in hours”.
Traditionally, at weddings, guests enjoy a three-course dinner after listening to the speeches.
But the couple decided to do things a little differently and opted for a buffet instead, which saved them £200.
Dan revealed: “We swapped the three-course meal for a buffet with grazing boards. People ate more, relaxed more, and no one missed the formality
Wedding favours are, in theory, very sweet reminders of your big day and a lovely treat for your guests.
However, most guests actually leave them behind or throw them away within weeks, so they’re not always worth the hundreds of pounds that are usually spent on them.
Holly told how they decided to ditch the favours and donated some money instead, which ended up saving them £200.
She explained: “We were about to spend a fortune on little jars of sweets. Then we thought, no one remembers them — so we donated to a local charity instead.”
Another surprising place you can cut back on costs is your photographer.
AlamyDitching a fancy car can also save you a fortune[/caption]While everyone wants the perfect photos of their big day – because this is what you’ll have left to remember all the little moments for years to come – it doesn’t need to cost a fortune..
It’s a common belief that the best photographers are the most expensive, but this isn’t always the case.
Just because a snapper charges premium rates, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they will deliver the best results.
Holly and Dan decided to use a student photographer who took just as stunning photos but at half the cost – saving them £1,500.
Dan said: “We found a brilliant final-year student who charged a third of what others quoted. The photos are stunning — and she was thrilled to add them to her portfolio.”
If you’re not too worried about a wedding car, then this is another easy way you can cut back costs.
Wedding Guest Outfit Etiquette
If you're struggling to decided on a dress to see you through wedding season, here's a few rules on what not to wear so you don't get in trouble.
Folklore says that wearing red at a wedding means you slept with the groom. Casual attire like jeans and flip flops should always be avoided. Any colour that could be picked up as white or cream – even if it’s not. Most would agree that your cleavage needs to be covered. Wearing white is a massive no-no if you’re not the brideHolly said her dad drove them to her wedding, and while it saved her and Dan £650 on cars, it also created touching memories that will last a lifetime.
She said: “My dad drove me in his Volvo. It was personal, emotional — and completely free.”
Every little girl dreams of wearing the perfect wedding dress, but Holly has reminded brides that this doesn’t mean it needs to be brand new.
Buying her gown second-hand saved her £1,200, and Holly has urged brides-to-be to consider it an option – after all, it was only worn once!
She explained: “I found a designer dress for £400 on a preloved bridal site. Worn once, dry cleaned, looked brand new.”
This was one that the wedding dress experts at Chesca agreed with, and they said that more brides are making this smart, budget-friendly choice.
They said: “You don’t need to spend thousands to look stunning. Many brides are now turning to secondhand or sample gowns — they’re sustainable, affordable, and just as show-stopping.”
GettyHolly and Dan saved £10,000 with these hacks[/caption] Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Seven simple wedding hacks to save £10,000 on the big day – without cutting the guest list )
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