It might seem like the kind of thing that is becoming borderline impossible for folks in the United Kingdom, but there are in fact still ways and means by which weddings can be planned and executed on a budget. It’s no secret that weddings in Great Britain have the potential to be some of the most expensive in the world, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to spend a fortune in order to put together a genuinely fantastic event.
According to the experts at perfecttables.co.uk, everything for the most part comes down to little more than injecting a little savvy and proactivity, as opposed to taking things for granted. Or in other words, instead of just going through the motions in the manner which you may consider to be ‘normal’, it’s a case of identifying when and where there are areas in which savings can be made and ensuring that they are indeed made.
So for those looking to make the very most of their money and ensure every penny stretches as far as it possibly can, here is a quick look at seven supreme money saving tips from the experts:
1 – Start (Very!) Early
First and foremost, those in the industry always have and always will continue to profit at the expense of those who leave things until the very last minute. The simple fact of the matter is the later you leave things, the more desperate you become and thus the more they can get away with charging you. It may sound unfair, but this is just the way the world works, which in turn means that the further ahead of time you begin planning and organising things, the cheaper the whole endeavour will be.
2 – Do It Yourself
Never forget that while you can have pretty much every single thing you need for your wedding done on your behalf, there is absolutely nothing to stop you from doing it all yourself. Hiring a wedding planner and all manner of other service providers can certainly make things easier, but will also usually end up increasing costs. So from wedding favours to invitations to decorations and even to cakes if you’re up for a challenge, consider doing it yourself and you will amass serious savings.
3 – Strive for Simplicity
Don’t ever fall into the trap of assuming that a fantastic wedding has to be an elaborate or complicated wedding. Things actually often turn out to be quite to the contrary as it is no secret that elegance often lies in simplicity and beauty can be found in the understated. As such, strive for simplicity from day one and you’ll find yourself heading down a far more affordable road.
4 – Ask Around
Get in touch with pretty much everyone you know in your life that has ever been married and ask them for their own unique insights with regard to reducing costs. Chances are that every last one of them will be able to offer you a few pointers and perhaps a few service providers to head to which they themselves were happy with in terms of both quality and value for money.
5 – Book Off-Peak
Perhaps the single biggest saving anyone can possibly make when looking to book their wedding is that which is attributed to the time of year at which the event will take place. For example, it’s no secret that everyone dreams of getting married on a sunny Saturday afternoon in the middle of July, but in reality this has the potential to cost up to 200% more than the same wedding taking place midweek in November. It’s a case of weighing up what you realistically have to spend by way of budget and how far it can stretch, alongside what kind of time of year you want to get married.
6 – Ditch the Dinner
It’s also good idea to remember that while it may be traditional and indeed quite wonderful, there’s absolutely nothing to say that you have to include a full service dinner for your guests. Casual weddings are incredibly popular these days where all formality is done away with and all that is provided are basic snacks, music and the venue itself in which to have a fantastic time.
7 – Pay Your Own Way
Last but not least, following on from the above point there is also nothing to say that you have to pay for absolutely everything provided at the wedding itself. Another increasingly popular choice for wedding receptions is that of simply hiring out a function room – which will often be offered free of charge – wherein all guests will basically pay their own way from start to finish. Meals optional, the bar is open and anyone who wishes to do so can have their fill of whatever they like – the only difference being that in this instance, it isn’t you who pays for it!