The importance of establishing and setting a budget during those early days of wedding planning is undeniable. A realistic wedding budget will stop you from wasting money as well as put the funds you have to better use. Even after your wedding day has been and gone, setting and sticking to a budget can help you harness many rewards as Everyday Bride details:
“In addition to helping immensely with the wedding planning process, budgeting also helps couples later in their marriage and in life. Most couples are not used to talking over financial issues and budgeting together. Setting a budget for your wedding helps lay the groundwork for how you will approach financial decisions moving forward.”
Staying on budget, however, is easier said than done; every couple wants to organise and host a personalised wedding day that helps them celebrate in style with all the people who are special to them.
There are many ways that you can cut your wedding budget so you can enjoy more of the things you love on your wedding day. Here we reveal eight great and surprisingly easy ways to reduce your big-day spending.
1. Book a country wedding venue
There are many reasons why opting for a country wedding venue is a great option. In fact, we explored the benefits of heading to the country to find your wedding venue in a recent blog post. However, did you know, your choice of wedding venue could actually save you money?
By choosing one of our country houses, you’ll already have a scenic setting to host your nuptials, with our venues naturally beautiful both inside and out. This means you can spend far less on wedding décor. Not to mention, with our all-inclusive wedding packages, there are no scary surprises with your bill.
2. Marry out of season…
Marrying in December or another month that’s out of season can save you a lot of money. As well as snapping up your dream venue at a fraction of the price, they’ll be less competition for vendors. This ultimately equates to you getting the wedding day you want without the hassle or the extra expense.
3. …and save on your honeymoon too!
Marrying out of season – i.e. between December and March – could also help you bag a cheaper honeymoon. Many resorts across a plethora of destinations offer cut-price deals during the winter months.
4. Host your wedding at one venue
Traditionally, your ceremony and reception would be hosted at separate venues, however, here at Country House Weddings, you can host your entire day in one stunning place, and it’ll help you cut your wedding budget.
While wedding transportation accounts for just 3% of the average wedding budget, hosting your big day at one venue means you can reduce this to zero, especially if you take advantage of our night-before and wedding night accommodation options.
5. Think digital with your invites
Professionally printed wedding invitations may be a nice touch, but you can enjoy the same beautiful look and save on postage by going digital. Send custom-designed wedding invites and save the dates via email to cut costs.
6. Buy seasonal blooms
If you want to really reduce your wedding budget, forgoing the flowers is an option. Though why should you miss out on wedding décor that’s blooming beautifully? Buy flowers that are in-season for your bouquets, buttonholes and table centrepieces to incorporate the floral displays you deserve and save money, as more readily available flowers can be cheaper.
7. Rent, don’t buy, your dress
Wedding dress rentals are all the rage. In addition to helping you cut the carbon footprint of your wedding, a rented wedding gown is particularly budget-friendly. Rented gowns are available at 10 to 20% of the recommended retail price, meaning you’ll save hundreds or even thousands of pounds.
8. Call in a few favours
If you have a talented bunch of friends and relatives, put them to good use! Whether your friend has an eye for design or your Grandma is a great baker, they could help you save on those wedding essentials.
Do you have a few top tips of your own for managing and making the most of that wedding budget? Share them with us and your fellow couples on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
