How to Save Money on Your Wedding: The Ultimate Cost-Cutting Guide

Whether you’ve recently started to plan your wedding or you’re right in the thick of it, you probably noticed something fairly quickly –  weddings can be costly. In 2024, the average cost of a wedding is £20,775, and that’s before you’ve even got to the honeymoon or considered the cost of the engagement ring. So if you’re trying to figure out how to plan your dream wedding and stay firmly within your budget, you’ve come to the right place.

In this post, we’re going to take a deep dive into how to save money on a wedding and offer you plenty of tips to make sure you don’t go over your wedding budget.

Before you start planning

Wedding Budget How-To Inforgraphic
Check out Bridebook’s state-of-the-art Budget Calculator

Before we go over the many ways you can save money on your wedding, make sure you have a solid idea as to what you want to (realistically) spend. To give you a helping hand, you can use Bridebook’s useful wedding budget calculator.

Throwing a lavish and expensive wedding is a fabulous way to spend your big day, but it’s important not to get too carried away. Have a chat with your partner about what’s really important for both of you and create a list that categorises the must-haves and the nice-to-haves so you know what can be cut if you get a little too close to the top end of your budget.

Planning a wedding is a lot of fun, but it can also be a stressful time. That stress, combined with spending a great deal of money, can be create challenges. Remember to be open and honest with your partner and try not to get your heart set on something before you’ve booked it. The last thing you want is to be disappointed if something doesn’t quite work out how you hoped.

What’s the average cost of a wedding in 2024?

Average UK Wedding Costs: With and Without the Engagement Ring and Honeymoon
Average UK Wedding Costs: With and Without the Engagement Ring and Honeymoon

As uncovered in our ultimate wedding budget breakdown, the average cost of a wedding in 2024 is £20,775, not including the ring and a potential honeymoon. When you factor the engagement ring and honeymoon into your budget, the average cost rises to £25,952, which is a huge amount of money to spend.

It’s important to remember that this is just an average, and the actual cost of your wedding will depend on many factors, including the cost of the venue, number of guests, time of year, and even how many tiers there are on your cake.

Of course, you don’t have to spend this amount, or anything close to it – couples have weddings which range from costing less than £1,000 to costing £100,000 or more. If you budget wisely, make some careful decisions and plan ahead, you can make significant savings while still ensuring you have your dream wedding.

What are the best tools for saving money on your wedding?

Wedding fund piggy bank
Check out Bridebook’s state-of-the-art Budget Calculator

When the time comes to start planning your wedding in earnest, the excitement can take hold and before you know it you’re creating spreadsheets, browsing Instagram hashtags and Pinterest stores, and your Google search history is nothing but venues and flower shops. But before you dive into the deep end, why not consider a tool to help you save time, money and effort?

We recommend using Bridebook’s state-of-the-art wedding budget tool to keep track of your expenses and make sure everything is taken care of. We also have a wedding planning app so you don’t have to keep a stack of notebooks with you or carry your laptop around when you meet vendors – you’ll have everything you need right there on your phone.

Can you save money on your wedding by inviting fewer guests?

Wedding guestlist with flowers
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When you’re getting married, we understand that it’s a big deal and you’ll probably want to invite every family member, friend, colleague and acquaintance you have. However, having a set number of guests will ensure you keep the guest list limited, which will save you on the venue, catering and invitation costs. It may be tempting to invite everyone you know to come and celebrate with you, but doing so will increase the cost of your wedding and could push it beyond your budget.

To put it into perspective, the average couple spends around £200 per guest – that means, if you’re ruthless with your guest list and invite 100 guests instead of 150, you’ll save over £10,000. If you’re not prepared to make cuts quite that drastic, even just cutting back your guest list by five could save you around £1,000.

Is it cheaper to have a twilight wedding?

Twilight wedding with magical fairy lights
Plan a budget-friendly twilight wedding today

A twilight wedding is a wedding that starts later in the day and is a great way to lower the cost of your wedding. It not only means you’re using your venue for a shorter amount of time, but you also bypass the expensive wedding breakfast and you pay vendors and staff for fewer hours as well.

For example, Friern Manor Country House Hotel offers a twilight wedding package starting at £3,500 for 70 guests, compared to £7,995 for a traditional wedding – that’s half the price! That means you can have all the celebrations of every other wedding, only condensed into a shorter amount of time. It’s the perfect way to make massive savings on your wedding if you’re happy to have the ceremony take place later in the day.

The expert wedding budget video course: DIYs and money-saving tips

If you’re planning a wedding on a budget or just looking to save a bit of cash, knowing how to break down your budget will be one of the most important parts of your overall wedding planning, but how to stick to it? In this video course, Bridebook founder (and qualified wedding planner) Hamish Shephard explains how to plan a wedding on a budget, sharing his expert money-saving tips on everything from your wedding venue to your catering and more. 

How can you save money on a wedding venue?

Photo © Swinfen Hall | See their Bridebook profile

The average cost of a wedding venue in the UK is around £8,000 – £10,000 and is almost half the overall budget for the typical wedding.

If you haven’t set the date yet, you can find huge savings by avoiding the busy seasons, certain days of the week and popular locations. So, if you’re happy to not have a Saturday wedding in the middle of summer, slap bang in the middle of London, you could save thousands. For example:

  • Choose a midweek wedding. You’ll save on almost every wedding supplier by joining the 50% of couples who hold their big day on any day other than a Saturday, which is the most popular day to get married. To maximise your savings, the cheapest day to get married is a Tuesday. Suppliers are usually happy to offer reduced rates on days that otherwise wouldn’t be booked.
  • Consider areas outside London. Couples are now spending over £15,000 (or 77%) more to marry in the capital. So, like other savvy couples, why not consider having your wedding somewhere outside of the capital (both Wales, and Yorkshire and the Humber, are the cheapest regions to get married in)? Plus, not only is a wedding away from your hometown a great way to save money, it increases the feeling of magic, mystery and adventure.
  • Have a winter wedding. Try to avoid peak wedding season, which is between June and September, when costs are the highest. Costs are lowest in the winter, with January and February being the cheapest months in which to tie the knot (24% less than the UK average). So, if you don’t mind it being cold outside, it could be a great choice. And on the off-chance there’s frost or snow, it’ll give you the opportunity to take unique wedding photos.
  • Choose an all-in-one venue (with in-house food and drink). You can save a lot by booking an all-in-one wedding venue that includes food and drink versus one that offers separate venue hire and catering options. Some of our most popular all-in-one venues include The Wasing Park in Reading, Tunnels Beaches in Devon, and Blakelands Country House & Barns in Bobbington

It’s also worth bearing in mind that many venues offer discounts and special ‘late availability’ packages in off-peak wedding seasons or to fill a space left by a cancellation. This can make even the most premium ones a far more affordable option if you’re happy with a bit of last-minute planning and organising. A great example is Holdsworth House Hotel, an idyllic wedding venue with 32 bedrooms, charming courtyards and enchanting gardens.

For more money-saving ideas when it comes to venues specifically, check out our blog post on how to save money on your wedding venue.

How can you save money on your wedding catering?

Photo © Touchays Wedding Caterer | See their Bridebook profile

If there’s one thing people remember about weddings, it’s the quality (and quantity) of the food. Whether you go for a four-course breakfast or an all-you-can-eat buffet featuring around-the-world cuisine, food is guaranteed to excite your guests. For that reason, you won’t want to cut corners when it comes to your food, but there are still some creative ways to save money while not compromising on quality. But, with couples spending around £5,700 on wedding catering, it can account for around a quarter of your entire wedding budget.

As we’ve already highlighted, you can slash these costs by cutting the number of guests you invite, as there will be fewer mouths to feed. Your friend’s boyfriend of two months? Sure, you like them, but do you like them enough to pay £62 per head for them to eat a three-course meal? Cutting out a table of eight will save an average of almost £500 on food and drink (as well as saving you in table numbers and stationery). Not to mention that cutting your guest list might also give you the ability to choose a smaller, more affordable wedding venue.

If you’re keen on having a lot of people there, why not invite them to the evening reception? That way, no one will get offended about not being invited, and you’ll save money by not having to feed as many guests at the wedding breakfast. Alternatively, why not skip the expensive wedding breakfast altogether and have a breakfast buffet instead? A buffet drastically reduces costs by only requiring limited staff, plus it offers guests a wider choice.

For more information on catering costs and savings, check out our post on how to save money on wedding catering.

How can you save money on wedding alcohol?

Photo © Savva Bars & Catering Co | See their Bridebook profile

Many people enjoy a drink or two at a wedding, and the most obvious way to save money is by not offering an open bar. Save over £2,000 by offering a paid bar. This requires your guests to pay for their drinks themselves, and stops everyone from accidentally over-indulging. Plus, guests won’t expect an open bar, with two out of three couples opting to let their guests pay for their own drinks.

Another way to save money is by choosing a more affordable fizz for the toasts. Champagne may be a luxurious choice, but cheaper alternatives like prosecco, sparkling wine or Cava will still go down just as well.

You may also be able to hire your own mobile bar instead of going with what the venue offers. One of our vendors, Near and Far Mobile Bar Ltd, is an excellent option as they set up their mobile bar at the venue, provide staff and bartending service, and offer pre-wedding consultation. Whoever you hire, just make sure they have a license. Or, you could choose to provide your own bubbly. Just bear in mind that the venue may charge a corkage fee. This can sometimes be more expensive than going with what the venue offers.

See our post on how to save money on wedding alcohol for more information. 

How can you save money on wedding photography?

Photo © Paul Swift Photography | See their Bridebook profile

A wedding photographer is a non-negotiable for many couples (9 out of 10 couples choose to hire one) and with the average cost being around £1,300 – £1,500, finding ways to save money on a photographer is always a huge bonus.

Below are just a few tips for helping strip those costs right back, while still ensuring you get wonderful professional photographs.

  • Consider an express package. Instead of having the photographer spend the whole day with you, ask if they offer two or three-hour packages, where they come and take shots of the venue, the bridal party and your close friends and family. Opting for fewer hours is the best way to reduce costs, but does mean forgoing pictures of you cutting the cake and your first dance at the evening reception. Some photographers also provide a second camera person and opting out of this service can significantly lower the cost.
  • Hire a local photographer. Local photographers will usually charge you far less than those who have to travel far and charge additional fees for those miles. Here at Bridebook, we have a huge range of fantastic photographers, so you’re sure to find one who operates where you’re hosting your wedding.
  • Go digital. If you forgo professionally printed albums as 9 out of 10 couples now do, you could save £250+. Most modern photography packages include a link to your own online gallery, where you can browse and enjoy all your favourite shots at your leisure. You can then always use a photo-developing service, such as Snapfish, to print your photographs for a fraction of the cost later on. 

How can you save money on wedding videography?

Photo © Affordable Wedding Videos | See their Bridebook profile

While the majority of couples choose to have a photographer shoot at their wedding, a third of couples also choose to hire a videographer to document and capture their big day in a candid and natural way, with the costs in line with that of a photographer. If capturing your wedding on video is important to you, there are plenty of ways to save money on a videographer too.

One way to save money on a wedding videographer is by hiring a professional who might not have as much experience as others. An up-and-coming videographer, who is new to the business, will have plenty of enthusiasm and passion, but not quite as much of a portfolio. They may also not have a range of expensive kit, such as drones or 4K cameras, but should still be able to produce a beautiful video for a price that fits within your budget.

You may also be able to save money by asking not to have any complex editing or cinematography, which can add a lot of time to post-production.

How can you save money on your wedding flowers?

Photo © The Flower Mill | See their Bridebook profile

One of the expenses that might take you by surprise is the price of your wedding flowers, at an average cost of around £1,100. This is due to florists having to source different flowers, create elaborate artistic displays, and transport them to the venue, which all requires time, dedication, skill and expertise. That being said, there are ways you can save money on wedding flowers which mean you can have a luscious wedding filled with flora while sticking within your budget.

Many wedding florists have years, if not decades, of experience providing flowers for hundreds of weddings. That means they’re equipped to work with any budget – including yours. Speak to your chosen florist, tell them what you’re looking for and trust them. As with all wedding vendors, communication is key. 

Here are a few money-saving tips for choosing wedding flowers:

  • Choose flowers with big heads. Not only do they look gorgeous, but generally, the bigger the flowerhead, the fewer stems you need to fill out an arrangement, which can cost a lot less than having multiple small-headed flowers.  
  • Go for flowers that are in season. While it may be tempting to ask for roses at your spring wedding, they’ll cost a lot more then than they would during late summer or autumn, because they wouldn’t be in season. Choosing flowers that are in season will naturally help keep costs down.
  • Choose a naturally beautiful venue. Go for an outdoor wedding with plenty of surrounding greenery, so you won’t have to pay for additional decor. Great outdoor venues can include vineyards, parks and private gardens.
  • Opt for foliage over flowers. Greenery is super popular right now and many couples prefer to go with garlands to adorn their tables or drape over the altar. The best part is, foliage is typically way more affordable.

How can you save money on wedding decor and a marquee?

Photo © The Rustic Wedding Company | See their Bridebook profile

Wedding decor peppers your personality across your big day, but depending on your theme, the costs can quickly add up. The average cost of professionally sourced wedding decor is £1,500, but there are plenty of ways to save money if you’re willing to compromise, such as by creating DIY decorations or sourcing them from specialist vendors. If you’re happy not to have personalised decorations, you can slash this amount to just a couple hundred pounds. Check out our blog post on how to save money on wedding decor for more inspiration.

Another expense is the cost of marquee hire, which averages around £4,200. This depends on the size and type of marquee you go for, so if you’re not set on either of these, you can make significant savings by having a more basic marquee type. Another way to save money on a wedding marquee is by avoiding peak times, such as Saturdays and/or the summer months, as prices can be much higher during the busiest and most popular periods.

How can you save money on a wedding cake?

Photo © By Yevnig | See their Bridebook profile

Your wedding cake is most likely the most expensive dessert you’ll ever buy, with the average cost at around £400 – £500. After all, it’s not just hugely symbolic: you’re paying for an edible work of art. Yet just like the cake itself, there are layers to the cost. The larger your wedding party, the bigger the cake will be, and the more expensive it will be too. If you do have a lot of guests, a cake with a less complex or intricate design will help keep costs down. You could also consider a dummy layer that replaces a layer of cake with polystyrene – not as tasty, but generally cheaper (though this isn’t always the case).

Due to the skill and time needed to make them, fondant and sugar flowers will typically cost more, so you can save money by forgoing them where possible. A lovely and cost-effective option (not to mention fashionable) is a naked cake with fresh flowers or fruit. Not only does a naked cake require less buttercream and fewer time-consuming decorations, but it still looks and tastes amazing.

Wedding cupcakes are another cute option and usually cost around £4 per guest; they’re generally easier to make and decorate, look adorable in pictures, and are often cheaper than a showstopping multi-tiered wedding cake.

For more tips, check out our post on how to save money on your wedding cake.

How can you save money on wedding entertainment and music?

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Wedding entertainment and music are a key part of keeping your guests entertained throughout the day, but with the average cost of entertainment coming in at £800 and the average cost of music at £1,800, they’re not cheap.

For entertainment, it ultimately depends on your wedding theme. To keep costs down, consider creating a DIY kid’s table if children are coming to your wedding. A collection of colouring books, crayons and a box of Lego will save you £500+ that you would have to spend on a kids’ entertainer.

When it comes to music, if you’re interested in a live act, unless you want Tylor Swift at your wedding, a solo singer will generally be far more affordable than a band, simply because you’re paying one performer instead of four or five. Similarly, a DJ is often a more budget-friendly option and is almost guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser. You can actually save up to £900 by choosing a DJ over a live band (though a band will offer that unique touch to your evening reception).

Check out our posts on how to save money on wedding entertainment and how to save money on wedding music for more money-saving tips.

How can you save money on your wedding dress?

Photo © Kate Joseph Bridal | See their Bridebook profile

Many couples spend between £1,000 – £2,000 on a wedding dress, and that’s often  before any accessories or alterations that complete the final ensemble. Making bridal shop appointments and trying on dresses is a momentous and exciting part of the planning process, but before you say yes to the dress, know that there are plenty of tips for saving money on your wedding dress.

Firstly, you can reach out to bridalwear boutiques and ask if they have any upcoming sales or bridal dresses at discounted prices. There’s every chance that in a week or two, there may be a sale that slashes the price of many of their dresses, saving you a bundle. And, it may be an awkward conversation, but asking your bridesmaids to pay for their own dresses could save you £300+.

Most bridal shops sell sample dresses in styles they’re either discontinuing or no longer want to sell at discounted prices. These are dresses you and other brides-to-be try on in the shops, but if you can look past this you can make significant savings. You can also opt for high-fashion brands – ASOS, Chi Chi London and Little Mistress all sell wedding dresses at super affordable prices (just note that these are unlikely to match the quality and service of a bridalwear boutique). 

The amount of gorgeous second-hand dresses out there shouldn’t be underestimated, and you can save as much as £750 by finding a vintage or pre-loved dress. Plus, only 5% of brides buy a second-hand dress, which means you won’t face much competition if you opt for something pre-loved.

How can you save money on wedding accessories and wedding shoes?

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From beads to boutonnières, wedding accessories help to bring your outfits together and complement the style and theme of your wedding. However, wedding accessories aren’t cheap, with couples spending an average of £300-£400.

To save money on a veil, why not have it as your ‘something borrowed’ and ask a family member if you could use theirs? If you’re willing to compromise, you may also have other accessories at home already, including a belt and bowtie, or jewellery and handbag, which may already work with your wedding outfit. 

It’s also worth checking the depths of your shoe cupboard to see if you have some shoes that will work. Just remember to give them a polish to make them extra shiny. And remember that, again, you might have to compromise on the exact look and quality you originally envisioned . Check out our dedicated post to discover more ways to save money on wedding accessories.

How can you save money on wedding beauty?

Photo © Tara Sanger Makeup | See their Bridebook profile

The thought of walking down the aisle, all eyes on you, is both exciting and probably a little nerve-wracking. But, when you look amazing, it can help you feel confident enough to melt those nerves away. This is one of the many reasons why hiring a professional to take care of your hair and makeup is important to so many brides and, in most cases, totally worth it – that and it’s one less thing for you to worry about on the day. But, with couples spending an average of £690 on hair and makeup (as well as other pre-wedding rituals) cutting costs where possible can be a lifesaver for budget-conscious couples. 

The most obvious way to significantly save money on wedding hair and makeup is by biting the bullet and doing it yourself, or asking your bridesmaids to take on the responsibility. This could save you up to £330+, but comes with its own set of risks (which we set out in our article on demystifying bridal beauty costs). If the DIY approach isn’t ideal, you could instead consider hiring a makeup assistant , who won’t be as experienced as a hair or makeup artist but will still have worked closely with one at plenty of weddings.

Another cost-saving option is to travel to your stylist or beautician on the morning of your wedding, rather than having them come to you at your venue. This could potentially halve the amount you spend on beauty. Just note that you won’t get the same level of on-the-day care and attention, including last-minute touch-ups and veil adjustments, which might be stressful). 

How can you save money on a wedding suit?

Photo © dapper chaps formal wear | See their Bridebook profile

While not generally quite as pricey as a wedding dress, today’s couples spend an average of £700-900 on suits for their wedding. While a bespoke, tailored suit might be appealing, high-street retailers offer a great range of wedding suits for around £150 if you’re on a tight budget. You may also find a great suit or tuxedo at a local second-hand store or charity shop, but bear in mind you’ll likely need to have it altered to fit you perfectly (which will bump up the costs). 

Another option to slash the price of a suit is through renting, which can cost as little as £50 per suit. Plus, if all the groomsmen rent their tuxes or suits from the same place, there’s a good chance the groom’s suit will be free, or at least discounted. And even if this isn’t an advertised offer, it’s always worth asking.

For more tips and tricks, check out our post on saving money on wedding suits.

How can you save money on wedding rings?

Photo © Maree London | See their Bridebook profile

Your wedding ring is the one piece of jewellery you’ll rarely take off, so will be with you through thick and thin – which is why couples spend an average of £1,000 on their wedding rings. However, it is possible to save money on wedding rings by not relying on expensive metals such as gold and platinum, instead opting for something such as silver or titanium, which could lower the cost to as little as £50 per ring (and still be durable over years of wear and tear). 

You may also want to seriously think about whether or not you want to choose wedding rings with set diamonds or other precious stones. While it may look incredible, it will be far more expensive than if you were to choose a plain band. Also, the thicker the band is, the more expensive it will be, so consider choosing a band that is on the thinner side to reduce the cost.

How can you save money on wedding invitations and stationery?

Photo © Wonder Wedding Stationery | See their Bridebook profile

With Pinterest full of gorgeous and creative wedding invitation ideas, it’s hard to forgo a beautiful professionally-designed invitation in favour of a less aesthetic amateur one. But, you don’t necessarily have to do that to save money. Choose the invitation style of your dreams and go digital, and give your guests the option to RSVP digitally too. This will massively reduce the cost of your wedding stationery, on which couples spend an average of £400.

Almost a third of today’s couples don’t use paper stationery, such as menus and invitations, so consider joining them! Save money on wedding stationery by using sites like Paperless Post, or design your own beautiful digital invitations to email to your guests and save almost £300. At the wedding, a decorative chalkboard can explain the menu and agenda for the day – beautiful and often cheaper than paper (plus you can box it away as a keepsake post-wedding).

How can you save money on a registry office wedding?

Photo © Kensington and Chelsea Registry Office | See their Bridebook profile

A registry office wedding is already one of the most affordable choices when it comes to a wedding on a budget, costing an average of £1,342. However, it’s possible to save even more money on a registry office wedding if you opt for the basic ceremony only, which means it could cost you as little as £57 (not including the £35 it costs for each of you to give notice). 

It can also be cheaper to get married during quieter periods, so make sure you avoid peak times such as Saturday afternoons or the height of summer.

How can you save money on a wedding planner?

Photo © Camilla Boniek Events | See their Bridebook profile

Hiring a wedding planner may sound like another cost you could do without – after all, the average cost of a wedding planner is £2,436, or about 10% of your overall budget. But, wedding planners can actually help you save money in the long run by ensuring you stay within your budget. Not only that, but being in the industry means that wedding planners also have plenty of contacts and connections and can help you land the best deals, discounts and savings as a result, and they’re expert negotiators as well.

One way to save money on a wedding planner is by hiring them to do a partial wedding planning service, which means they come in with a few months to go before your wedding to make sure everything is as it should be. It’s a far more affordable service, but obviously not as thorough as if you were to hire them at the very start of your planning journey.

To learn more, read our post on how to save money on a wedding planner.

How can you save money on a wedding celebrant?

Photo © RD Ceremonies | See their Bridebook profile

A wedding celebrant is a wonderful way to personalise your ceremony, particularly if you’re not looking for a religious wedding or you’re a couple with mixed faiths. However, because a celebrant can’t legally marry you, there are further costs due to the need to also hire a registrar. And, with the average cost of a celebrant being £500, this can be an important cost to consider.

To save money on a wedding celebrant, consider compromising on the level of service involved. Ask if they’ll consider not meeting with you ahead of the wedding, and if they’re happy to rely on a questionnaire to personalise your ceremony. Similarly, many celebrants will want to speak to your family and friends about your relationship; cutting out this service may help to lower the price. Just be aware that you may not get as bespoke or thorough a service. 

How can you save money on wedding favours?

Photo © Green Manatee | See their Bridebook profile

Wedding favours might not be the biggest expense of your wedding (the average amount couples spend on wedding favours is £160), but here are some money-saving tips to help keep those costs as low as possible:

  • Go down the DIY route. DIY favours can really reduce your costs, and if you’re happy with them not being super personalised, you could get the cost down to less than £1 each.
  • Consider cheap sweet treats. Edible favours are usually a more budget-friendly choice, such as retro sweets, biscuits, or even homemade jam.
  • Keep packaging simple and practical. The simpler the design, the more affordable the packaging will generally be. 
  • Donate to a charity. A charity donation made on behalf of your guests allows you to control how much you spend, and makes for a thoughtful and generous gesture.

How can you save money on wedding transport?

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Depending on your plans, you could spend a good chunk of the first half of your wedding day being driven from A to B to C and back to B again. For that reason, wedding transport can be expensive, with couples spending an average of £700 on the vehicle and driver of their choice.

To save money on wedding transport, consider hiring a venue that allows you to have the ceremony, breakfast, reception and accommodation all in one, so you only need to pay for an hour or so of time. Or, if you know someone with a classic car or something with some oomph under the bonnet, call in a favour in exchange for an invite and a night of free drinks.

If you’re not particular about the type of vehicle, there are plenty of low-cost options available, including DS Executive Cars, Classic Bridal Cars and Kent and Coastal Wedding Cars, who all have costs as low as £100.

How can you save money on your honeymoon?

Photo © Alexa Poppe Wedding & Event Photography | See their Bridebook profile

Your honeymoon is your chance to relax and unwind after a year or more of full-on wedding planning. The honeymoon is non-negotiable for many couples and is one of the biggest splurges, costing an average of £4,300.

It can be tempting to book your honeymoon early to help you budget, but if you’re flexible with where you’re happy to go, you could grab a bargain by booking a last-minute deal a week or two before your wedding.

But if you have your sights set on somewhere in particular, reduce costs by travelling on off-peak days: Wednesdays and Thursdays are usually the cheapest for international flights. It also goes without saying that during busier times, such as school holidays or the summer months, it’s often expensive to travel. If your wedding is booked on such an occasion, why not postpone your honeymoon by just a couple of weeks and save money by travelling off-peak?

For more tips, check out our post on how to save money on your honeymoon.

How can you save money on wedding insurance?

Photo © Chris Thornton Photography and Videography | See their Bridebook profile

The cost of wedding insurance might feel like an unnecessary expense – as low as £30 for the most basic cover, to £100 -£180 on average, to up to £20,000 – but it can save you thousands down the line in the unlikely event something goes wrong.

You can save money on your wedding insurance by only choosing a basic policy, such as a policy which doesn’t include public liability. If you also forgo a marquee, you won’t need to add a marquee insurance extension to your policy, further bringing the cost right down.

Despite being a specialist type of insurance, comparison sites such as Money Supermarket let you compare quotes from various providers so you can secure the best policy. Just double-check that your chosen insurer includes everything you need and provides you with the right level of coverage.

How can you save money on wedding gifts?

Photo © Photographer Liam Gillan | See their Bridebook profile

Spending the ‘right’ amount of money on a wedding gift is something that plagues the mind of many wedding guests, but the cost of a wedding gift can vary dramatically based on several factors, including your relationship with the couple and whether or not you’re in a couple yourself.

But, there are ways to save money on a wedding gift. Why not club together with other guests, turning what would be several smaller gifts into a single larger one?

If the couple has a gift registry, it should include gift suggestions to suit a range of budgets. Don’t buy your gift from the first retailer you find it in – if you shop around you might be able to find a bargain, or at the very least something very similar with a far more affordable price tag.

Plan your dream wedding with Bridebook

There you have our top tips to help you save money on your wedding. For more information, check out our individual savings pages for even more ways to cut down your spending and make your wedding budget go further. 

Here at Bridebook, we have thousands of wedding venues and suppliers to suit any budget. Sign up today and start planning your dream wedding!

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Wedding Guest Transportation


As your wedding day approaches, your guests will begin to contact you with a variety of questions ranging from accommodation to food. This can become a burden when combined with all the other tasks on your to-do list. To avoid these questions, your goal is to try to answer them before they’re asked.

One such question is the issue of transport to the venue. We have already written a hack on arranging coaches, but what about guests who are travelling by car? Many guests will choose this option to give them more flexibility. It is also likely that your guests may team-up and carpool together. It is therefore important that these guests have clear instructions on how to get to the venue to make sure everybody gets there on time. There are 2 key points to let your guests know about: Directions and Parking.


Directions

Depending on the location of your venue, this could be pretty simple or very complicated. A city-centre venue shouldn’t be too difficult to provide directions for, although 1-way systems and road works could pose a problem. Do a quick check in the weeks before the wedding to make sure there are no major road/building works planned in the area which could affect transport arrangements. If your venue has a website, it is likely it may have a “getting here” page. In that case, all you need to do is send the link to everybody on your guest list who is not marked as requiring coach transport.

If, on the other hand, you are getting married in an isolated rural venue, directions are even more necessary but probably won’t be restricted by road works(although it’s still worth checking). Ask your venue if they can provide directions. Hopefully, they will already have a document prepared that provides directions which you can email directly out to your guests who are not marked as “requiring transport” on your guest transport spreadsheet. It would also be worth emailing these instructions to your transport company(if you are providing a coach) if the directions are tricky.


Parking

If you’re getting married in a city-centre venue, parking could pose a problem. Contact the venue to find out what their suggestions are and email this information over to all guests who are travelling by car. A rural venue will not have the same parking issues as a city-centre venue although you should still check what their arrangements are. If the only parking available is a muddy field and your guests show up in a sports car…….there may be a problem.


Basically, any information you can acquire from your venue in relation to directions and parking should be emailed over to your guest list. No need to do this months in advance as your guests may misplace the email. Try completing this hack in the month before the wedding.


How To Order Your Marriage License

Order Your Marriage License


The procedure for registering your marriage differs greatly depending on where you are in the world. Check the steps with your local government and do this as early as you possibly can! If there are any problems with registering the marriage, you will want to get these sorted as soon as possible. The worst case scenario for your wedding would be to find out that you are unable to get married after spending months of organising vendors and inviting guests. Hence the reason you should make contact with your local registrar as soon as possible. Your officiant may be able to provide some advice with this.

Here are some of the things you should ask:

  • Notice period(how far in advance do I need to register the marriage?)
  • What documents do I need to provide?
  • Do I need to provide the location of the marriage ceremony?
  • Getting married overseas? (does this complicate the process?)
  • How much does it cost to register the marriage?
  • Are both you and your fiancé citizens in the country in which you are registering the marriage? (does this cause any problems? Will you need to provide additional documentation?)
  • The vows. What wording is necessary? What wording can be added?
  • How many witnesses are needed? Criteria for witnesses?

Make sure to check the specific rules for your local area. This is one area of your wedding planning that you need to get right so take some time to read through any available documentation to guide you through this(I know….it’s a pretty monotonous task). Sometimes the best approach is just to call your local registrar and inform them that you are getting married and they will provide guidance on the next steps to take.


How to Plan a Boho Wedding

Boho Wedding


There are few themes that are as vague in style as the Boho wedding theme. It’s vagueness is due to the whimsical nature of bohemian styles and can incorporate elements of many other wedding themes, such as barn and beach weddings. There are no set rules for arranging a boho wedding. It comes down to personal taste. If you are hoping to have a more relaxed wedding, a boho-themed wedding could be the choice for you. Although there are no rules as such, we have put together some guidelines that will help you to create the boho feel for your wedding. Starting with….


Nature

Nature is a big part of the Boho theme. The more natural….the better. You don’t need to have your wedding outdoors(although you can if you want) but try to incorporate elements of the outdoors into the day. This could be done by encouraging your guests to spend time outside during the wedding. Something to draw guests outside(such as a small log fire) will allow your guests to casually flow between outdoors and indoors as they chat.


Relaxed feel

A boho wedding should create a very relaxed, laid-back atmosphere for your guests. Much of the work of creating this feel can be achieved through your decoration choices as mentioned below. To make sure your guests are aware of the theme and don’t turn up in ball gowns and top hats, mention the casual nature of your wedding on your invites to give your guests a heads-up.


Mismatching and DIY

The beauty of the boho wedding is the fact that the style is mixed and you can choose multiple items of differing styles and still end up with something that looks good. Just be careful not to go overboard with this. Too much mismatching can end up looking like an unconsidered junk shop. Check Pinterest for some inspiration.

Mismatching not only looks good, it can also be cheap if you use things that you already own. For example, you could use mismatched plates and tableware(possibly borrowing some from friends and family). There is also the option to create your own decorations(there are plenty of guides on Pinterest) which is a cheap but effective way to add a relaxed feel to your wedding.

Due to the many variations of bohemian styles there are, it is easy to combine them all and end up with something messy rather than mismatched. Try to find one specific version of the boho style you like and stick to it.


Communal features

Another excellent way to make your guests feel relaxed is to add communal aspects to your day. With many weddings being formal and guests only really talking to the people at their table, you have the opportunity to loosen everybody up by turning this on its head. A great place to start is to switch up the table layout. Think about doing a single long banquet table to give a more rustic feel, or go totally boho and just lay rugs on the ground and let everybody eat on the floor……with plates. “Sharing platters” placed in the middle of tables is also a good way to get people interacting.

Other communal features you can easily add are things like a lemonade bar that guests can casually visit and pour themselves a glass of real lemonade.


Wild flowers

If you look up boho wedding on Pinterest, you will probably see a lot of wild flowers. If you want to create a natural look, nothing says it better than wild flowers. You want it to look like you have picked them straight out the ground. You have the option to pick them yourself but will probably get a better result by hiring a florist. Wild flowers may look simple, but choosing the correct flower combinations is harder than it looks and you will benefit greatly from using a florist.


Bistro lights, candles & lanterns

To add that ‘dreamy’ dimension to your wedding, lights are a great way to go. Bistro lights(the chunky lightbulb type) are a good option for outdoor lighting. Fairy lights are a cheaper option which can be used outside and inside. Candles can add a natural/romantic lighting to your tables(empty jars make great boho candle holders). Lanterns are also good if you want to add larger decorations at doorways etc.


Naked cakes

Icing brings a little too much finesse. Instead, go for a classic sponge cake with rustic fruits and icing sugar. It doesn’t matter if it’s a bit wobbly…..just makes it look more boho.


Blankets & cushions

Sitting on the floor is a popular idea at boho weddings and it definitely does add to the relaxed feel. You could lay out cushions at a specific section of your venue and encourage your guests to enjoy drinks there, or alternatively provide blankets for your guests to take outside(picnic by day……star-gazing by night!).


Dresses

Boho dresses come in many varieties. Think light and floaty. Avoid traditional heavy dresses with long trains. Instead, swap them for vintage chic or lace, coupling them with decorative flats or small heels. Likewise for the bridesmaids, keep it simple and embrace mismatching. Every bridesmaid is welcome to choose their own dress which makes it easier to find dresses that suit them.


Hair & makeup

Both hair and makeup should also be kept simple where possible. Some examples of boho hairstyles are beach style, messy up-dos or pleats. Makeup should not be too heavy and should be kept to look natural wherever possible.


So to sum up, if you are trying to establish a Boho theme, stick to the following rules:

  1. Keep it simple
  2. Keep it natural

Image by Katherine Joy

Wedding Gift List Guide

Wedding Gift List


There are 2 types of people: Those who can’t wait for their wedding, and those who can’t wait for it to be over. Whichever camp you fall into, there is one thing we can all agree on loving…..presents!

The idea with a wedding gift list is for your guests to buy you all the things you need to set you off on your new life together; such as egg cups, tea cosies and gravy boats. The necessities. Once upon a time, household goods like the aforementioned were the standard gifting choices for most couples. But in recent years, as the market for gravy boats and tea cosies has plummeted, most couples now opt for a wedding gift list to allow them to choose the gifts they want. This reduces the risk of a multiple-gravy-boat scenario. Disaster! If you don’t know what a gift list is, this is how it works.

  1. Sign up with a wedding gift list provider(often a department store)
  2. Send your gift list details to your wedding guests(your gift list provider will provide these details)
  3. Your guests can login to an online system and make contributions
  4. After the wedding, you are given your total balance
  5. Spend the balance on any products the gift list provider offers

Some gift lists will allow you to choose gifts before sending your list to your guests. This way, your guests can purchase your chosen gifts rather than making cash donations. Other gift list companies allow you to receive donations for a chosen charity in combination with your regular gifts if you would like to support a cause.

Instead of a regular gift list, you could alternatively opt for a “Honeymoon fund”. This is a good option if you don’t need any household goods and have spent all your honeymoon spending money on the wedding. To decide on the correct option, think about what is most important to you.


There are many gift lists out there to choose from. Just make sure you do your research and find the best one for you!

Delegating Your Wedding Tasks to Your Bridal Party – The Guide

Bridal Party Tasks


A key part of reducing your wedding stress is not to do everything yourself! If you have chosen a bridal party, they will most likely be very happy to help out in any way they can. This is part of their job so don’t feel bad about asking. They would probably love to be involved. There are certain tasks which you can’t delegate(e.g. you need to try on the wedding dress yourself) but there are others which can easily be passed onto bridesmaids/ushers etc. Here are some of the tasks your bridal party can do.


Shared Pinterest board

Not a “task” in the purest sense, but certainly a big part of the planning process. At the beginning of your wedding planning when you have lots of theme and style choices to make, it can be fun to involve your bridal party by creating a shared Pinterest board(or several). This is also really helpful for getting lots of ideas very quickly. As ideas bounce around, new things will pop up that you could never have imagined if you were doing it on your own. Read our hack on using Pinterest to plan your wedding to learn more about this. You don’t need to use Pinterest to collaborate with your bridal party. You can do this in whatever way is best for you.


Arranging an engagement party

This one is definitely a “bridal party” job. Assign this task to members of your bridal party. Give them a rough idea of the style of party you would like, who you would like to attend and the max number of guests. Leave the rest up to them to allow you to get on with wedding planning.


Arranging the stag/hen do

As above


 Finding hotel rooms for out of town guests

A couple of hours of research from your bridal party and data entry into your accommodation spreadsheet is all it takes to create a database of all available accommodation. Once complete, they(or you) can send it to your wedding mailing list.


Arranging transportation for guests

Ask somebody to look into local transport companies and get an idea of pricing. Once you give them the go-ahead, ask them to make the booking with the transport company and forward the email confirmation onto you for your reference. The person who handles this would also be in charge of ensuring the transport arrangements go to plan on the day of the wedding. This would involve a final call to the company to make sure everything is in place and sorting any problems with guests not being at the pick-up point on time.


Reserving equipment hire

Since this is one of the more boring tasks of your wedding planning, you may feel ok about delegating this one. Lighting for example can easily be delegated. Ask your delegate to contact a few companies to get quotes. Check the quotes yourself before asking them to confirm the booking. Make sure they get the relevant details of when they will setup/takedown at the venue. The delegate for this task would also be responsible for meeting them on the day/day-after the wedding.


Printing printables

If you have any printables that need printed, ask a member of the bridal party to arrange this. Give them a budget and the number of copies you require as well as any details of paper stock etc.


Writing save-the-dates/place names etc.

If you have a lot of invitations to write, draft in some extra hands to help out. You may not want to do this with the actual invitations but the save-the-dates and place names are lower risk.


Emailing and printing directions for drivers of transport vehicles

Ask somebody to draft up directions/parking information for your venue and send this to your wedding mailing list.


Collecting groomswear

If hired, a member of your bridal party can collect the grooms wear (although it’s better if you can try on your suit in the shop).


Tidying up the “day after”

The day after the wedding can be pretty busy. You may need somebody to collect decorations, flowers, dresses etc. You may also need somebody to return certain hire items (e.g. grooms wear) and liaise with equipment hire companies who are collecting their equipment.


Book a spa treatment

In the week leading up to the wedding, ask somebody to book a spa treatment for the bridal party.


Arrange favours and decor that you are taking

Ask your bridal party to help you out in arranging your wedding favors.


These are just a small selection of the tasks that you can delegate to your bridal party, although this accounts for a significant portion of your wedding planning. Try to keep higher profile tasks(such as venue visits) for your fiancé and you as these tasks would burden your bridal party with too much responsibility and would rob you of the pleasure of arranging it yourself. Try to only delegate tasks that don’t have a significant impact on your wedding and can be easily carried out without too much communication with you. If a lot of communication is needed, the benefits of delegating the task are negated as you will end up spending as much time calling/emailing as you would have if you had done it yourself.

Image by The Hendrys

How to Plan an Urban Wedding

Urban Wedding

Urban weddings are the rising trend amongst millennials. The beautiful clash of industrial spaces with timeless elegance is a stunning combination which is a delight for (most) guests…………(there will always be a few). You may be wondering how to achieve that industrial feel, but don’t fret as we’ve got you covered! Here are our top tips for planning your urban wedding.


It’s all about the venue

 The key to any urban wedding is….the venue. There are 2 main approaches to choosing the venue. These are:

  • Start with an industrial venue and dress it up
  • Start with a standard venue and dress it down

If you go with the first option, you aren’t necessarily looking for “wedding” venues in your venue search (which can make things a little harder). Instead, search for unused warehouses or factories and contact the owner to see if they would consider hiring out the venue for a wedding. The great thing about this approach is that you will probably be able to hire the venue for a fraction of the price of a normal wedding venue. It’s worth keeping in mind that you will need to check that the venue is safe for use and arrange your own insurance. Once you have hired a venue like this, it is then very easy to decorate. The venue itself adds all the “urban-iness” so all you need to do is fill it with tables, chairs and décor. Try to use a mixture of urban items with classic items so that it’s not too industrial.

If you decide to go for the 2nd option, finding your venue is a little easier as you can just use a wedding directory to source your venue. If the venue is not explicitly urban, you will need to dress it down with some urban elements. Which leads us onto…….


Materials

Concrete, Brick, Wood and Metal. These 4 materials are intrinsic to the Urban wedding. For the most part, concrete and brick can only be incorporated into your wedding through a venue which uses these materials (unless you intend on transporting concrete blocks to the venue!). Wood and metal however can both be easily incorporated via your tables, chairs and decorations. Old wooden tables are a popular option as they can be transported fairly easily and add a lovely distressed look. Copper piping can be used for a whole manner of decorations which can be made at home for very little cost.

Other household items such as jars and glass bottles are another easy way to add an urban vibe very cheaply.


Seating

Think outside the box with the seating and look at alternative options such as wooden stools or benches which inject an instant touch of “urban” to any room. If you have any guests who would not be comfortable on a bench, consider having a few comfortable chairs for these guests and make sure to build this into your seating plan.


Up-cycle

Up-cycling has the double-effect of creating amazing urban objects and saving money. If you have the time and inclination, you could try visiting a thrift-fair and pick up some items which could either be used as-they-are or transformed through your creative skills. You may even be able to pick up an old leather sofa for £100 which could be used for a chill-out area.


Distressed juxtaposition

It’s important not to go too urban with your décor as you may cross the line between quirky and uncomfortable. Try to contrast your urban elements with a delicate classic element. For example, you could try adding a white table runner to your wooden tables so that you can see both. Flowers are also a natural way to add elegance with contrasting backgrounds.


Lighting

The lighting is a very important factor in setting the mood and there are many options to choose from within the urban theme. The most popular are:

  • Festoon lighting(bistro lights)
  • Fairy lights
  • Hanging bulbs(those trendy ones with the soft glow)

Any of the above choices will add an instant warmth to your evening proceedings and create a relaxed atmosphere for all your guests.


Urban Wedding Invitations

If you are printing your invitations, you may want to consider printing it on textured paper to make it look as if it has been sent directly from an old printing press.

Alternatively, just keep it digital and send your invitations via social media.


Urban Wedding Outfits

An urban wedding welcomes a little bit of casual-wear for both bride and groom. Think outside the box and dress in a way you are comfortable with. Again, it’s a matter of juxtaposition, so don’t go overboard in either direction. A popular choice for urban brides is to wear a shorter (knee-length) dress. While grooms can mis-match trousers and jacket with a pair of well-polished brogues. Keep the relaxed feel throughout the day. Consider changing your shoes to converse all-stars (or a shoe of your choice) for the dancing. It’s not only more comfortable, it will look uber-quirky.


If you are planning an urban wedding, the above tips will guide you on your way to get started. If you come up with some urban wedding tips of your own, we would love to hear about them.

The Flowers You Need For a Wedding

The Flowers You Need For a Wedding


Arranging your wedding flowers can be a mind-boggling affair due to the multitude of options for integrating flowers into your wedding day. The below list includes all the main flower options you may want to consider. These are suggestions only, not necessities. Pick and choose what suits your wedding theme. Pinterest is a great place for flower inspiration.


Bouquets

Bride

Maid of honour

Bridesmaids

Bouquet for toss


Buttonholes

Groom

Best Man

Ushers

Fathers

Grandfathers

Ring bearer


Hair

Bride

Flower girl


Corsages

Mothers

Grandmothers


Tables

Ceremony arrangements

Top table arrangement

Centrepieces

Buffet table arrangement

Cake topper

Drinks reception arrangements


Other flowers

Aisle

Flower girl basket

Petals instead of confetti


How To Finalise Your Wedding Guest List With Your Venue


Once you’ve finalised your Guest List – and we mean finalised, not nearly finalised – it’s time to send it to your venue and your caterers so they can prepare accordingly. We’d tend to advise against sending your Guest List before it’s fully finalised as you’ll end up sending revised version after revised version, and that risks leaving you (as well as your suppliers!) confused.

What Does A Finalised Guest List Look Like?

When your Guest List is finalised, you’ll have:

  • Final number of guests attending your ceremony
  • Final number of guests attending your reception (and/or in the evening only)
  • Final number of guests having a meal
  • All of your guests’ dietary requirements
  • Any access needs your guests might have
  • Final number of children attending (including those who will require a children’s meal)
  • Final number of babies attending (so the venue knows how many highchairs will be required)

If your catering will be handled by an external caterer, your venue won’t need information relating to meal options (but your caterer still will).

Psst! There’s an easy way to keep track of all this information – it’s in your Bridebook’s handy Guest List Tool. Check it out here!

How Can You Make Sure You Have All This Information?

Well, there’s one easy way to keep track of all this information – it’s your Bridebook’s handy Guest List Tool! You can use it to keep track of your RSVPs, +1s and any extra information like dietary requirements and access needs too.

If you haven’t sent out your invitations yet, make sure to include a clear RSVP deadline. As a rule, set your RSVP deadline at least six weeks before your big day. We also recommend that couples always check with their venue, caterer and other suppliers if they will need confirmation of numbers earlier than this and adjust accordingly.

If you’ve already sent out your invitations and your RSVP deadline is fast approaching (or has even already gone by), don’t be shy! Reach out to any guests who haven’t yet RSVP’d to confirm whether or not they’ll be attending.

With these tricks up your sleeve, you’ll have your Guest List finalised in no time – and then it’s back to the fun stuff! Did someone say cake tasting…?

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How to Pay for a Wedding

Planning your wedding is a fun, exciting and challenging time. It’s fun and exciting because you and your best friend are planning the biggest party of your lives before you spend the rest of your lives together. It’s challenging because, unfortunately, it’s actually pretty expensive to plan a wedding.

In the UK, the average cost of a wedding is £20,775, which is a considerable amount of money for most couples. It’s amazing just how expensive weddings can become as budgets spiral out of control. Small costs can quickly stack up. Plus, if you don’t keep on top of invoices and payments, it can soon suck the joy out of the experience, and become something altogether stressful. 

The great news is, there are things you can do to make sure you don’t get carried away and you keep on top of your payments. In this post, we’re going to dive into how to pay for a wedding, including budgeting and payment options, as well as tips for making sure you manage your money smartly.

How to pay for a wedding: cheat sheet

Check out the below cheat sheet for the key takeaways when it comes to paying for your wedding. Refer back to it whenever you need to. 

How to Pay for a Wedding: Cheat Sheet
Follow this cheat sheet when thinking about your wedding payments

How can you pay for your wedding on your own

Photo © Adam Harvey Photography | See their Bridebook profile

If you’re looking for how to pay for a wedding on your own, this isn’t completely out of the realm of possibility. We’ve already covered how the average UK wedding costs almost £20,000, but that figure is exactly that – an average. So, there are plenty of weddings that cost way below this (as well as some that cost far more, of course). And, a wedding that costs far less than the average is a much easier and more achievable goal if you want to pay for it all yourself.

Here are a few things to consider if you want to pay for your wedding:

  • Set a realistic budget. If you’re going it alone, you may have to consider what are must-haves compared to nice-to-haves.
  • Consider the venue carefully, because some cost way more than others. For example, getting married in a castle will cost you around £12,454, while a registry office will cost around £1,342.
  • Rather than a wedding that takes place across a whole day, you can slash costs by having a twilight wedding, which takes place during the latter half of the day.
  • Ramp up your monthly savings where possible – even one less meal out per month could save you around £1,000 over the course of a year (if you regularly eat in places that are a little pricey, that is).
  • Think about how you could make money through a side hustle. It shouldn’t take too much time – after all, you still need downtime and an opportunity to actually plan your wedding. But, you could earn an extra £1,000 a year and avoid paying any additional tax.
  • Choose to get married during off-peak days and months, which could save you thousands. With only 13% of couples getting married on a Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, there’s also much less competition out there.
  • Be open to compromise – if you are, there are plenty of ways to cut costs.

For more information and inspiration for paying for your wedding yourself, read our comprehensive guide to saving money on your wedding

How do you make sense of paying for your wedding?

Photo © Jack Slade Photography | See their Bridebook profile

When you plan your wedding there are quotes, figures, deposits, instalments, direct debits and invoices flying around from all different directions. With so much going on, how are you supposed to keep track and make sense of everything? Below are a few things to keep in mind so you don’t get lost wading through mounds of overdue invoices.

Assess your financial situation

Photo © Queen Bea Photography | See their Bridebook profile

Before you make your first booking, it’s important to get a good idea about you and your fiance’s financial situation. That means it’s time to:

  • Understand the current state of your finances
  • Work out the money you have coming in and out every month
  • Figure out where additional funding might come from

Once you’re confident about your finances, you can start working out how much you can dedicate towards planning your big day.

How can you work out your wedding budget?

Photo © Morgan James Photography | See their Bridebook profile

Agreeing on your budget is more than sticking your finger in the air and plucking out a magic number. If you do that, and then try to fit your venue, catering, outfits, rings and more around it, you’ll soon realise that you’re likely to run out of budget.

Of course, it’s useful to have an overall figure to aim for. But, in order to do this accurately, you first need an idea of what each individual vendor is going to cost. The best way to do this is by using a budget calculator, which helps you visualise everything using realistic figures. That way, you can instantly see that your dream venue, which costs £8,000, might not align with the overall budget of £10,000 that you were hoping for.

If you’re not quite sure about what you want at this stage, it can be useful to use average wedding costs to get an idea of what it might set you back. From there, you can determine where you can make savings and which costs are your non-negotiables. Getting out there and gathering quotes will also help you figure out how realistic your dream vendors are.

One important point to remember is that your life will continue long after your wedding. You and your new spouse may want to go on your honeymoon, buy a house or start a family – and all of those require money. So, while you may want to throw a lavish and memorable wedding, you might not want to start married life from square one.

What are your payment options?

Photo © czerminski.com Wedding Photography & Film | See their Bridebook profile

You’ve worked out your money, you know how much you want to spend on your wedding, you’ve maybe even started booking one or two vendors, such as your venue and caterers. The deposit for your venue could be as much as 50% (but is usually closer to 10%), which could instantly drain your bank balance. So what does that mean for the other countless things you need to pay for over the coming months?

There are several ways couples choose to pay for their wedding. They may use one of these methods or a combination of several. Which you choose is down to you, your preferences and your financial situation:

  • Personal savings
  • Pay by monthly instalments
  • Credit cards (though not necessarily recommended due to high interest rates)
  • Wedding loans
  • A gift or loan from family

How to prioritise what you pay for first

Photo © Andy Sidders Photography | See their Bridebook profile

With so many quotes flying around and important vendors to book, how do you know which one you should book and pay for first?

The most important thing to secure first is your date. This is predominantly decided by your chosen venue and whether or not they have availability on the date you’d like to get married. If this is a peak date, such as a Saturday during the summer, then you may find that you have to book this at least a couple of years in advance. If you’re happy to get married midweek during the winter, you’ll have a lot more flexibility.

Once you’ve secured your date at your chosen venue, you can start fitting everything else in, which you’ll probably want to do in order of whatever’s most important to you. For example, it may look a little something like this:

  1. Photography/Videography
  2. Catering
  3. Celebrant/Registrar
  4. Flowers
  5. Cake
  6. Dress/Suits
  7. Transport
  8. Entertainment/Music

As the big day draws closer, you’ll also want to sort out your accessories, rings, favours and hair and beauty. There are also the invitations, which you’ll want to put together fairly early so you give your guests as much notice as possible.

Another way to approach it would be in order of the most expensive. Get the larger payments out of the way first, such as the venue, food and dress, then think about the cake, transport and entertainment a little later on. Of course, if you do that and you leave it too long, it does risk your chosen vendor not being available for your date.

Keep track of payments you make

Photo © Stuart Wood | See their Bridebook profile

When you start making payments, the worst thing you can do is not keep track of which bills you’ve paid and when. Every time you make a payment, no matter how small, make sure you keep a record of the who, when and how much.

We’ve built a super smart budget tracker to help you manage the costs. You can make a note of how much you’ve paid so you know exactly what balances are still outstanding – perfect if you want to avoid complicated spreadsheets!

As you pay each vendor through their preferred payment method, mark this off your tracker as you go. As devastating as it may be to spend so much money in such a short amount of time, it will feel great getting these costs ticked off your lists.

Once all the payments have been made, you’ll feel like the cloud has been lifted and once again you can look towards your wedding, enjoying that wonderful mix of excitement and joy. 

Avoid common payment mistakes

Photo © Photography Ninja | See their Bridebook profile

Once you’re deep in planning mode and it feels like things are going well, it can be easy to get carried away. You might even feel like a wedding planning genius! When this happens, it can be easy to feel a little overconfident. This can lead to the odd mistake, which is more than likely avoidable.

Some of the most common wedding payment mistakes include:

  • Purposefully overspending, which means payments can quickly become unmanageable. Don’t let anyone else sway how much you spend.
  • Refusing to be flexible can potentially cause issues. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that everything will go 100% to plan, so be open to compromise.
  • Even with meticulous planning and budgeting, sometimes costs can rise and you go over budget. Failing to have a contingency plan means unexpected costs will sting a lot more than they might have otherwise.
  • Always share concerns and worries with your partner. Chances are, they’ll share the same thoughts (which is why you’re getting married, right?) and you can think of a plan B together.
  • Don’t book anything without getting several quotes, first. Quotes will help you see if the vendor you choose is offering a fair price.
  • Don’t forget to ask for a discount from every vendor you book. Almost everyone you get a quote from will have some wiggle room – usually, you’ll save at least 5%, which can add up massively.

How to save money on your wedding

Photo © Acronym Photography | See their Bridebook profile

We get it, weddings are incredibly expensive, and even if you’ve carefully budgeted and you’re on top of your payments and savings goals, the costs can still sting. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways you can save money on your wedding. Just a few ways include:

  • Get married on an off-peak date
  • Choose a venue outside of the city – especially London
  • Hire more inexperienced vendors, such as your cake-maker and photographer
  • Choose in-season flowers and arrangements that use more foliage
  • Go for a cake with a simple design to save on decorating time

This is just a taste of the ways you can save money. Check out our comprehensive guide to saving money on your wedding, which features dozens of cost-cutting tips.

How to ask for help paying for a wedding

Photo © The Wedding Photography House | See their Bridebook profile

Two thirds of couples ask for help to pay for their wedding, so if you can’t pay for your big day by yourself then it’s okay to ask for a little support from your family.

When doing so, give them a heads up that you want to ask them to help pay so you don’t spring it on them unexpectedly. Then, sit them down and share your budget and plan with them in person so you can explain what you’d like and how they can help. The more they can see you’ve planned everything thoroughly, the more they’ll be inclined to help if they can.

Read our guide to talking about budgets with your parents for information on how to prepare for this challenging conversation.

10 handy tips for paying for your wedding

Photo © Hawaiian Shirt Photography | See their Bridebook profile

Need a few more handy ways to understand more about paying for your wedding? Here are ten helpful tips for scraping and saving.

  1. Treat your budget as your bible.
  2. Be realistic and don’t set your heights too high. It’s easier to add more on later if you’ve underspent than it is to take things away if you’ve overspent.
  3. Have a contingency plan in case something goes over budget – try to allow for around 10%.
  4. Always start by booking your venue, as this is often the biggest expense and the trickiest to secure.
  5. Always think about the bigger picture. If one thing doesn’t quite go to plan, there will more than likely be ten things that do.
  6. Start paying for things as early as possible to avoid missing payments and accruing fees.
  7. Prioritise vendors that are most important to you.
  8. If you’re asking family for financial support, do so as soon as you can so you know your total budget early on.
  9. Try not to rely on your credit card. The last thing you want during the build-up to your wedding is looming credit card debt.
  10. Consider opening a dedicated savings account that the two of you can pay into each month. Having it right there will help you keep track of how much of your budget you have left.

Manage your wedding payments on Bridebook 

Here at Bridebook, our handy budget calculator helps you keep track of how much your wedding costs so you don’t accidentally spend too much. Sign up and start planning your perfect wedding today!

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Happy Planning!

Bridal Party Gifts – Who Do I Need to Buy a Gift For?

Bridal Party Gifts


Since your bridal party have been so helpful with your wedding preparations, it’s only fair that they get some kind of reward for their efforts! Well, that’s the idea behind giving them gifts. This is optional of course. Nobody is forcing you to dish out gifts! If your wedding party have been genuinely helpful however, this is a nice touch as it lets them know that their help is appreciated. What you buy and how lavish you are is completely up to you. If you intend to go big with your gifting, you may want to budget this into your budgeter spreadsheet as this could end up being a significant cost!(this is often overlooked). Here are the people you would traditionally buy gifts for:

  • Best man
  • Maid of Honour
  • Other groomsmen(optional)
  • Other bridesmaids(optional)

It’s also traditional to buy a bouquet of flowers for the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom(1 each!) which will set you back an extra £100. Remember to budget that in.

You may also wish to purchase a gift for the fathers if you feel compelled to. This is not a traditional option so you would be breaking the mould!

A gift for the wedding officiant is also something you may wish to consider. This would just be a small token gesture to thank them for their part in your wedding day.

Finally, a gift for your fiancé prior to the wedding(or on the wedding night) will never go amiss as it adds a final flourish of romance to what is already an uber-romantic day!


Wedding Haircut – When To Do It!

Wedding Haircut


The wedding is approaching fast and the tasks are piling up! It could be tempting to postpone your haircut to the last few days before the wedding to keep it looking as fresh as possible….but this is a mistake! Your hair takes time to settle into a new style, making a last-minute haircut a bad choice. Most hairstylists would advise you to get your hair trimmed and coloured around 2 weeks before your wedding (tweet us if you disagree). Any earlier than this and your hair would have the opportunity to grow too much before the wedding, potentially ruining the style. Any later than 2 weeks before and your hair may not fully settle into the style. The other advantage of getting a trim 2 weeks before is that if the stylist makes any mistakes, you have time to try and rectify it.

Once your hair is trimmed, try experimenting with the style you plan to do on your wedding day to see how it looks. If you feel that something doesn’t look right, look for small changes you can make to improve it. You may want to go over this with your hairstylist.

Read more about working with your wedding hairstylist



7 Ideas for Groom Opening Lines

‘I had prepared an excellent speech for you today, but unfortunately, now that I’m married … I’ve been told to read this one instead.’


‘I have been told that this is usually one of the only times in a married man’s life when he can speak without being interrupted … I may be here sometime.’


‘I didn’t actually receive an invitation to the wedding, so I hope I haven’t just eaten somebody else’s meal.’


‘When I asked [bride’s] father if I could marry his daughter, he wanted to know if I would be able to support the family. The answer was no! I was only planning to support his daughter. The rest of them would have to look after themselves.’


‘A lot of people believe that girls marry men who remind them of their fathers, which explains why [bride’s] mother crying so much during the ceremony.’


‘I was a bit nervous about giving a wedding speech so I had a look online for some tips. The best advice came from Franklin D Roosevelt who said “Be sincere; be brief; be seated”. So…..thanks very much for coming!’


‘[bride] says that I never listen….or something like that’



How to Plan a Destination Wedding

How to Plan a Destination Wedding


There are 3 types of couples:

  • Those who want to get married near their home town
  • Those who want to get married(a little further away) in a different city
  • Those who want to get married in a different country

In this hack, we are going to talk about the latter. This hack is for those adventurous couples who take their entire wedding overseas to create the ultimate dream wedding. This is the destination wedding!


Choosing the location

This is the hardest part. Where do you begin? Well, as always, a good place to start is your wedding theme. Do you already have a theme in mind for your wedding? If so, try to choose a location that suits your theme. Consider if you want an outdoor or indoor wedding and scope out areas that you think would be well suited. Keep in mind that the best weather usually occurs during the tourist season which could mean that your dream location ends up being really busy (a beach full of spectators probably wasn’t on your wish-list). If you already have a location which is important to you and your fiancé or that has some sentimental value, these locations bring an added touch to your wedding which can make it even more special. Of course, always keep an eye on the price to check if it’s in your budget. There are some additional costs needed for a destination wedding which we will discuss in more detail below.


Money-saving tips

If you plan to get married outdoors, use the natural beauty of the location to save on decorations. Likewise, try decorating indoor areas with local goods, adding an authentic feel. This could include plants, produce, crates etc. Be creative.

Look for non-city locations with cheaper flights, venues and accommodation. Just make sure that it is easy enough to travel there and that there are enough hotels to house all your guests.


Block-book hotels

As mentioned above, depending on when you book, it could be tourist season and there may not be enough accommodation available to cover all your guests. To avoid this, block-book hotels or self-catering accommodation in advance. The quicker you can finalise your guest list the better, as this will give you a more accurate idea of the total number of guests you need to book rooms for. You can then ask your guests to pay you directly to allow you to settle the bill with the hotel. For more complex bookings (e.g. if you are arranging self-catering or room-sharing), a Facebook messenger group can be incredibly useful.


Visit first yourself

Oh what a burden! It is highly recommended that you visit the location/venue yourself at least once before you get married. Ideally, you would want to visit before booking your venue and visit a few possible venues to make sure you are completely happy with it. If you are going to go to the effort of getting married abroad, you need to make sure it’s right. If possible, try visiting 2 or 3 times. This is something else to add into the budget.


Vendor issues

Do you plan to hire a local vendor for your destination wedding or are you bringing a vendor with you? If they are a local vendor, you would probably want to meet them first, prior to booking them. If they don’t speak English, you may want to consider hiring a local English-speaking wedding planner to liaise with all vendors on your behalf (it’s an added expense but could save a lot of hassle). If, on the other hand, you are bringing a vendor with you, there will probably be a requirement to pay for their travel and accommodation costs. If you need to do this for multiple vendors, costs will quickly skyrocket.


Local marriage requirements

This is a biggie! It is essential that you check the legal requirements of getting married in whatever country you choose. Many countries have a residency requirement which means that you must reside in the country for a certain period before your wedding ceremony. The duration of this period differs between countries although some countries are quite lengthy e.g. France is 40 days!


Warn your wedding party in plenty of time

It’s important to stay aware of the financial responsibilities you are placing on guests by getting married abroad. Unless you plan to pay for all your guests’ flights and accommodation, give your guests as much notice as you can so they can prepare accordingly. This is especially true for your wedding party and guests who you are really close with as you want to ensure that they are able to attend.


Can all your guests travel?

It’s also good to consider if all your guests are able to travel? For example, any friends who will be in the late stages of pregnancy around your wedding date may not be able to make it.


Weather and Outfits

Unfortunately, getting married abroad still does not guarantee good weather and you should prepare a backup plan if the weather takes a turn for the worse. As well as rain, wind can cause a serious issue for outdoor weddings. We have outlined some wind/rain busting solution in our beach wedding hack.

Your outfits should also be weather appropriate. Make sure to choose lighter fabrics that you won’t overheat in. Unless you are having a destination wedding in Greenland, in which case the opposite is true!


If you are considering a destination wedding, the above points are your key considerations to whether you think it will be achievable. If planned well, a destination wedding can actually work out cheaper if you choose the right location(although that’s not the best reason to opt for a destination wedding). Keep in mind that the difficulties of wedding planning are immediately doubled when you are planning the wedding overseas so you need to decide if it’s worth the extra effort. But don’t let me put you off! A destination wedding can be one of the most spectacular weddings imaginable……and if it’s what you want, who cares how difficult it is…..just do it!


4 Tips for a Relaxed Wedding

Relaxed Wedding


Your wedding day is one of the most special days of your life, but it brings with it an unusual cocktail of emotions. Joy, nerves, excitement, panic…to name a few. The combination of extreme fear and extreme excitement at the same time is a very strange feeling. Of course, nerves and fear are totally expected. Getting married is a big deal and the thought of exhibiting the event in front of 100+ guests can make it all-the-more daunting. Let’s face it! You’re not going to be able to get rid of all the nerves, but a few quick tips can make all the difference between anxiety and bliss.


1. Do what you can to relax in the morning

The morning of your wedding is where the real nerves start. Here are a few tips:

  • Start the day with a bath
  • You may not feel like eating, but going out for breakfast can also be a nice start to the day
  • A good way to keep yourself calm is to get some company. Ideally, you want to have somebody with a calming personality with you as you start to get ready. Parents, friends or other members of the wedding party are a good place to start. If you’re getting ready on your own, your mind is free to race and that’s when panic can set in. Get distracted, get some company.

2. Remember what it’s all about

There are many things that you may be feeling anxious about…..the ceremony, speeches, first dance etc. Whatever it is, try to remember that these things are only moments in time, they will be finished as soon as they start. Your marriage however is going to last forever. As pleasant as these individual parts of your wedding are, they are only components of the overall celebration of your marriage. Focus on the reason for the day, your love for one another and you will find yourself hopelessly distracted from everything else.


3. Remember that nobody wants you to mess up

If you are nervous about the audience that will be watching you getting married, don’t be! Remember that everyone you have invited is there because they love you and want to share this day with you. Nobody is hoping you mess up (if they are then don’t invite them!). If anything goes wrong, nobody is going to mock, it just becomes a humorous moment that you will be sharing at dinner tables for years to come.


4. Take it all in

If you are too busy panicking, you may forget to take in the events of the day. It’s so easy to get distracted by your nerves, so instead, just focus on the beautiful little moments that occur during the day. Soak in every conversation, embrace every hug and every handshake. It flies by! And regardless of how nervous you were at the start of the day, you will most likely go to bed saying it was one of the greatest days of your life. Live in the moment. Take it all in.


Best Man Speech Quotes

Are you looking for some quotes from famous individuals for your wedding speech? Here is a short list to get you started:


“I was married by a judge. I should have asked for a jury.” – Groucho Marx


“The grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.” – Allan K. Chalmers


“The man who says his wife can’t take a joke forgets that she took him.” – Oscar Wilde


“A man is incomplete until he’s married. After that, he’s finished.” – Zsa Zsa Gabor


“Some women pick men to marry, and others pick men to pieces.” – Mae West


“There is no greater happiness for a man than approaching a door at the end of a day, knowing someone on the other side of that door is waiting for the sound of his footsteps.” – Ronald Reagan


“The most precious possession that ever comes to a man in this world is a woman’s heart.” – Timothy Titcomb, J. G. Holland


“It’s not as great a day for the bride as she thinks. She’s not marrying the best man.” – Anonymous


“It’s a funny thing that when a man hasn’t anything on earth to worry about, he goes off and gets married.” – Robert Frost


“Any fool can have a trophy wife. It takes a real man to have a trophy marriage.” – Diane Sollee


“You know you are in love when you see the world in her eyes, and her eyes everywhere in the world.” – David Levesque



How to Craft the Perfect Wedding Playlist

Wedding Playlist


Crafting the perfect wedding playlist is a skill in itself. Your task is to take your guests on a musical journey that tells them a story or guides them in a certain flow of emotions.

The ceremony music is a bit more self-explanatory so we won’t discuss that in this hack. Instead, we’ll discuss playlist structure for the other 2 key (musical) points of the day.

  • Backing music for the meal
  • The dancing

Music is such a personal thing. There will be songs that remind you of certain moments in your life and instantly transport you back to that time. There will also be songs that are a shared memory for both you and your fiancé. These songs are often a great starting point for building your playlist if you are willing to share them with your guests. You can then work around them with songs of a similar style.

You may wish to place the songs in chronological order of their meaning to your relationship….. i.e. from when you met until the present day. This can be a nice touch and will be very special for you(even if it means nothing to your guests). Whether you tell your guests the significance of the songs is up to you.

The other option is to use songs that you feel match the tone of your wedding and you believe your guests will enjoy. For the meal, don’t use anything too lively. Some unfamiliar relaxing backing music is a good choice as your guests probably won’t know the words(you want your guests to talk to one another…..not sing throughout the meal). Listen to the words, not just the sound of the song! I heard about one couple who chose “Still haven’t found what I’m looking for” by U2 for their first dance! Cringe!


The evening playlist is a bit different because you don’t want all the songs to have the same tone. The best way to structure the evening playlist is like this:

  • Lively(get your guests up and dancing and working up a sweat)
  • Quiet(let your guests relax, grab a drink and have a slow dance)
  • Lively again(Once your guests have got some energy back, finish your night in style)

This is a good balance of lively and quiet. Your guests won’t be too exhausted but have had the opportunity to dance as much as they wanted to.


Book Your Wedding Music

Your Wedding Music

Booking your wedding music is one of the most fun tasks in your wedding planning. It is the soundtrack of your wedding and the backing music to your first dance! A  big deal! So it’s important to get this right. Here is a quick 4-step guide to power through this task quickly and happily, whether you are booking a band or DJ.


1. Think about the style

The best place to start with all vendor bookings is your wedding theme. The same is true for booking your wedding music. If you don’t have a wedding theme yet, we would suggest coming up with one as soon as you can as it makes your life a whole lot easier. Once you have decided on your theme, try to base your music around this. Certain themes are naturally suited to certain genres. E.g. a 70s themed wedding would be well suited to a disco/funk band, whereas a rock n’ roll wedding would be best suited to a……erm……90s pop band(obviously). Of course, it’s important to make sure you like the genre yourself. Looking at your theme will at least give you a starting point.


2. Do the research

The next step is the research phase. The best place to begin your search is on wedding directories such as Little Book for Brides or music-specific-directories such as Hireaband. An alternative approach is to use a site like Soundcloud. Most bands/artists on Soundcloud won’t promote themselves as a wedding band but you can still reach out to them and ask if they would be interested. This is a good choice if you want something a little bit more unusual.


3. Initial enquiry

Depending on how tight a deadline you have, you can either contact bands individually based on your preference or you can build a small list of potential bands and contact them all at once. Reach out with a simple email to check their availability on your wedding date, how much they charge and what their service includes(this is a good point to ask if you have any specific requests e.g. can they play a certain song). This is a casual enquiry so don’t feel obliged to book after this first email.


4. Book

Once you have found a band/artist/DJ that you are happy with(you should be happy with the music and the people), it’s time to confirm the booking. Confirm in writing, ask for any contracts that they provide and pay the initial deposit to confirm the booking. You have just booked your wedding music. Nice!


Everything You Need To Do The Day After Your Wedding


We know, we know – you don’t even want to think about it! And trust us, we’d much rather focus on the fun stuff too. But it’s got to be done – so let’s talk clear-up.

Who’s Going To Clear Up?

In an ideal world, you and your partner will be involved as little as possible in the clear-up – and if you can, we say delegate! If you’ve booked your wedding as a package (ie. including catering, decorations, etc.), the day after your wedding is likely to be a lot more straightforward as your venue may well take care of almost everything for you. You can also ask your suppliers what they offer in terms of clear-up – florists, for example, will likely come to collect any reusable elements from their displays. But if you’ve gone the DIY route, it’ll be on you. In that case, get your wedding party to take care of as much as possible so you and your partner can enjoy your first days as newlyweds… instead of spending them litter-picking.

How Are They Going To Clear Up?

Once you’ve confirmed who’ll be taking care of the clear-up, make sure they have everything they need.  This includes things like bin bags and boxes – but it also includes transport. You’ll almost certainly want to make sure they have access to a car so that anything that needs to be stored elsewhere can be easily removed.

What Needs Clearing Up?

A few days in advance of your wedding, make a list of everything that will need to be cleared up – especially if you’re handing over responsibility for the clear-up to someone else. Start off by thinking about your decor, including decorations, signage, floral arrangements and table decorations. Equipment also falls into this category – sound systems, lighting and so on. Next, if you’ve rented any of your clothing, you’ll want to make sure you know when and where it needs to be returned, and whether it needs to be dry-cleaned in advance. Finally, work out what you’ll do with leftover food and drink.

Where Are You Going To Put It?

Start off by splitting everything into four categories: keep, collect, recycle/donate, bin. If you’ve arranged for your wedding party to take care of the clear-up, make sure to communicate to them what falls into each category. You don’t want keepsakes thrown in the bin – but you also don’t want to come back from your minimoon to find you have to recycle a hundred table settings. If you’d rather do it yourself, a good alternative is to arrange for everything to be temporarily stored somewhere until you have time to deal with it.

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How to Plan a Beach Wedding

Beach Wedding


If wedding venue hunting isn’t up your street, a beach wedding could be the perfect alternative. Feel the sand on your feet and the wind in your hair as you wal…..ok, ok, let’s not get carried away!

A beach wedding is a beautiful thing….we can’t deny that. But it does come with some logistical issues…..sorry to be so un-romantic. If this is your dream however, don’t let anything stop you from going for it. We’re going to walk you through everything(well…not everything…..but almost) you need to consider when planning your beach wedding. Here’s a pre-warning…..it’s not going to be pretty….but it is practical. Let’s start with……


Tides

Make sure the beach will actually be there at the time of your wedding otherwise you may end up with a “sea wedding”. Check tide clocks for the date and time of your wedding to make sure the tide is out for the entire duration of the time you plan to spend on the beach.


Bride outfit

As you can imagine, various elements of the bride’s outfit become a lot trickier when you’re getting married on a beach. Consider the following:

Dress length

While a long dress can bring a floating elegance to your wedding outfit on a non-sand surface…..all this changes when you are on a beach. A long dress will be more difficult to walk in, will get dirty quickly and will probably look out of place. If you have already decided to wear a long dress, make sure it can bustle (and you know how to do it) to make things easier on the day.

Dress weight

Depending on the weather on your wedding day, a traditional heavy dress may not be the best option. Instead think about lighter fabrics. Remember that beaches can be windy so make sure the dress is long enough that it’s not going to blow up revealing your underwear!

Consider skipping the veil

Speaking of wind! The veil will be an even greater victim. With such light lace, the veil is going to be blown all over the place. This will cause a distraction during the ceremony and will be a real annoyance for you. Look at other options for hair decoration such as hair clips or flowers.

Go for flats

Heels and beaches are a no-go. There is nothing graceful about walking on sand with high-heels. Instead, go for flats or sandals(they will go better with a lightweight dress anyway). If you have your heart set on high heels, you would need to come up with some sort of aisle walkway to make things easier.


Groom outfit

If you are getting married in a hot country, a 3-piece suit may be an unwelcome burden on the wedding day while you are marinating in your own sweat(sorry to be so graphic!). If you are happy to go a little less formal, consider wearing linen trousers and a less formal shirt. If you are getting married in a cooler country, the traditional suit should be fine. If the weather heats up, you can wear a waistcoat instead of the suit jacket to keep things looking a little more formal.


Hair

Remember that wind we spoke about?! It can cause big problems with your hairstyles. You may be happy for your hair to be blown around if you are going for the natural, wind-swept look. If you want things to be a bit more tailored however, you will need to think about hairstyles that can easily be controlled. This is easier for grooms(with short hair) as a strong wax or gel will do the trick. Brides on the other hand have a bigger challenge. Look at up-dos or pleats and discuss this with your wedding hairstylist to find a style that they think would work. Invest in hair spray!


Makeup

If the weather looks to be hot on your wedding day, you may not want to be coated in a thick layer of makeup. Chat this over with your wedding makeup artist to find out a look that they think would be suitable. If you are going for a more natural look with your dress and shoes, lighter makeup may be a suitable compliment.


Weather

Depending on where you are in the world, the weather could differ greatly. Beach weddings are more weather reliant than an indoor wedding(as you would imagine) so it’s even more important to keep an eye on the weather forecast in the weeks and months leading up to the wedding. Make sure to dress suitably and consider your hair and makeup as already mentioned. It’s also important to think about your backup options if the weather takes a turn for the worse. E.g. if there is a light shower, you may still be able to go ahead with a beach ceremony but would need to think about keeping the guest seating dry and potentially a canopy for the bride and groom. If the weather was worse than that e.g. torrential rain and gale-force winds, you will need to abort and take the wedding inside. Make sure you have arranged a backup location indoors. If, on the other hand, the sun is beaming down, remember to wear sun-tan lotion. This would be easy to forget as we don’t imagine needing sun-tan lotion on your wedding day. But just imagine how you would feel if you ended up with wedding day sun burn!

Don’t forget about the wind! It’s not only your dress and hair that is affected by the wind. Any decorations(particularly paper) are at threat of being blown away if there is a mild wind. Avoid using:

  • Paper signage
  • Paper place names
  • Balloons
  • Fabric decorations
  • Loose flowers
  • Anything else lightweight

Tie anything down which you are able to.


The backup venue

You obviously don’t want to spend money booking a venue that will never be used. For your backup option, try the following options:

  • Are you having an indoor meal/reception? Would this venue allow you to use their premises for the ceremony if the weather was to change suddenly?
  • Is there a local church hall that you could make an agreement with? A small token payment could be made for your gratitude if the venue is used.

Just make sure that you can legally get married in the location. The laws are different depending on which country you are in.


Flowers/Decoration

One major benefit of getting married on the beach is the costs saved on decorations. You can’t get much prettier than the beauty of a beach. There is no need to go overboard with flowers and decorations. Keep it simple and natural and let the surroundings speak for themselves.


The legal bits

Laws are different worldwide so make sure to check your local laws for where you can/can’t get married. There may be additional documentation needed for a beach wedding so make sure you check this thoroughly.


Choosing your beach

You may have seen a beach online that looks beautiful but it’s important that you visit it before committing. Visit the beach on the same day of the week that you plan to get married and at the same time. This is to check how busy it would be at this time. Obviously there are other factors which contribute to the busyness of a beach(such as weather) but at least this gives you an idea. You probably don’t want hundreds of spectators at your wedding ceremony so it’s important to check how busy it is. A beach with hidden quiet spots is a good option to give you a little more privacy. Take a walk along the beach and find the perfect spot that balances good views and privacy. Not all beaches are a good choice for weddings.


Guests

Make sure to provide all the important information on the wedding invitations so your guests are adequately prepared. You may want your ushers to hand out some necessities as your guests arrive(e.g. bottles of water, sunglasses). Here are the things you may wish to suggest that your guests prepare for:

If you have any guests who struggle to walk, the beach may cause some problems. Make sure you plan a solution for this in advance and have somewhere comfortable they can sit(ideally with some shade).


Photos

There are lots of great photo opportunities at beach weddings. Think about this in advance and discuss it with your photographer. Look at Pinterest for some inspiration.


Choose canapés and drinks to suit

Choose refreshing options such as plain iced water with fresh lime and mint or a zesty-lemonade. Go for light canapés such as filo pastry(nothing that will melt into mush).


Sound system

Beaches can be noisy with the sound of wind and waves. You may need to set up a sound system with clip-on mics for the officiant, bride and groom, as well as handheld mics for the readers. Check with a local sound-hire company what their solution for this is. They will also need to provide some sort of power supply.


Toilets

If you are just having the ceremony on the beach, you may not need to think about this but it’s worth finding out where the nearest toilets are anyway. If you are also having the reception on the beach you will need to make sure there is a toilet available nearby. A local restaurant probably won’t be happy with all your guests using their toilets, so check if there are any public toilets. If there aren’t, you may need to hire a portable toilet.


Reception on the beach?

If you plan to have your reception on the beach too, you will need to make some additional arrangements such as hiring tables. Check that your caterer is happy to provide their service for an outdoor wedding and check what equipment they are able to bring. They may need you to hire a marquee for their preparation space. Once again, it’s important to think about the weather for the table setup. Keep it simple and avoid anything that can be blown over. Avoid Excessive fabrics, tall vases and unnecessary paper. If you have place cards and menus on the table, use something heavy to weigh them down(you could use your favours as weights). Alternatively use a large chalkboard as your menu that everybody can see and write place names on slate with chalk. To keep bugs away you could use citron candles. Put them in glasses with wide bases and sides that rise above the flame, this is to prevent them for being blown over or out!


If you are thinking about having a beach wedding and you weren’t put off by this hack(we’re sorry if you were), share this with your fiancé and wedding party to help you start making the necessary arrangements for creating the perfect beach wedding.