6 inspired tips for wedding planning on a budget

They say it’ll be the happiest day of your life. It might also be the most expensive. According to reports, the average cost of a wedding in the UK reached an all-time high in 2018. The figure? Brace yourselves… £30,000.

(Side note: the increase from £26,989 the previous year was due to rising supplier costs, rather than the public’s tastes becoming more lavish!)

But it needn’t be thus. There are a multitude of ways to have a stylish, romantic, unforgettable ceremony without breaking the bank, from sensible planning solutions to gorgeous wedding favours for as little as £2. We’ve got this!

CRUK’s wedding favour range include dove and feather motifs (Image: Provided)

1 Check out Cancer Research UK’s range of wedding favours

What is a wedding favour? Typically, they’re small presents given to guests by the happy couple as a mark of gratitude for attending the wedding. Cancer Research UK have several adorable such items, including an eye-catching Bumblebee Wedding Favour – these sweet badges are also available as feathers and doves – and a chic Silver Tie Pin.

They also offer a handy pack of 10 white place cards, which feature space for thank you messaging and for you to practise your calligraphy skills by personalising your guest’s names. There’s also space to feature a donation made on your behalf. Support of Cancer Research UK helps fund world-class cancer research and long-term projects with huge potential to improve and save more lives.

2 Have a weekday wedding

Unsurprisingly, weddings that take place on a Saturday are generally more expensive. Especially when it comes to venues. More affordable deals are often available on Sundays and Bank Holidays. But the cheapest option is a Monday, as this day brings with it the least demand. Prices tend to increase the closer to the weekend you get. If you do get married on a working day, however, be sure to give guests ample notice so they can book annual leave, as per point five.

The month of your wedding is also crucial when it comes to cost-saving. The most popular months for ceremonies are May to October. The least popular are November to January, with couples choosing to forgo chilly weather for their big day.

One approach is to give yourself as much time as possible to plan your wedding (Image: Pexels)

3 Plan ahead

The further ahead you plan, the more time you can spend saving up. If you pencilled in your wedding for December 2025, and saved £200 a month over the next 36 months, you could amass a whopping £7,200 by your big day. Most people book a year in advance anyway, to give guests ample time to clear their schedules and arrange affordable travel.

Alternatively, for rock bottom prices, you could try booking last-minute. But that, of course, comes with potential unforeseen costs, and carries a lot of risk – certain cherished guests not being able to make it, for example!

4 Draw on the talents of friends

Do you have a singer in your circle of friends? Or a photographer? Or a Great British Bake Off-ready master baker? A hairdresser, a make-up artist, a seamstress? (We couldn’t work out the general-neutral term for seamstress!) Or a graphic designer or artist who could feasibly turn their hand to invitations?

Much is made of the roles of bridesmaids and groomsmen at weddings. But why not give them something substantial to do, rather than carry flowers and rings? (Which, admittedly, can be a stressful job in and of itself!)

Second-hand outfits can be a blessing – so long as you’re prepared to be patient in your search (Image: Pixabay)

5 Buy second-hand outfits

According to a December 2020 survey by Bridebook, the average cost of a wedding dress is £1002. That’s a lot of money for an outfit you’ll only wear once. To put that into perspective, the average sofa, which could cost you a lot less, lasts between seven and 15 years – and you’ll likely use it every day!

Second-hand clothes shopping, on the other hand, is a much cheaper alternative for the style-conscious. Whether vintage, charity shop or exploring the countless ‘pre-loved’-themed apps and websites out there, you’re guaranteed to find something special if you look hard enough. (That really is the key: patience, and looking at each item closely.) The ensembles will be rarer than those found elsewhere, and come with their own story. It’s also a more sustainable option, meaning fewer carbon emissions and savings in water and energy, with clothes less likely to end up in incinerators or landfill.

Destination weddings needn’t cost the Earth (Image: Pexels)

6 Get married abroad

It might seem counterintuitive, but depending on the destination, getting hitched overseas can dramatically decrease your budget, not least because the size of your wedding party will likely get smaller.

That said, if you are getting wed at home, there’s no obligation to have a giant-sized event. The average number of guests at a wedding is 167. But it’s your day, and you can have as many or as few guests as you wish.