- Have a weekday wedding, or at least a Friday instead of a Saturday
- Get married in the winter months instead of the summer
- Go digital with your save the dates
- Go digital with your invitations, doing printed invites only for your parents, grandparents and yourself as a keepsake
- Use a printable invite
- For your printed invitations, stay with one colour design
- Go for a buffet meal to cut down on the cost of waiting staff
- Cut down on your guest list
- Favours are unnecessary. Want to give something? Give something edible
- Opt for more candles instead of more flowers
- Go for fairy lights to help create mood and effect
- Choosing rectangular tables means you can have smaller centrepieces
- Don’t skimp on your food or the photographer
- Have a wine table instead of wine on each table
- Don’t have an open bar – rather buy a number of drinks that guests can help themselves to
- Rent a house in an exotic location, use it as the venue and double it as accommodation as well as your honeymoon!
- Use a venue that does not force you to make use of their suppliers or vendors
- Have your reception in a restaurant
- Do your own flowers
- Use paper or cloth flower alternatives
- Instead of posies have bridesmaids carry something different e.g. a lantern or small handbag
- Have the maid of honour carry a small handbag instead of a flower posie; she can then carry all the items needed in your emergency kit
- Buy your decor instead of hiring, then sell it afterwards
- Go for wooden tables so that no tablecloths are needed
- If you have to cover your tables, only use a tablecloth and skip a runner or overlay
- Don’t do printed programs
- Skip the wedding car
- Don’t spend too much on your chapel flowers and decor
- Food served family style means you cut down on centrepieces and table decor
- Weigh up hiring a wedding planner versus doing it yourself
- Have a budget and stick to it!
- Choose a venue that already includes some things e.g. the tables
- Do a menu board instead of individually printed menus
- Have more guests per table, meaning fewer tables in total
- Go for a morning or brunch wedding
- Use what the venue already have
- Make it personal so you can use things you already have
- Reduce the “plus ones”
- DIY as much as you can, from the table numbers to the signs
- Use seasonal flowers
- Go green! Foilage instead of flowers
- Borrow your jewellery
- Let bridesmaids pick (and pay) for their own dresses
- Maybe skip the champagne for a toast – guests will already have a drink to toast with
- Don’t pay for something that most guests won’t even notice
- Skip the 2nd bouquet for the tossing, rather use the bridesmaid’s posy or a single flower
- Skip the carpet down the aisle, rather go for flower petals
- Combine the post-ceremony snacks and starters, or choose one and make it great
- Don’t do destination or out of town
- Outside ceremony can mean more money – keep it inside
- Don’t invite kids
- Make sure kids are charged differently
- Don’t go over time – most venues charge per hour after 00h
- Make your own cake or order a dummy cake and make the rest yourself
- Skip dessert and just serve cake
- Skip cake and do a dessert bar
- Make your own photobooth
- Skip the crazy lights and smoke machine
- Skip signature cocktails
- Don’t do pairings
- Go with 1 white and 1 red wine, that is enough choice
