13 tips to maximise your wedding budget

Here are 13 tips to help you get the biggest bang for your wedding day budget.

1. A good rule of thumb is to split your budget 50/50 or 60/40 between the reception and everything else. This way you have clear lines about how much you are spending on each part of the day.
2. To keep your ‘everything else’ fund healthy you could consider celebrating off-peak. When you’re booking, enquire about off-peak as well as midweek availability. You’ll get some great deals if you are getting married on a Wednesday in February.
3. Guest numbers have a big impact on your wedding budget, so write out your list of names and check it twice. Make sure the final numbers can be catered for by the budget for your venue. Once you have the final count, the invitations can go out.
4. Between printing and stamps, sending paper invites can get pricey. Choosing to email your guests can save your budget and your carbon footprint. You can buy ready to go designs online or design your own for real savings. For older guests who may not have emails, you can still post them an invite if needs be.
5. Are you a fan of cheese boards? Switch your wedding cake to one made from cheese wheels, you can even stack the wheels to make tiers. They’re a great option that still work for the traditional cutting of the cake too. It’s a small but pain free saving.,/span.
6. Cutting the cost of wine is another easy win. Ask if the venue would allow you to pay a corkage fee and supply your own wine. There are plenty of cost-effective ways of buying wine in bulk; you will probably have more choice too.

Check out this budget calculator to help you work out what you can afford to save between now and the big day. The simple act of taking stock of your current income and expenses will help you to calculate a realistic figure to work with.

7. You don’t have to buy your wedding dress. Bridal hire shops carry both in-season and vintage wear, so you can pick up the perfect outfit at a fraction of the cost. It could be your something borrowed.
8. You can also hire your bridesmaids’ outfits, or better yet hit the high street rather than a bridal store. You can choose matching or totally different pieces that you and your bridesmaids will love.
9. Same goes for the groomsmen. Most high street stores have a dresswear section with a decent variety of styles and materials.
10. If your budget is tight, keep the wedding party small with just a best man and maid of honor. They’ll feel even more special too, which is a nice bonus.
11. You can reduce the photography budget by encouraging your guests to take and share some photos. Pick up a couple of Polaroid cameras and leave them out for some fun candid shots.
12. Take it digital and encourage guests to use Instagram on the day. You could create a hashtag so you can collect and enjoy all the photos online too. Include your hashtag on the invite and in your décor, so you won’t miss a pic.
13. Finally, if you’re giving yourself a year or so to plan, then you’ll be able to shop during the sales. There will be lots throughout the year so it’s a good way to spread out your spending. Sales are the time to buy your shoes, your bridal party gifts, your wedding rings and even your honeymoon. The ‘everything else’ you need to make your day perfect.

The very best of luck planning your big day.