Venues, caterers, DJs, photographers, flowers, announcements… Getting married also means juggling quotes that add up. To avoid the financial headache, some couples have found the solution to lower the bill without sacrificing pleasure.
When Holly and Dan, both 29 and from Birmingham, started planning their wedding, they quickly realized the budget was going to explode. As reported by the magazine The Sun: “We weren’t aiming for a luxury wedding, but even the most basic things were falling apart”says Holly. In fact, the average wedding in the UK now costs more than €22,000. At this price, no wonder the bride and groom see their budget disappear in just a few weeks. So, the engaged couple decided to cut unnecessary expenses to focus on what really mattered.
By agreeing to review their desires and move away from the classic pattern, they managed to organize a wedding in their image for less than 9,300 euros. No printed invitations, no guest gifts, no new dress. Responses to invitations were centralized on a WhatsApp group. “No printing, no mailing, and responses arrived within hours.” For the meal, no long dinner, but a convivial buffet. “We replaced the three-course meal with a buffet with snack boards. People ate more, relaxed more and no one regretted the formality,” Dan explains. Even the car was taken off the list: “My dad took me in his Volvo. It was personal, emotional and completely free.”
Regarding her dress, Holly found a model at a knockdown price. “I found a designer dress for 470 euros on a second-hand wedding site. Worn once, dry cleaned, it looked new.” The photographer? A talented final year student, delighted to complete her book. In total, this option allowed them to save almost 1,750 euros. But beyond all these decisions, it was above all a smart choice that allowed them to make the difference. That of not getting married on a Saturday but on a public holiday.
“The same venue was 2,700 euros less on a Thursday. We grabbed it, and the guests were happy to enjoy a long weekend,” Dan remembers. And this kind of difference does not only concern venues: caterers, photographers, DJs, florists and even makeup artists often apply increased prices on Saturdays, a day of very high demand.
However, some constraints must be anticipated. Some providers do not work on public holidays and town halls and places of worship may be closed or operate with reduced staff. Public transportation is usually slow and some guests may prefer to go away for the weekend rather than attend a wedding. But for couples willing to plan a little ahead, the benefits can more than compensate.
