Paula Gorry, Demonstrator Development Manager, Stampin’ Up! UK
In 2017, the costs of a wedding in the UK was up 9.6 per cent compared to 2016. [1] With wedding prices continually rising, now is the perfect time to think about the best ways of cutting costs without forfeiting quality. Although your wedding will undoubtedly be one of the happiest days of your life, it doesn’t necessarily need to be the most expensive. Take the stress out of sticking to your budget by following these crafty top rips for saving money on your nuptials.
Hand- make your invites
Creating your own invitations is a perfect way to pinch the pennies and still send beautifully crafted invites, with a personal touch. Work out how many invites you’ll need to make, then you can decide on the complexity of your design. Make sure to pick a co-ordinating colour palette to achieve a consistent and professional look, adding in embellishments such as buttons, ribbon or gems to enhance your overall style.
Send a thoughtful thank you
With making invitations being so simple, it makes sense yo do the same with your save the dates and thank you cards. The techniques are largely the same and with added opportunity for personalisation, your guests will be sure to appreciate the added effort. Small additions like colour co-ordinating the envelopes or ink will emphasise your thoughtfulness.
Ask your best friend to bake
Your wedding cake is an easy way to save some sterling as most of us know someone who is great at baking. Asking a friend or family member if they’s like to make your cake is a great way of making them feel involved in the big day, and comes at a much lower price than hiring a professional.
If you don’t know anyone that bakes, there are still easy ways to minimise costs. Get creative and consider a layered tower of cookies, cupcakes or doughnuts or choose your favourite sweet (or savoury) treat of choice!
Decorate with your own stye
Why not consider making your own decorations? It’s a fun and easy way to cut costs and truly organise your wedding to your own taste. For rustic weddings, you can make bunting for a light-hearted and low-key look. If big and bold is more your style, think about creating your own centrepieces are a great wilt-free option for the summer, or if you want to keep it real, think about sourcing and arranging flowers yourself instead if employing a florist.
Get smarter with your stationary
From table plans, name places, signs and guest books, your wedding stationary costs all start to add up. There are plenty of inexpensive hacks for creating your own professional looking stationary. Think about using stamp sets, dies or stencils, for example, to create a perfect look in keeping with your wedding theme. Don’t forge presentation – be in a thrifty frame or mirror for a vintage theme, or use large potted plants for a floral wedding.
These are just a few easy ways to keep your wedding costs . down, but the fun doesn’t have to stop there. Spread the creativity and invite your bridal party to get involved and give you a helping hand – saving money and having fun whilst planning your wedding has never been so easy.
[[1]] https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/average-british-wedding-cost-uk-27000-hitched-venue-honeymoon-food-london-midlands-a7937551.html