It’s no secret that weddings can be expensive, with the average wedding now costing around £30,000! We know that so many couples don’t have this money to spend or just don’t want to, so we’ve compiled a list of our top money saving tips to consider when planning your wedding. We know not all the advice will apply to each individual couple’s day, however even if you just choose to use a few we can guarantee some good savings on your special day!
BUY AN EX-SAMPLE DRESS We may be biased, but we think the wedding dress is the most important part of the whole wedding! The average wedding dress in the UK now costs £1500 from a conventional bridal shop, but this area of the wedding is a great opportunity to make big savings. Ex-sample wedding dresses, are ex shop samples or catwalk dresses, which have only been tried on in a wedding dress shop or worn on a catwalk, which can then be sold at a discounted price in a shop such as ours. At Ruby Frances Bridal all of our dresses (sizes 6 – 24) are sold between £250 - £850 on dresses which normally retail for between £1000 - £3000. So why pay premium for a wedding dress when you can choose an ex-sample dress and still get your dream dress for a fraction of the price?
DIY AS AND WHEN YOU CAN
DIYing certain aspects of your wedding is a great money saving tip. With so many resources on the internet (hello Pintrest!) it couldn’t be easier to find inspo and advice on different aspects of your day. With venue dressers often charging premium for décor and additional touches, we would really recommended exploring doing some yourself first. This also adds a really special personal touch to your wedding, and we promise you’ll feel a real accomplishment on your day, when you look around and see what you have created. Our favourite DIY ideas include: DIY photobooths, homemade signage and DIY centrepieces.
THRIFT AS AND WHEN YOU CAN Much like DIYing, thrifting is another great way to save money on the day for décor and other venue dressing items. You would be surprised how many amazing bits and bobs you can pick up second hand, for a much smaller price. Maybe you like the idea of glass jars with candles or flowers in for your centrepieces; charity shops are a great place to pick up lots of beautiful and unique jars and vases. It also becomes a treasure hunt trying to find good pieces, so a great and fun activity to add to your wedding planning list!
UTALISE YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY If your friends or family have a wedding trade, use them! Maybe your dad is a carpenter so you can ask him to build you a bar for your welcome drinks, or maybe your aunt used to work in a florist when she was younger so she can help with your wedding flowers. Weddings are a team effort, so get everyone involved and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.
SOMETHING BORROWED We all know the wedding saying: something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. Borrowing something not only keeps with this lovely wedding tradition but it means you won’t have to pay for whatever you borrow. One of our favourite borrowed items which many of our brides opt for, is to borrow a veil. Often from a sister or special relative, which even adds more meaning to your whole bridal look.
WEEKDAY WEDDINGS If you’re not precious about a weekend wedding, there is opportunity for real savings on your wedding venue if you are open to get married on a weekday. It’s worth checking with your venue, as many offer discounts of up to 50% off if you choose a weekday, or even an off season time of year, as your special day. What’s not to love about have the same venue, same food, same guests, for half the price!
CHOOSE A VENUE WITH DÉCOR YOU LOVE If you book a venue with décor you love, you are far more likely to spend less money on extra decorations and venue dressing. We see lots of brides spending money on covering up aspects of their venue which they don’t like or redressing areas that aren’t to their wedding taste or theme, but if you choose a venue with décor you love you won’t need to budget for this. This an important aspect to consider when viewing venues and choosing where you would like to spend the best day of your life!
FOOD FOR THOUGHT Food is by far one of the most expensive costs when it comes to booking a wedding, but it doesn’t have to be! If you’re not a big foodie then instead of having a 3 course wedding breakfast, go for something less formal like a BBQ or buffet which can often save hundreds of pounds. The cake is also another area of your wedding that doesn’t need to cost a fortune if you know what to ask. If you want a big multi teared cake for your photos but don’t have enough guests to eat it then fake part of the cake! Asking your cake maker to add some fake layers to your cake means you don’t compromise on looks but also saves some money. Or alternatively go for something complete different like a doughnut or brownie stack which is a cheaper alternative.
STATIONARY Stationary is often the category most forgotten about when budgeting for a wedding, but it need not cost you a fortune. Some couples opt to order lots of different items of stationary from save the dates, invites, menus, order of services to personalised thank you cards. As a couple really take the time to think about which are most important to you; maybe your wedding is close enough so you don’t need save the dates or maybe you’re happy for the menu to be a surprise. Have a good think before committing to what is most important for your big day. Or even better go digital! Not only is this more eco friendly but it will save you on design costs, paper and postage.
LONG ENGAGEMENT The longer the engagement, the long you have to save for your special day and the more budget you will have to spend on the things you have always dreamed of! Not only this, but a long engagement gives you time to shop around for deals and utilise all the sales. Winter is a great time to make wedding purchases as many suppliers will hold off season sales and promotions.
HONEYMOON AT A LATER DATE Saving for a wedding and honeymoon in the same year can be tricky. But there are no rules when it comes to the honeymoon; the most important thing is to remember this is your wedding, your way! So plan the honeymoon accordingly so that you can save exactly what you need. We love the thought of honeymooning the following year - what bet
ter way to celebrate getting married and celebrating your 1 year anniversary together!
PRIOROTISE
At the end of the day it all comes down to prioritising. At the start of your wedding planning process really take time to sit down as a couple and decide what you most want from the day. Have a think about what you really want, and what maybe you don’t mind about so much, so that you can allocate your budget accordingly. Whatever you do and whatever you spend we know you will have the best day of your life, so enjoy the process!
If you are a bride and would to book an appointment you can do so in the following ways: 01843 312324, info@rubyfrancesbridal.co.uk, or by PMing us on Facebook or Instagram.