Jess the Celebrant

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Planning a Wedding During a Cost of Living Crisis

Planning a wedding can be hard enough but planning one when we’re in the midst of a cost of living crisis is even harder. Things cost more than ever, and you may feel like your budget is running away from you. Don’t panic! There are ways to keep costs down and still have a fantastic day, without sacrificing how you want your day to feel. Here’s my top tips.

  1. Choose a wedding date that won’t break the bank. Off peak wedding dates can be vastly cheaper than those in peak summer months. Many venues will also offer off peak packages that include things like food and entertainment for a much lower, flat rate. You can still have your day at the venue of your dreams but for much less if you are prepared to get married mid-week, in quieter months. Always ask venues about any offers they may have.
  2. Use sites such as Vinted, Depop or Ebay for accessories, bridesmaid dresses, and suits. You can save a fortune doing this. Sites like Sell My Wedding, Rock My Wedding, and Bridal Reloved are great for anything wedding related, including wedding dresses, accessories, and wedding décor. Etsy even has a whole ‘used wedding décor’ section where you can pick up everything from table settings to fairy lights. Look for local bridal shops that sell samples or preloved dresses. My local town of Stockport has the fantastic Dress the Bride that has a huge range of dresses to suit all styles at amazing prices.
  3. Send electronic ‘save the dates’ and invitations. The cost of postage alone these days is insane! Sending invitations electronically can save a lot of money and a lot of hassle too. Its also great for sustainability. Sites like Green Envelope and Etsy offer templates you can buy for very little cost and they look great. Whether you choose to Whatsapp or email them, receiving them is just as exciting as getting an invitation through the post (that’s probably arrived weeks after you sent it!)
  4. Use a Celebrant! If you choose to have a celebrant-led ceremony, you can have your wedding anywhere you like. This means you can have it in your own home, at your local pub, in a woodland, up a mountain…anywhere! The biggest cost when planning a wedding is venue hire, so if you can cut that out, or vastly reduce, the cost of hiring a licensed wedding venue you could save thousands.
  5. Think of what is really important to you. Do you really need that photo booth or posh wedding car? Does anyone really bother that much about wedding favours? Do you need a fancy cake? All those little details are great, and if you feel like your day won’t be the same without them, that’s totally fine. However, by cutting out the odd details here and there, you could save yourself a lot of money.

The most important thing to keep in mind when you are planning your wedding is what the day is all about…LOVE! And I’m pretty sure someone once said, ‘Love Don’t Cost a Thing’? Oh yeah, that was J-LO. She loves a bargain wedding doesn’t she!

Photo by micheile dot com on Unsplash

Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash

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