When it comes to planning your wedding, there are a hundred and one things to think about, from your wedding dress to the guest list and the cake to the venue, which can all add up to some considerable stress.
This becomes even worse if you’re attempting your perfect wedding on a shoestring budget. With increasingly high prices attached to almost every detail of your big day and the intense competition within the wedding industry, it can almost seem like an impossible task.
However, don’t despair as planning a luxury wedding on a budget is definitely achievable, especially if you’re prepared to really get stuck in.
With this in mind, we’ve found three tips for planning your wedding whilst watching the pennies.
Be flexible with your date
One of the easiest ways to save some money is to be as flexible as possible on the date of your big day.
If you can afford a bit of leeway, try to approach the venue looking at a whole month or season, rather than a specific date, as prices will fluctuate greatly. For example, if you’re wanting a summer wedding, try to opt for either an early date in May or a later date in September to avoid the highest prices.
Broadoaks Country House, a boutique wedding venue in the Lake District, also suggests being flexible on the day of the week too: “Although most couples will immediately jump to a weekend wedding, you can save a lot of money by opting for a midweek wedding.
“It might not work for everyone, depending on the requirements of your guests, but you can easily turn a Monday or Thursday wedding into a long weekend, especially if you use a bank holiday!”
DIY
Another great way to save some money but still achieve a beautiful, luxurious wedding is to DIY, rather than opting for a wedding planner or using lots of different vendors.
This will admittedly take up more of your time, but you can often find stunning equivalents for much cheaper prices when looking in supermarkets, charity shops, craft stores, and antiquaries.
It’s also worth asking friends and family to chip in if they’re particularly gifted at something; you could ask your artistic friend to help you design invitations in lieu of a wedding present or ask your uncle who’s into vintage cars to act as your transportation.
It’s also worth trying to decorate your venue yourself and recruit everyone to help; who knows, after arranging your flowers you might find a new hobby you love!
For some inspiration for DIY weddings, some couples have shared their stories in this blog post by Brides.
Prioritise
Finally, it’s always worth sitting down with your partner to really work out what’s important to you both on the big day and spend more money on that.
Prioritizing some parts of the day and saving on others will make sure that the things you care about most won’t be compromised on, allowing you to still get the overall vision you want. For example, you’ll want to cherish these memories forever so spending that bit more on your photographer is definitely worth it.
On the other hand, no one will remember if you use fairy lights from the supermarket or a less expensive type of orchid, so you can afford to cut costs in these places.
For some more tips on planning a luxury wedding on a budget, check out this post by Bridal Guide.
