You’ve decided to marry the love of your life: this is a huge moment to celebrate. Take some time before the wedding planning commences to throw an engagement party or relax on a mini break with your fiancé. Wedding planning can be stressful so coming into the planning process with a relaxed and organised mindset will help smooth the process.
There’s a lot to think about when planning a wedding, from the dress to the flowers – not to mention the all-important budget. The latest wedding survey by Hitched showed the average cost of a UK wedding in 2019 was an eye-watering £31,974. However, this doesn’t mean you have to spend the same amount on your own wedding as there are many areas of flexibility.
If you are worried about budget when it comes to planning your wedding, look at areas where savings can be made. Decide as a couple what is most important to you: are you both food lovers or big fans of flowers? Cutting back on champagne or opting for a cheaper diamond engagement ring will save money for the flowers that you really love, or the a la carte wedding breakfast you’ve dreamed of.
The venue
It comes as no surprise that booking a venue is one of the biggest costs when it comes to weddings, with the average venue cost coming in at £5,406. Rustic weddings top the location chart, with 28% of Brits choosing to host their wedding in a barn that oozes character and charm.
Larger wedding venues such as hotels offer wedding packages where you can get married and have the reception in the same venue. However, couples who would like a church wedding or to get married in a registry office have additional costs to consider. The average price of a church wedding is around £500, however, there can be extras on top of this – for example, having the bells rung. A registry office wedding is considerably cheaper, costing £57 plus.
Catering
Brits made food a priority when it came to their weddings in 2019, with the average cost being £3,887 and almost £300 spent on the wedding cake. Providing a three-course meal for all your guests at a large wedding party is likely to set you back a sizeable chunk of your budget. Opting for artisan food trucks or a hog roast instead could relieve some of the budget. Ask a family member to make the cake or opt for one tier to further reduce costs.
The dress
A bride often dreams of the perfect wedding dress long before her wedding. But finding the dream dress can be an expensive process. With many brides opting for a dress from a bridal boutique over a high street chain, the average wedding dress cost came in at £1,313. However, don’t forget that you also need to purchase shoes, underwear, and accessories. Try and find the balance between the dream dress and knowing that you will only wear it once. If your budget is very tight, many high street retailers have a wedding dress line with much more affordable wedding dresses.
Remember that your wedding is about celebrating you and your partner’s love for one another, not how much you spend or how good it will look on social media. Have fun planning your wedding and enjoy the big day!