There's no getting around the fact that you'll need to spend money in order to have a fabulous wedding day. But it's definitely not true that you need to break the bank. Many people up spending much more money than they intended to spend, and what's worse — they spent it on things that really weren't necessary. Below, we take a look at you should spend, and where you shouldn't.
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Don't: Invite Everyone You Know
Big weddings can be a lot of fun, but let's keep in mind that the more people you invite, the greater the bill is going to be. Now, it's understandable that you'll be excited and keen to have as many people involved in your big day, but you'll want to keep in mind that every guest will account for tens of pounds. Suddenly, it doesn't make as much sense to invite everyone in the office, or those distant relatives that you haven't seen in years.
Do: Create an Awesome Guestlist
Instead, focus on putting together one intimate, awesome guest list. People think that having one hundred people on the list rather than fifty makes it better, but this isn't the case — it's the quality of the people attending that makes the wedding, not the number. You'll have a better wedding — and a much cheaper one, let's remember — if you ensure that everyone invited really wants to be there and is going to add to the occasion. When it comes to your hard-earned cash, you don't want to waste it on people who only kind of want to share your day with you.
Don't: Get an Expensive Venue
A huge chunk of a couple's wedding budget is spent on the wedding venue. And if you take a look at some of the glamorous venues out there, then you'll understand why: they look pretty flash! Yet while a knockout venue is, of course, special, it's probably not worth putting yourself into debt for. The truth is that once the initial impression has been made, the venue can sometimes simply fade into the background. Think about what people really love about weddings: it's the people, the atmosphere, the love. The venue is just an expensive bonus.
Do: Make Yours Look Beautiful
And one of the main reasons why you should look for a cheaper alternative is this: it's always possible to make your venue more beautiful. One of the reasons why they're so expensive is because they're “all in,” as in you don't need to do anything yourself to make it fit for a wedding. But if you are willing to roll up your sleeves, you'll find that you can save plenty of money — plus, there's something special about having transformed the venue yourself. Flowers, decorations, personal touches… they'll all be much cheaper than having them provided for you.
Don't: Buy Expensive Dresses
After the venue, it's the clothes that can eat up a significant portion of the wedding budget. There's the dress for the bride, groom, the bridesmaids…it all adds up to a pretty penny. While you'll want to ensure that everyone is dressed well (more on that later), it's really not necessary to invest hundreds or thousands on those pieces of clothing that'll only be worn for a matter of hours.
Do: Look the Part
But don't get to thinking that saving money on your outfits will mean that those wedding photos look terrible. They absolutely won't, if you take steps to ensure that you look the part, which can be more than affordable. Instead of an expensive dress, you can look at bridal jewellery, and let that take your affordable outfit to the next level. You can also make the most of touches such as floral hairpieces, and makeup — you're going to look great even if you haven't spent thousands on that once in a lifetime, completely unique outfit.
Don't: Go All Out On Entertainment
Yes, you need to make sure that your guests have a fun time at the wedding. But you don't need to provide the equivalent of a theme park to make it so. It can be enjoyable to have outdoor games, a live wedding band, and awesome midnight fireworks display, but they're not necessary.
Do: Make It Fun
Instead, focus on the basics. If you have a good DJ (or even just an awesome Spotify playlist) and a bar, people are going to make their own fun. Add some cheap inflatable toys and costume accessories, and everyone will get into the wedding dance floor groove.
