Weddings can cost a shedload of cash, of course.
You may well choose to use professionals, and, as their name suggests, they’re going to want paying. It’s not unreasonable, as they will be giving up time and drawing on valuable experience and expertise, not to mention training, to ensure your event is a success. They also offer precious peace of mind …
So how do you save money on your wedding?
One solution is to go down the DIY route, but I do not recommend this. It’s only likely to work if your wedding will be really small. Even then it will take some doing not to forget something along the way.
You might choose to dispense with a few potential suppliers and focus on what may be hardest to achieve. You may have a friend who is an expert photographer (say) and who is willing to shoot the pictures. Even that is risky, especially if they accidentally get something irrevocably wrong.
You can sometimes make savings when booking a venue, if you negotiate. One position of strength is if you arrange your event out of season. Even better, having the ceremony (say) in the morning and the reception in the afternoon.
You can save money by hiring, rather than buying, the groom’s suit or the bride’s wedding dress. What about hiring a wedding planner for the day (if it’s a smaller ceremony) or for a week (for a larger one)?
Get your flowers in season – that’ll save a bit. So will having a cash bar for the reception.
Do your homework, if you’re having a reception. How pretentious do you want the food to be? Do you need silver service? What sort of entertainment do you want to offer?
There are certain areas and suppliers where you shouldn’t compromise (I’m thinking, for one, of your celebrant!). But I hope I have given you a few ideas you can pursue to bring down those expenses.