Wedding budget planning - 10 ways to stay in the black

Planning for your big day can be both stressful and time consuming, so why not let Wedding Ideas help with some fantastic tips to save £££s in your wedding budget. Read on to find out how to ease the stress and lighten the load on your pocket…

1. Don't overdo the wedding reception details; keep the tables simple and elegant. Choosing a plain and fresh reception will look great and save you cash on those unnecessary little extras that you won't really need or use.

2. If you've paid the wedding venue for cases of wine to go with the wedding breakfast, check how many are actually used. If you have any 'leftovers' at the end of the meal, they can be put behind the bar in the evening, saving your budget and your guests £££s.

3. Instead of buying flowers for both your ceremony and reception, buy one bulk load of wedding flowers and use them for both! After the ceremony, ask a member of staff or a bridesmaid to help move them across to the reception while you're having your photos taken.

4. Use your wedding cake as dessert to avoid paying for an additional course. Ask for some jugs of cream to be brought out after the final course then dish up the cake! Don't write off supermarket cakes either - they can be great value.

5. Some hotel venues will give the bride and groom a complimentary room on the wedding night - a moneysaver in any budget. Negotiate before you book - if you don't ask, you won't get! If you're in the early stages of planning, remember that venues will often do deals on weekday weddings or superstitious dates.

6. Don't ignore the high street for your bridesmaids dresses, there are some gorgeous ones around! Take a look in shops like Coast, Debenhams and Monsoon for ideas that won't break the bank.

7. If you're not too worried about having photos of you getting ready or at the evening party, then book your wedding photographer by the hour - it will be a lot cheaper than buying a package deal.

8. If a supplier's contract stipulates that you've got to feed them, there's no need to give them the same as the guests. A reasonable bar meal or a plate of sandwiches will be sufficient and much cheaper for your budget.

9. Kids' activity bags are great but can be expensive to put together - use websites to print free 'clip art' instead of buying colouring books and we bet they won't know the difference!

10. Use a wedding planner. A good one will know how you can really save money, especially when it comes to negotiating with suppliers. Their knowledge and contacts alone could save you a bundle in your budget, and help make planning your wedding a breeze!

Prev Next