Weddings are often expensive events, but you don’t want to enter your marriage with debts hanging over your head due to going overboard on the celebrations…
Rising Costs
According to CompareWeddingInsurance.org.uk, the costs of weddings are rising, alongside everything else!
By examining data from over 5,000 wedding insurance policies, this is what they found:
Given that everything has become more expensive recently during the cost-of-living crisis, many people looking forward to their big day can’t actually afford to meet this big rise in wedding costs.
Let’s have a look at some things you can do to keep the costs down…
Go Digital!
Rather than sending professionally done, tangible wedding invitations, you may want to consider doing them digitally. There are a number of benefits to this:
- This can help cut costs as you avoid paying for printing costs and postage.
- It’s better for the environment
- Digital invitations may actually be more likely to be received by your guests, especially given the disruption to mail services due to strike action recently!
Rethink the Photographer
You may consider using a professional photographer for the actual ceremony and a shorter period afterwards, rather than for the whole day and night.
Some people put digital cameras on their guests’ tables and ask them to take photos throughout the night. This can work out much cheaper and also help you get more ‘authentic’ photos.
This said, some photographers may not be willing to be booked for only short periods as it isn’t worth their time!
Limit the Free Bar
Many of us tend to drink more than we normally would when it’s on someone else’s dime. This means that a free bar can really rack up the cost of your wedding.
You may choose to skip the free bar entirely, or set limits to it. For example, you could set a limited number of hours when the bar is free, or make it so the free bar only applies to certain drinks, such as wine and beer rather than spirits.
Change the Champagne Toast
On the topic of drinks, the champagne toast is a very popular, but expensive, part of weddings. There are some alternatives to help with the cost:
- Buy your own champagne and put it on the tables if the venue allows you to bring your own booze
- Use a cheaper alternative like cava or prosecco
- Get your guests to raise a glass of what they are already drinking
- Get your guests to do a shot of the spirit of your choice as the toast. A shot glass is far smaller than a champagne glass, meaning less bottles are needed!
Bring on the Buffet
A buffet is a cheaper alternative to a sit down meal, and it also means that your guests can choose what they actually want on their plate!
Cut down on Flower Costs
Use smaller floral centrepieces for your tables, or skip the flowers altogether!
By asking florists which flowers are in season you can also cut costs, as these will be less expensive.
Go Off-Peak!
Make sure you choose the time and date of your wedding carefully as this will affect its price.
For example, having a weekday wedding is often less expensive than having it on the weekend…
Budget!
Make sure you create a budget plan and stick to it. For help on how to budget effectively, click here.
You should prioritise which things you are most bothered about splashing the cash on, and which you are more willing to cut corners on to keep the price down.