Planning a wedding can be an expensive business, so it’s no wonder that so many couples are looking for ways to cut down on costs. One wedding website estimated the average cost of a wedding in 2025 to be over £30,000. If you’re worried that your budget is tiny compared to that then don’t be, you don’t have to spend a fortune to have the perfect day. Here are a few tips for planning your wedding day on a budget.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
1. WHAT IS YOUR BUDGET? – The first step for any couple planning their wedding day is to plan their budget, even if you don’t stick completely to it, you need to have a rough idea of what you can afford. If you don’t have a huge amount of money to spend, be realistic about it, to spread the cost you could set up a monthly direct debit and have a separate account so that you can’t be tempted to dip into it. Try and choose a figure you can afford every month as you are more likely to save regularly if you have chosen a sensible amount to put away.
2. WEDDING STYLE – Once you have a budget in mind choose what style of wedding you want, as this will help you visualise and pick out things that are a priority. For example, if you opt for an outdoor wedding you might need to factor in money for umbrellas or blankets for the evening; these could end up being be important depending on the weather. If you have your heart set on a church wedding, you will need to allow for a venue for your reception.
3. GUEST LIST – Keep the numbers down. The quickest and easiest way to cut costs is to slim down your guest list. After all, the day is ultimately about you and your partner, so opt for close friends and family rather than those work colleagues you barely speak to, or long lost friends you haven’t seen for years.
4. SELLING AND SAVING – There are loads of other ways of adding money to your savings pot. Selling unwanted items from around your home is a great way to save money. According to one article, the average home is sitting on £1,045 of unwanted items. Ebay, Vinted and Facebook marketplace are great places to get rid of things you don’t use or could live without, and you’ll be surprised at how much it adds up once you start de-cluttering. Do you have a secret skill? Selling cakes, knitted items, jams and chutneys are all great side hustles if you have a talent for it.
LETS TALK VENUES
A huge chunk of your budget, no matter how big or small, will be spent on your wedding venue so:
5. Opt for off-peak. It’s now much more common for weddings to occur any day of the week, and it can save you a massive amount of money having your wedding day on a Sunday or a day in the week. Summer wedding dates still get booked up years in advance at popular venues but lets face it, with the British weather you are as likely to have sun in November as you are in June, so why not opt for an early Spring or Autumn wedding?
6. Don’t be afraid to haggle. If you have your heart set on a certain place but the bill is still too high, look at what you are actually paying for. Some venues will waive the room hire costs if you are having a sit down meal and you can ask for things to be removed like wine on the table or the champagne toast (which could be replaced with prosecco for a cheaper option).
7. Check out village halls or community centres. With a little decorating you can create an elegant room for your reception, and these sort of venues are usually incredibly cheap compared to hotels or country houses.
8. Do any of your family members have a huge garden? Vogue says one of the hottest wedding trends for 2025 is “at home” weddings. This can be a really cheap way to get married, but make sure you plan for all weathers, you don’t want the day to be a wash out, so make sure there is suitable shelter. And it’s not just the rain, if it is a really hot day you’ll need to make sure there is shade, especially for older family members and young children.
THE BRIDAL PARTY
9. GROOMSMEN – You can save money on your groomsmen by asking them to wear their own suits. Most men will have a suit already and it doesn’t matter if they don’t match perfectly, as long as they are the same colour. You could splash out on ties in your wedding colours to make everyone match perfectly. It’s also worth looking at renting suits, or even buying them from the high street. Online as stores like asos and boohoo have really affordable men’s suits.
10. BRIDESMAIDS – If you want to save money on Bridesmaid dresses, try to avoid anything custom made. The high street again have some amazing dresses, and always check the sales, it’s a good excuse for a shopping trip. Another option is you could ask your bridesmaids to pay for their own dresses if you pay for hair, make-up and accessories.
11. THE BRIDE – Every bride wants to find their dream dress, but it doesn’t have to cost the earth. With the likes of shops like Wed2Be and high street stores, you can easily get the perfect new dress for under £400. The one shown in the picture is just £375 from Monsoon. It’s also worth checking on wedding groups and online market places for people selling their dresses, because it’s easy to find a bargain. The only downside is that they may have been altered, but look to go up a size so you can have it altered to fit you perfectly.
THE FINER DETAILS
12. CALL IN SOME FAVOURS – Do you know someone who is creative? Maybe your Gran bakes a really great Victoria Sponge! We all know someone who has a hidden talent and could help with something on the day. You could ask for favours instead of gifts, so if you have someone who is artistic, maybe ask if they could create your signage or invitations. If you have a friend with a really fancy car, why not ask them to drive you to the venue?
13. DIY – There are literally millions of tutorials out there, so why don’t you try your hand at something for your day? If you aren’t confident, choose things that can be made in advance, so you aren’t rushing around or worrying you will burn the cookies for your favours the day before your wedding. Centrepieces can be made with some ribbon tied around jam jars, you could make place cards for just a few pence if you have great handwriting, and save a fortune on a photo booth my making your own props and selfie frame.
14. DON’T SPLASH ON GIFTS – Sharing your special day will be gift enough for your bridal party and close family, so you don’t need to spend a fortune on gifts for them. If you are getting ready with your girls, why not do a DIY fizz and snack bar in the morning, and write them individual cards to say thank you? And if you really want to make personalised glasses or dressing gowns for the morning of the wedding, you can buy the vinyl for these and make your own for half the price of buying them ready made.
15. TAKE YOUR OWN BOOZE – Look for venues that either allow you to bring your own alcohol, or don’t charge you for corkage. Even if just for the toasts it can save you a lot of money on buying bottles of prosecco or Champagne from the venue itself. Take a shot favours are another cheaper option instead of a champagne toast if you aren’t a fan of fizz. If you have a venue with no bar, you can create amazing Pimp my Prosecco or Gin Bars for a fraction of the cost of hiring a mobile bar.
16. MAKE A PLAYLIST – Most venues have some sort of sound system which can be used for entrance music etc. Why not ask if you can bring your own music rather than hiring a DJ? Just make sure you check that you have enough songs to cover the entire length of your reception, you don’t want the music to stop an hour in. If you know some wannabe singers, why not ask them to perform for you? Even if they are bad it will still be something to remember from the day!
17. TAKE A MINIMOON – If you can’t afford to splurge on an extravagant honeymoon, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take at least a few days away as newlyweds. Midweek breaks can be much cheaper, especially during term time when the kids are at school. Look for offers at hotels and even sites like Travelzoo or Groupon for mini breaks that include drinks, spa days or dinner.
The most important thing of all is to enjoy your day and not to stress. No one will miss the things you never had, so don’t be afraid to do things your way. Things can and do go wrong at even the most expensive weddings, so just try and take everything in, and laugh at the little things because the day will go so fast you’ll be sad when it’s all over.
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