How To Save Money On Your Wedding Day

Looking for advice on how to save money on your wedding day. You have come to the right place.

Now I know this is probably a bit of a weird article for a guy to be writing but hear me out. When I was getting married I didn’t know half of the things that were going to be needed.

Not only that but I also didn’t have much of a clue when it came to how much some of these “Essentials” were going to cost.

Before I got married I didn’t know what a Centre-piece was. I certainly didn’t know how much it was possibly going to hurt my wallet.

So I am here to save not only the glamorous brides on their big day, and maybe leave them with some money to spend elsewhere. But also the husbands to be who like me have no idea of the amount of money this is all going to cost.

I am going to put a few general tips down below, some will save you a few pounds, Many will save you hundreds. But all of them will save you money on your wedding day. It will all depend on how far you want to go and also how much you want to save. Just remember the main goal here is to have the day that both of you deserve. Hopefully, this can be done without leaving yourself in financial trouble.

Budget:

I know a really boring title. Especially when you’re planning your big day and it’s not easy to stick to but keeping within a budget is the first thing you need to do. It’s not going to save you money like some of the tips I have later on. However, you need to work out between you what your budget is.

Knowing what your budget is and both working from the same page will make life easier and save arguments down the line.

If you need to add a contingency fund then absolutely do that. Make sure you do not go over it and in fact, if you add a contingency fund then try not to spend it as then you will have extra money left after the wedding to put back into savings or spend on the honeymoon.

The Dress!!

Ok, guys, I’m going to let you down as gently as I can. You are probably not going to save much money here. But there are options. Wedding dress shops do have sales. They also have dresses made specially that have never been picked up by the bride-to-be. These can all be had at a discount.

Secondly, if it ends up costing a lot of money consider selling it when the big day has been and gone. I know this has some brides recoiling in horror but there are plenty out there that do sell the dress on.

Of course, it stands to reason if some brides are selling their dresses on that means some brides-to-be are buying second-hand dresses. There is a market for it and it will save you quite a bit of money. You do however have to persuade your loving wife-to-be to buy a second hand one though.

Suits:

You want to look your best on the big day as much as your wife-to-be. However, arranging a suit for you, your best man and some of the other wedding party can be expensive.

It used to be cheaper to hire suits but prices nowadays mean this isn’t always the best option. I would look for sales at shops that sell suits. If you can keep the suits in good condition I would also advise selling the ones that weren’t worn by the groom after the wedding to recoup most of the initial cost.

Suits can be purchased for next to no money. Please though try and remember as much as you want to save costs you also need a little quality so as the suits last throughout the day, so try and strike a quality/expense balance.

Flowers:

Flowers are way more expensive than I ever knew. I have brought flowers for my wife before and I know a decent bunch can be pricey but when you add the word wedding into the conversation the price does seem to rise quite a bit.

Flowers will usually be mainly for the place where you are getting married and the reception area afterward. If you have a specific color theme this helps.

I would speak to the church/Registry office and see if there are any other weddings before yours that day or the previous one. You can see what colour of flowers they have arranged. Then you can always ask for the previous flowers to be left in place if they match your color scheme and this can save you lots of money.

Similarly, the wedding reception venue is likely to have weddings regularly and if there was one just before yours and the flowers match your scheme then why not utilize them to save costs.

You could always utilize flowers from your garden. For our wedding, we used a rose that had a special meaning as buttonhole flowers for the groom’s party. We also choose the right flowers for the season which means they are locally available and easy for florists to come by which also keeps costs low.

Rings:

Generally, wedding rings are not as expensive as the engagement ring however they can still be in the region of a few hundred pounds or more.

To save costs I would always buy the wedding rings from the same place the engagement ring was purchased. You have already spent your money in that particular place so they will be more invested in helping you choose the right set of rings for your big day.

This will also help when you ask for a discount. This will work as most jewelers have a huge mark up on wedding jewelry.

Family Trades:

One of the biggest savings, when you are looking to save money on your wedding day, is to call on the family. Their help is always required in the build-up to a wedding whether it be financial or just moral. However, it is worth trying to recall the various trade that family members may work in.

Having a florist, Jeweller or Interior designer in the family is a bonus. It can reap rewards in saving money and giving you ideas to create the perfect moments for your big day.

So consider if anyone in the family is in the following trades.

• Florist
• Jeweller
• Cake maker
• Dj
• Chauffeur
• Photographer

Decorating Reception/ceremony:

When looking to decorate the area where your wedding will be held it is always worth looking on online sites such as eBay or Amazon for the little touches such as tealights or centerpiece decorations.

Its the little touches that not only make a big difference on the day but can also add up and eat into your budget.

Gifts:

To be honest, in today’s society most couples have lived together for many years before getting married. This means it’s likely they will have already built a home with all the possible gifts they could receive at a wedding having been brought some years ago.

To recoup some of the outlay on your big day it is a good idea in the invites to just mention that you already have a homemade for wedded life and that you would appreciate any monetary token to be given to help with the cost of the wedding or to put towards your honeymoon.

If you have 70 guests and they are all giving some cash in the card it can add up nicely.

With regards to asking for money which seems a bit cold.

I would ask for money towards the cost or honeymoon by adding a witty poem or ditty with the invites, It will get a better response.

High Street Shopping

Recently due to the ever-increasing popularity of online shopping, high street retailers are struggling. Chances are if you are looking for how to save money on your wedding day you are not rushing out to the shops but rather searching online. Although a worry for the people that are in these industries its a good thing for you when making purchases.

High street retailers at the moment are in trouble and you are in prime position to haggle over prices. So get out there and drive down the prices on all sorts of wedding items. From bridesmaids dresses and shoes to Invites and favors, It’s all there for the taking.

Wedding Planner:

A wedding seat planner can cost a lot. They are however a great focal point for the reception so everyone knows where they are sitting.

You can buy kits online to do this yourself from just a few pounds. It means a little more time is needed but you could delegate this task to a creative friend. Along with clear instructions on how it should look.

Wedding Insurance:

This is of course not entirely necessary. However, with the amount of money you may be spending if anything goes wrong could you afford to sort it?

I have read many stories of venues being canceled at the last minute. Also, even a few where the venues have burnt down a few days before weddings were due. The expense and hassle of finding somewhere else can be made easier if you have wedding insurance covering you.

Best of all, these insurance policies can generally be tailored specifically to your wedding. This means the cost may not be as much as you anticipate.

Your Own Stories:

If you have read this article and are looking for advice on how to save money on your wedding day, please let me know if any of the advice helped you save. I would love to read other peoples experiences at saving money when it comes to weddings.

Have you cut your guest list?. Worn the dress your mother got married in?. Have you won a free honeymoon in a competition?. Have you Been gifted the entire day by your parents?. Let me know all the ways you saved. If you didn’t win that competition for a free honeymoon then just check out my article on how to save money on your honeymoon.