With a lot of friends and relatives getting married I have been asked so many questions.
Many brides to be keep asking the same questions so Over the next couple of weeks I will keep uploading ‘Questions every bride might ask’ as you can most likely tell I will be answering most asked questions- in detail.
From prices to flowers every question you need answering, want to ask a question? Send a message to my Facebook page ‘Your biggest day’ or email me at yourbiggestday@gmail.com
Q. What are some ways to trim the budget without sacrificing the things I want?
A. According to surveys the average wedding costing about £22,000, a way to get the price down would help, right? Well there are so many ways to cut costs without affecting your overall vision for your wedding, The most easiest way is to cut down the gust list. This will reduce your catering costs, invitations, favors and even the number of centerpieces.
Have you thought about not having a summer wedding? You can save money by booking an off-peak season wedding date or by having your wedding on any day of the week but Saturday.
Its not ideal I know but it saves so much money you will be surprised, some venues also do mid week packages that are only a fraction of the price of a Saturday wedding.
Usually the bride will pay for bridesmaid dresses and this can be pricey but China has a roaring dressmaking industry you can tap into via eBay. If you find the right seller you can find a dress from £15 or a made to measure dress around the £100 mark.These prices are what I found on Ebay by just searching "Bridesmaid dresses".
There are a ton or sellers from china, read reviews and ratings before thinking about ordering and if they own an ebay shop google it! If I order something and it’s awful I will mostlikely write a bad review on ebay. It's easy to be scammed on eBay and there are Ebay horror stories, so have your wits about you.
The delivery sometimes can be high to cover some costs too so make sure you check postage fee before buying.
Another tip for Ebay dress shopping is to buy one then buy the rest. It can be risky because they may run out of stock by the time you have the first dress but I would rather pay £20 for a bad dress then £100 for 5 dresses I can’t use or reuse!
There are many second-hand dress sites that offer dresses for a fraction of the RRP. Some sites to try are SellMyWeddingDress, Preloved and Confetti's for-sale section. Other good online places to try are Selling groups on facebook, The Dressmarket, Gumtree and eBay.I know some people that have gone dress shopping and have fallen in love with a wedding dress that is out of there budget but found the same dress secondhand online for just a fraction of the price.
Offer beer, wine and a signature cocktail instead of a full bar or you could ask the venue if you can supply some of your own alcohol, some venues allow this but watch out most charge a fee for you to do this. I would advice bringing your own alcohol if the price of the booze and the fee is less than the venue supplying. Something to keep in mind when buying wedding booze is some sellers, such as Tesco Wine, offer a "sale or return" policy (Ts&Cs apply), letting you take back any wine you don't get through on the day.
Cakes can be pricey, My tips to save are:
Order a small or two-tiered cake for the cutting and then supplement it with a larger sheet cake (hidden back in the kitchen). This way you can have your cake and eat it too.
Buy a simple sponge cake from the supermarket and then decorate it yourself. You can buy glitter, sugar flowers and edible pearls cheaply.
Instead of cake, why not go for a cheese wheel? Serve it in the evening as part of or instead of a buffet with crackers and relishes, which can be bought cheaply.
If you and your husband to be are paying for the wedding family members and friends will be more understanding than you think they will be, it’s expensive. What my partner and me are doing is asking family members to buy little bits that will help so much for example, the guest book or the photo book or even favors.
While a hotel or country pub is in an obvious choice for a reception, don't forget about church halls, village halls or local sports clubs. This is another way of cutting costs. Using a big company name hotel can be the start of a big payment for you and a hefty profit for them.
Invites and save the dates can be pricey but designing and making your own invites is easy, especially if you use free DIY printing site. You’ll have to pay for paper and ink when you print them out yourself but if you want to cut paper and ink costs you could always Email them?
Etsy is amazing for invites and save the dates, it’s full of sellers who will design bespoke invitations for as little as £5 and email you a PDF to print off yourself. Just search for 'printable wedding invitation' in Etsy to find them.
Etsy also offers already printed invitations and some of them are a bargain price for personalized cards just check if the cost includes envelopes and factor in the cost of postage. You could always buy some cheap envelopes.
A fair few brides will hire a makeup artist but if you can go without one try to, this could save £100's. Follow makeup tutorials on YouTube or do you have a friend that is handy with a makeup brush? if so asking them for help on the day could save money.
Going off the last point, Has any of your friends got talents? Ask for their help as a wedding present. It'll cut the costs and perhaps save on a gift for them. For example If you know a cake maker and they could make your cake and you just pay for ingredients etc, you could save up to £500!!
I hope I have helped you with these tips, IF you have any Questions yourself please contact me!
Luna Lue x
