Rebecca and Trevor tied the knot at the stunning Dorton House amongst an intimate group of family and friends. The orange colour theme reflected the autumnal time of year and was incorporated in the flowers, table decorations and grooms attire. The day ended with live music and dancing late into the night.
South East | Buckinghamshire | Aylesbury | Autumn | Country | Classic | DIY | Orange | Teal | Manor House
A huge congratulations to Rebecca and Trevor on your gorgeous wedding day and a massive thank you to Eve at Isha Photography for sharing your truly stunning photos with us. They really capture the happiness of the day.
I wanted to write to you about something I feel is important, especially in our world today.
I would like to encourage you, as the bride, to make a speech at your wedding. Whether this is something you’d never dream of doing, or something you’ve been toying with, I want to share with you why I think there is no better time than now.
Why am I, a groom and man, writing to you about brides’ speeches? A recent experience has made me believe that here at Bridebook, a wedding platform with access to 1 in 3 engaged couples, we have a duty to do the most we can to encourage growth, change and empowerment amongst our users.
I recently attended my great friend Katie’s wedding. Katie has never liked being the centre of attention and surprised us all by making a speech. It was so heartfelt and meaningful, and left us all bursting with pride seeing her do it. (The pic I took of her is below). She is still gushing how happy she was she did it. It being her opportunity to say how much she loved her husband and her family, and a chance to say thank you.
Most striking to me, though, was the effect it had on the other guests. The room was blown away by her speech. It also ignited discussion of why it is so rare to hear a bride’s speech? Many recently-married brides were incredibly frustrated for not giving a speech themselves. They had just “stuck to tradition”.
Well, this tradition of only having the men give speeches at weddings is ready to be challenged by brides like you. Brides that have just as much to say and to express as the groom and the father of the bride. Brides that have just as much love to share and thanks to give.
It’s time for change.
Please, think about breaking the mould and making a speech at your wedding. It doesn’t need to be long. It doesn’t need to be side-splittingly funny. It can just be a special moment of gratitude that you share with your closest friends and family. And you might just inspire and empower many people in the room to feel free to speak up in the future. Whether that is other brides-to-be in the room. Or your beautiful little flower girls in their futures.
And this follows for all wedding traditions. You don’t have to feel entrapped by them, you can feel confident to select whichever appeal to you. If Meghan Markle can have a gospel choir singing Stand By Me in front of the Queen, you can do whatever you want : ) Whether that is making a speech, or being walked down the aisle by your mother, or something much bolder. Go for it! Your wedding is a just one big party celebrating you finding each other and falling in love, with all your nearest and dearest cheering you on for the future. Embrace it!
So I would love you to make a speech. To be part of a great change to wedding tradition for the future. It has the potential to inspire, empower and make your guests and partner burst with pride. And I would love you to make the most of this once in a lifetime opportunity.
If you are up for it – say so! Just add your name here so we can keep a tally of our change makers!
And if you want to encourage others, do share this letter, and the hashtag #BridesSpeakUp
Wishing you the happiest marriage ahead,
Kind regards,
Hamish Shephard
Founder of Bridebook.co.uk
Katie, the beautiful bride mid speech! Taken by Founder Hamish Shephard.
The Average Total Cost For A UK Wedding Soars More Than 12% In A Year As Millennials Embrace Hyper-Personalisation of Their Weddings
Results are in from the Bridebook.co.uk National Wedding Survey 2018
In the most comprehensive annual wedding industry study carried out in the UK, findings from Bridebook.co.uk’s National Wedding Survey 2018 show that the average cost of a wedding, when including every type of supplier, has reached a new all-time high of £30,355 (up £3,365 or 12% from £26,989 in previous year). The leading wedding planning app has revealed that supplier costs have increased by an average of 12%, year over year. Even when a wedding doesn’t include every type of supplier (such as videographers and entertainment), the average spend on UK weddings still reaches a whopping £17,913 per couple.
Hamish Shephard, Bridebook.co.uk founder says, “The hyper-personal wedding has arrived. The influence of inspirational social media is resulting in suppliers diversifying their offering in a bid to attract millennials. Personalisation and sustainability are becoming increasingly important, as couples look to do things their own way to reflect themselves as a couple.”
“If Meghan and Harry can have a 70kg deconstructed lemon and elderflower wedding cake and Stand By Me sung in the Royal chapel, couples no longer need be to bound by tradition and are free to embrace the endless inspiration that is easily accessible to them… which all adds to the budget.”
Supplier Cost Increases:
The costs of Marquee Hire (24%), Food & Drink (23%), and Venue dressing (22%) grew the most year over year
The average spent on a wedding venue has risen from £5,189 to £6,152, up 19%
The average spent on marquee hire has risen from £4,413 to £5,468
The average spent on venue dressing has risen from £723 to £882
The average spent on wedding food and drink has risen from £4,727 to £5,862. Food & Drink (33%) represents the area in which most couples now overspend
The average spent on wedding flowers has risen from £777 to £858, up 10%
The average spent on wedding cake has risen from £318 to £323, up 2%
The average spent on a music and entertainment has risen from £941 to £1039, up 10%.
Shephard says, “There are now over 139,000 small businesses and suppliers for couples to choose from in the British wedding industry, which is the largest amount there has ever been, employing over half a million professionals. We can see a direct correlation between the diversity of suppliers in each area and the regional differences in budget. The diversity of suppliers in London is unparalleled, with a higher concentration of medium to high price point companies servicing the area than any other. This has a direct impact on the average spend.”
“Whether you want multi-coloured alpacas roaming with your guests, or an animatronic velociraptor to join you on the dancefloor, the incredible diversity of wedding suppliers ensures that however wild your wedding dreams are, everything can now be made a reality.”
The most expensive regions in the UK to get married are London (£31,837) and Scotland (£19,791)
Venue hire in London is £4,833 more expensive than the national average
Food and drink in London is £3,904 more expensive than the national average
The least expensive regions to get married are Northern Ireland (£12,738) and Abroad (£14,151)
Wedding couples in Wales are more likely than average to go over budget (46% in Wales, compared to the national average)
Couples in Scotland are less likely than average to go over budget (33% in Scotland, compared to the national average).
Personalisation And Sustainability:
New figures reveal that couples are spending an increasing amount of time and money on personalising their wedding as well as considering the environment:
39% of couples considered sustainablilty when planning their wedding
21% of couples chose to serve organic food
17% of couples reused their flowers/decorations
52% of couples opted for ‘DIY’ decorations
52% of couples opted for ‘DIY’ favours
33% of couples made their own wedding stationery
Stationery showed average costs that decreased year over year, now at £276
16% brides chose a wedding dress they hope to wear again, in-keeping with the millennial backlash against ‘wear-once’ fashion.
Wedding Traditions:
Whist some traditions continue to stick, such as taking your partner’s name and asking the brides’ Father for permission to propose, some antiquated traditions are on the decline and couples are taking a more modern approach to wedding planning.
56% ask the Father’s permission before proposing
27% of couples chose to get married in a church or religious building. 45% got married at the reception venue
20% of couples saw each other the morning of the wedding
15% wrote their own vows
23% of brides made a speech
11% of brides did not wear white
82% didn’t use a traditional gift list
52% asked for a contribution to the cost of their honeymoon
20% requested donations be made to charity
16% brought their pet to their wedding
57% allowed guests to bring plus 1s
94% of couples both will wear rings
80% took their partners name
85% did a seating plan with 76% having a ‘top table’
33% sat the bride and groom parties separately
82% of couples paid for part of their wedding using personal savings
62% received a contribution to the costs from the bride’s parents
45% received a contribution to the costs from the groom’s parents
27% of couples met through friends, 19% met through a dating app.
Technology/Social Media:
While social media continues to play a key role in wedding planning and post-wedding sharing, use on the day itself is in decline:
67% of couples find ideas on social media or online, which they share with suppliers
30% of couples thought about what guests would post on social media
25% of couples had a wedding website
24% of couples had a wedding hashtag
13% of couples banned social media at their wedding
30% of couples asked guests to refrain from posting photos on social media on their wedding day
23% of couples posted on social media on their wedding day
Other Key Take-Outs:
The most popular wedding dates were Saturdays in July, August and September
The single most popular dates were 9th September and 26th August
Two thirds (65%) of couples go over budget or have no budget at all.
A quarter of couples (26%) were able to stay on budget, and a quarter of couples (26%) report having no budget.
68% of couples worried about the costs of their wedding
35% withheld the total amount they were spending from friends and family
Besides venue and catering, Bridalwear & Accessories is the largest wedding expense. The average amount spent on bridalwear & accessories = £1,537.
27% of couples held their ceremony at a place of worship (down from 29% in previous year).
Couples report spending the highest venue hire cost at Stately Homes (£7,353) and Country/Manor Houses (£7,188)
The largest proportion of couples paid for their venues with a Per Head Price, which included food & drink (42%)
28% of couples had an open bar (up from 21% last year)
The average amount spent on venue hire, according to venue pricing:
Per Head: £6,758
Package: £6,298
Fixed Hire Cost: £4,727
Hamish Shephard, Founder of Bridebook.co.uk, says:
“We are fortunate that over a third of UK couples now plan their weddings on the Bridebook.co.uk app, and are delighted to share the most up-to-date and insightful facts about this brilliant industry.”
“The British wedding industry is booming. Over 139,000 small businesses make up this amazing industry which employs over half a million talented individuals and is worth over £10 billion to the British economy. Britain is iconic for introducing the white wedding to the world, and the Royal weddings of recent generations have cemented Britain as the wedding capital of the world.”
“From the provenance of their menu, to the sustainability of their fashion, to the personalisation of every detail, the millennial couple care more about every little detail of their wedding than any previous generation. And with more disposable income than any previous generation when getting married, they have the ability to pay for it.”
“Parents can breathe a little easy, as whilst the average cost of weddings is growing rapidly, the millennial couple is contributing more and more.”
————————————————————————————-
For further information, interviews and images please contact
One in three engaged couples in the UK are now using Bridebook.co.uk to plan their wedding. With over 100,000 weddings planned in the first year since its launch, the comprehensive digital platform has taken the bridal industry by storm.
The site helps brides and grooms realise their perfect day providing everything needed to plan a stress-free celebration, all in one place with state-of-the-art planning tools:
The Checklist breaks down tasks by the week to help you stay on track.
The Budget Calculator helps you keep on top of your spending.
The Guestlist manages your invitations and RSVPs.
Experts including Mary Berry, Bobbi Brown and Jimmy Choo provide expert advise, tricks and inspiration.
Bridebok.co.uk is replacing spreadsheets, so couples have even more time for tasting cake and drinking champagne!
Bridebook was founded by Hamish Shephard, wedding expert with over a decade of experience in the British wedding industry. A Co-Founder of Hedsor House, one of the UK’s most prestigious royal wedding venues, he has become a highly respected and influential voice in the wedding industry, regularly providing information on weddings to the industry and the world media.
What are the top 10 things brides and grooms (might) hate about YOU – their wedding suppliers – in the run up to their big day?
Couples complain throughout the wedding planning process. Fact. It’s a stressful and exciting time for them but it’s also a time where expectations are challenged – as are wedding suppliers.
So what are the top 10 things brides and grooms (might) hate about YOU – their wedding suppliers – in the run up to their big day and how can you help ease any tension and ensure a smooth running wedding season for yourself and your couples?
10 things couples (might) hate about wedding suppliers
1. You don’t communicate as well as we’d like
You can put couples at ease during the wedding planning process by keeping close contact with them, even if it’s just a reassuring email to let the bride or her mother know that everything is in hand.
Responding within 12-24 hours is pretty standard and most brides and grooms will simply not tolerate having to wait a week or more to hear back from you.
You should also make an effort to respond to Millennials in a suitable way. Be available on Whatsapp and monitor social channels to check you haven’t missed any enquiries on Facebook; check Pinterest to see if the couples you work with have shared Pins with you on ideas they’re hoping to discuss or themes they’d like your help to recreate.
Be sure to respond within a few days, at most. For goodness sake don’t anger them …
2. You don’t appear to be listening
It’s not your day and despite having helped plan a-thousand-and-one weddings yourself, you must first and foremost please the couple you’re working with.
Advice is great but there comes a time when you just have to go with the photographs, flowers or food combinations your soon-to-be-newlywed couple asks for, even if you disagree with their choices.
Remember every couple is different and you must start anew with each of them – no matter how bizarre some of their requests may be!
3. You sometimes seem short with me when we speak
No matter how demanding a bride or groom is, you should always maintain a friendly, professional tone when responding to emails, texts or calls. It’s ok to answer succinctly but make sure your response doesn’t border on snappy.
You should take the time to respond to their questions with more than yes or no answers so that the couple you’re working with feel loved, not like a nuisance. Chances are this is their first time planning a wedding and they need your reassurance, not to sense your frustration.
4. You aren’t bringing many ideas to the table
Lots of brides know exactly what they want but most will need some ideas and suggestions from a professional who’s been here before. That’s you.
Ask your couples lots of questions to get to know them and gauge their style. By finding out more about ‘their story’, that is, how they met and how they got engaged, you’re more likely to come up with ideas that suit their vision.
Be prepared to share a few photos you like from weddings you’ve photographed, a few example bouquets from the last wedding you were really proud of or a few bridal hair pictures from a previous wedding similar to the one you’re helping plan for this couple.
The more examples you give and the more helpful you can be, the less you should expect to hear from couples as they’ll trust your professionalism and won’t need to keep checking in.
5. You’re not being transparent on pricing and inclusions
Budgeting is one of the most stressful but important elements of wedding planning and brides and grooms need to know who and what they can afford to hire. If you’re reluctant to share your prices or are avoiding being completely clear on what ‘extras’ couples can expect to pay more for they’ll have no idea what to expect from you.
The clearer you can be at this stage the more respect you’re likely to earn from couples and the less time you’ll have to waste going back and forth clarifying things.
Tip: you can include pricing details on your Bridebook profile so a lot of couples will come to you knowing what you charge already.
6. You’ve not won my trust
It’s all well and good putting together the ideal wedding in theory but couples genuinely fear that you’ll forget something major on their wedding day or even just not show up at all!
Whilst we know this is unlikely, you can reassure couples that you’ve got everything in hand by keeping in regular contact throughout the wedding planning process to help ease any worry and to make them feel better about your plan for their big day.
Think of yourself as your next couples ‘wedding dream team’ and make an effort to make them feel special and comfortable. Their wedding is in your hands!
7. You haven’t stuck to your word
If you offered the bride and groom an enormous choice of table linens to pick from and assured them that you could get any decorations they wanted, don’t disappoint them with a measly choice of tableware and props.
The best way to keep the couple happy and ensure you’re left with good reviews not a bad reputation is to ensure that you don’t make promises you aren’t certain you can keep.
If you think a bride’s demands are outlandish or her timeline is too tight, don’t say “Absolutely! It’ll be fine.” Be honest upfront and your couples will respect you and trust you more for it.
8. You don’t seem to be acting very professionally
Professionalism constitutes many of the points we’ve already discussed, like communication, tone of reply and support.
But it also means being on time to meetings, arriving early to the wedding and delivering on your promises.
It’s much easier to win new bookings through recommendations than to attempt to attract couples through cold forms of marketing and with questionable reviews about your services circulating the internet!
9. You’re not dressed for the occasion
Some wedding suppliers assume that because they’re behind the scenes at a wedding, they’re not on show.
Nothing makes a person stand out more at a wedding than being drastically underdressed. Dress like the professional you are so that couples don’t have to look through their wedding album and forever see that you wore jeans and a t-shirt on their big day.
10. You haven’t made us feel special
Every couple deserve to feel special in the run up to their wedding day. For them, it’s only happening once and they need you to understand their excitement, their fears, their frustrations and their uncertainties.
Treat each couple as though you care; not as if they’re just another booking. Make an effort to remember the small details, and make sure that you smile and enjoy yourself.
A happy couple will want you to seem as though you’re genuinely happy to be a part of their big day – which hopefully you are! And happy couples leave good recommendations, remember.
Eleanor and Peter had an autumnal themed wedding set at the beautiful Elms Barn in Norfolk. With fallen leaves as confetti and photos amongst the golden leaves of the Chestnut trees, the season provided much inspiration for the decoration and bouquets of their wedding.
South East | Norfolk | Beccles | Autumn | DIY | Classic | Orange | Brown | Barn
A huge congratulations to Eleanor and Peter on your gloriously autumnal wedding and massive thank you to Si Grand for capturing and sharing some of the beautiful shots from the day.
Linda and Colin held their classic wedding at the beautiful Rivervale Barn in Hampshire. The day was themed with midnight blue, an abundance of fresh white roses and a nod to Colin’s military career. A truly unforgettable day!
‘3-day weddings’ and ‘personalisation’ trends are having costly implications
More weddings are ‘themed’ with ‘insta-worthy’ entertainment and trending hashtags
Once again wedding planning app Bridebook.co.uk has carried out the most comprehensive UK wedding industry study revealing year-on-year changes. According to Bridebook.co.uk, millennial couples* arespending a whopping 45% more of their combined annual income on their wedding than couples getting married at 40 or older. (*getting married in their 20s to mid 30s.)
The average couple is now spending £17,913 (excluding their honeymoon), up £1,071 or 6% from £16,842 in the previous year. Supplier costs have increased by an average of 12%, year over year, but there are other factors at play too:
The ‘3-day Wedding’
The ‘3-day Wedding’ is becoming popular, with 23% more couples choosing to extend celebrations to run over a 2-3-day period (compared to 5 years ago). This has contributed to the rise in spend on venues and marquees, which continue to be the biggest associated costs at £6,152 and £5,468. Multiple-event weddings require more than one dress too, and this is impacting the amount couples are spending on bridalwear & accessories which has increased significantly by over 15% since last year at £1,537. 27% of brides purchase more than one wedding dress.
New figures also reveal that couples are spending an increased amount on personalising their wedding. ‘Venue dressing’ has seen a 22% rise to an average of £882, and the spend on flowers has also increased with couples spending an average of £858, up just over 10% from £777.
33% of couples now overspend on food and drink, at a new average of £5,862 up 23% from £4,747. This is reflective of millennials choosing to cater for more than one event, with ‘rehearsal dinners’ and parties the day after the wedding becoming more common. Caterers are also offering more and more flexibility with bespoke menus, which are expensive. 12% of couples designed their own cocktail or alcoholic drink for their wedding day.
The Influence of Tech
As technology continues to evolve, supplier choices are impacted too. Couples are spending more on music (at an average of £1,039 +10%) and other forms of entertainment (at an average of £580 +11%) wanting to ‘wow’ their guests with shareable social media-friendly content. Millennials are capturing their own images too, with 60% of brides using social media on their wedding day, 76% taking a wedding selfie – affectionately coined the ‘welfie’, and an average of 3,400 photos being taken at each wedding by guests alone. 57% now use a wedding hashtag – an increase of over 40% from the year before. Fewer people are spending money on videographers (down 2%).
14% of brides and grooms are saving money by choosing to do e-invites and wedding websites. They are also making their own table plans and place cards and consequently the average amount being spent on stationery has decreased by 5% to £276.
Millennial Spending Trends
Millennials are more likely to pay for their own wedding too. 18% fewer couples who married last year aged between 25 and 35 were given money from their parents, instead footing the bill entirely themselves. Input in wedding planning from Mothers is down to 44% (from 52%), from partner’s Mothers is down to 15% (from 23%) and from Fathers is down to 11% (down from 13%).
Hamish Shephard, Bridebook.co.uk founder, comments; “The millennial generation are getting married later in life, when they are more financially independent. They are in a position to be able to ‘host’ their own wedding, and no longer see it as their parents financial responsibility. They are rising to the challenge exercising their ability to be creative, motivated by things like local sourcing, ethical production and a great authentic experience.”
Shephard continues; “Suppliers are demonstrating their creativity and working hard to meet the demands of couples wanting to personalise their day. Increasingly, brides and grooms want to tell their story through ‘themes’, and they are becoming extremely imaginative. Everything, from the stationery and the decorations to the food and drinks menu can be personalised, and that doesn’t come cheap.”
“We are seeing that people are prioritising the ‘wow’ moments, wanting to surprise and delight their guests with ‘insta-worthy’ theatrical performances. Guests are sharing mobile footage on social media or on file-sharing websites. Selfie sticks, photo booths and drones are popular too.”
More changes…
The most popular dates to get married has also changed following a significantly warmer September and a colder than average April (Met Office, Dec 2016 report) in 2016. The most popular wedding season is now Summer (44%), followed by Autumn (26%), and Spring (22%). This represents a change from last year where Spring was more popular than Autumn. Last year the single most popular dates for weddings were 9th September and 26th August.
New findings also show a geographical split with both couples living and choosing to wed in the South East and South West of England spending the most, as well as being the most likely to go over budget. (Venue Hire in London is £4,833 more expensive than the national average, and Food & Drink in London is £3,904 more expensive than the national average.)
The most popular regions in the UK for weddings are South East England (20%), South West England (16%) and North West England (14%). While 10% of the couples live in London, only 3% get married there. More couples get married in South East and South West England than the proportion who live there, demonstrating the popularity of these regions for weddings.
Key Take-Outs:
The national average wedding spend in 2017 was £17,913 (excluding honeymoon) (up £1,071 or 6% from £16,842 in previous year)
Two thirds (65%) go over budget, or have no budget at all.
The average total cost of suppliers (excluding the honeymoon) is £30,355 (up £3,365 or 12% from £26,989 in previous year)
The most expensive region in the UK to get married is London (£31,837)
The least expensive region to get married is Northern Ireland (£12,738)
The largest wedding costs are Venue (£6,152), Food & Drink (£5,862) and Marquee Hire (£5,468) which are significantly higher than all other wedding costs
The average amount spent on bridalwear & accessories = £1,537
Supplier costs increased by an average of 12%, year over year. Marquee Hire (24%), Food & Drink (23%), and Venue dressing (22%) grew the most year over year
Many couples are choosing to have their wedding ceremony at their wedding reception venue (60%) (up from 59% in previous year)
Country/Manor Houses (28%), Places of Worship (17%) and Barns (16%) are the most popular wedding venue types
27% of couples held their ceremony at a place of worship (down from 29% in previous year)
Almost half of couples had Non-Saturday weddings (44%). For alternative wedding weekdays, Fridays are popular with 18% of weddings, as well as Sundays which represent 9% of weddings
The most popular honeymoon destinations are Europe (25%), UK (12%) and the USA (11%).
For further information please contact Harriet Hunt Communications: [email protected] T: 0208 871 2246 M: 07886 96908
Notes To Editor:
Bridebook.co.uk is the UK’s leading wedding planning app and website with over 100,000 couples currently planning their wedding on the platform.
Launched in 2016, Bridebook.co.uk‘s state-of-the-art wedding planning toolkit with personalised Checklist, Budgeter and Guestlist manager, enables couples to plan their entire wedding from any device, anytime, anywhere, all in one place…for free. With over 70,000 venues and suppliers in its directory, Bridebook.co.uk increases the digital presence of industry professionals and connects them directly with local couples. Bridebook has also partnered with leading brands such as Mary Berry, Bobbi Brown and Jimmy Choo to provide genuine expert advice and inspiration to its couples. Bridebook.co.uk was founded by Hamish Shephard, an industry professional and recently married groom who used Bridebook.co.uk to plan his own May 2016 wedding. Visit Bridebook.co.uk online or download the app on the iTunes App Store or Google Playstore.
Planning your wedding?
Bridebook.co.uk is the UK’s number one free wedding planning app, with over 16,000 registered wedding businesses and more than 100K couples planning their wedding with us.
Are you are an engaged couple looking for your wedding team?
Introducing Bridebook.co.uk’s very first Wedding Awards!
You’ll find everything you need to understand the ins and outs of the BBWAs right here – as well as top tips on how to get the most votes and your best shot at the winning titles!
There has never been a better opportunity to showcase your achievements as a star wedding supplier – not only is it completely FREE to participate, but it also provides a fun and easy way to get in front of and show off to even more perspective couples. Our voting system is even set up so that as you get more votes, it will help your profile appear higher in our searches!
How?
(Psst… We’ve already done all the work for you so this part is easy!)
Improve Your Profile
Make sure your Bridebook profile is in tip top shape to best show off your business. To access your profile, simply go to www.suppliers.bridebook.co.uk and log in using your account details. (Hint: if you’ve forgotten your password you can reset it at log in!)
Share! Share! Share!
Share your Bridebook profile far and wide, calling your fans and followers to vote for you! All voting is directly on your Bridebook profile, so this is a key step! (And don’t forget the official hashtag #BBWA2017).
Deck Out Your Site
Post your “Official Nominee” badges on your social accounts and website! You can find everything you need right here.
Keep sharing…
And sharing… Voting is done directly on your Bridebook profile so this step is key!
And watch the votes pour in!
(Simply download the pre-made assets to add to your website, email signature, and social media – don’t forget, to get the most votes you should share your profile page directly)
Next Steps:
Once you have everyone from your past customers to your nearest and dearest voting for you, what’s next?
Settle in…
And await our Shortlist, Finalist and Winner announcements! All the key dates are found below:
Shortlist: The shortlist of the top suppliers with the most votes in each category will be announced on the 1st of February 2017 (date extended due to overwhelming demand)!
Finalists: TBA
Winner winner chicken dinner
Winners will be chosen from the finalists by a selection of our very own Bridebook.co.uk experts and the top thought leaders in the UK wedding industry.
Winner’s Announcement: TBA
Celebrate!
All winners will be featured in national press, win tickets to the 2017 Bridebook.co.uk Summer Party at Hedsor House, and attend an exclusive winner’s event!
May the best wedding suppliers win!
If you have any queries, questions or compliments please email [email protected]
FAQs:
How many people were nominated?
All Bridebook.co.uk suppliers are automatically entered in the Bridebook.co.uk Wedding Awards 2017.
Can I see who voted for me?
No, voting is private but you can see how many votes you have directly on your profile.
How many votes allowed per person?
Only one vote per person on a supplier is allowed. If a supplier has suspicious activity and has an unusual amount of votes from the same I.P address, those votes will be discounted and the supplier will be at risk of disqualification.
What do you win?
The winners in each supplier category from each region of the UK will win a national press feature, tickets to the 2017 Bridebook.co.uk Summer Party at Hedsor House, and a surprise winners’ event!
Congratulations on embarking on one of the most exciting journeys of your life! We are here to ensure your wedding planning is as fun and enjoyable as it should be. Gone are the days of stressful hair-pulling and endless spreadsheets as we introduce you to the wonderful world of wedding planning on Bridebook. Being engaged is one of the funnest chapters in your life, so you deserve to make the most of it. After all, when else do you get to dedicate a whole day just to eating cake?
Thanks to Bridebook, personal wedding planners are no longer reserved for the rich and famous. Instead, our team of industry experts and brainiacs have built all the tools you need, including a personalised budget, checklist, venue and supplier search, and guestlist, all in one place for you to plan your dream wedding for free!
Whether you are planning an intimate rustic occasion, a grand city extravaganza or just need a little extra help allocating your budget, Bridebook is here to guide you every step of the way from when you say ‘Yes!’ to when you say ‘I do’.
Now let the fun begin and happy planning!
Hamish & the Bridebook Team
Hamish Shephard tied the knot on the 28th of May 2016 and didn’t use a spreadsheet once!
How Bridebook Began
Bridebook was founded by Hamish Shephard in 2015. When Hamish left a career in banking, he had no idea he was setting himself up to revolutionise wedding planning. His experience in the wedding industry began when he transformed his grandmother’s old home into one of the UK’s leading wedding venues.
During this process, he quickly discovered that most brides spent the majority of their engagement feeling overwhelmed and confused by the whole wedding planning process. Hamish soon became enamoured by the mission to make wedding planning as enjoyable and fun as the wedding day itself. Thus began a journey of inspiration, discovery and creativity… while also secretly doing all of the necessary boring bits in the background.
And the rest is Bridebook!
Hamish now also has his own Evening Standard column, Groom With a View, where he shares his insight as one of the UK’s most prominent wedding experts.
Hamish Shephard is the founder and CEO of Bridebook, the UK’s no.1 wedding planning app. He is now considered an expert in the wedding industry, having appeared on BBC news multiple times to provide his expertise and having his own Evening Standard column, Groom With a View, where he shares his insights as one of the UK’s most prominent wedding experts.
Hamish founded Bridebook in 2015, having previously co-founded Hello Fresh. His vast experience in the wedding industry began long ago when he transformed his grandmother’s old home, Hedsor House, into one of the UK’s leading wedding venues with his two brothers.
Hamish discovered that most brides spent the majority of their engagement feeling overwhelmed, stressed and confused by the whole wedding planning process. He thought there must be a way to help couples plan their wedding in a stress-free way and soon became enamoured by the mission to make wedding planning as fun and enjoyable as the big day itself.
Thus began a journey of inspiration, discovery and creativity… to create the UK’s leading wedding planning app, now used by almost 2 million couples.
Hamish has also appeared as an expert speaker on the Financial Times’ Money Clinic with Claer Barrett, as part of the recent July 2023 episode ‘The high cost of being a wedding guest’:
The decorations you have at your wedding bring your venue and theme together and tie in the personalities of you and your spouse-to-be. The beautiful thing about wedding decor is that it can be as grand or as subtle as you like. You can choose anything from huge lettering that spells out your new shared surname, or something small like fairy lights around doorframes or découpage table numbers.
But, if you don’t have this much budget to dedicate towards decor, that’s ok – it doesn’t mean you’ll have to settle for the bare minimum, or worse , no decorations at all. There are plenty of ways you can cut costs while still having a fabulously decorated wedding venue. In this post, we’re going to explore the many ways you can save money on wedding decor so you stay on-budget.
No, you don’t need to spend a lot on wedding decor, especially if having an extravagantly-decorated wedding isn’t a priority for you and you’re on a budget. The average amount spent by couples in the UK may be almost £1,500, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend that much. Every wedding is different, from the venue to the theme, so you might not need or want to spend much on decor.
As we’ve already highlighted, you don’t need to spend a lot to have a beautifully- decorated wedding venue if you can’t or don’t want to. Below are 10 tips and tricks for how to save money on wedding decor and still wow your guests.
When choosing your wedding venue, you should consider the style and theme you want to go for and how easy it’ll be to make sure they align. If you want a modern theme but hire a rustic venue, you’ll likely have to spend a lot on decor to make that happen. Choosing a venue that’s already in line with the look you want to go for will help cut costs when it comes to decor.
2. Choose a venue that doesn’t need additional decor
Some venues already ooze class and beauty, which means yours might not need additional decor at all – it might already have stunning floral displays. It might also have the perfect lighting or decor and be practically wedding-ready as it is. Choosing a venue that has plenty of natural beauty is one way to achieve this, such as a park, garden, beach or historical house.
Alternatively, search Bridebook’s comprehensive wedding venue directory for ‘blank space’ venues. They’re literally a blank canvas for you to work with, which means you won’t need to spend any extra money hiding features you don’t like, or battling against a pre-existing style. You’ll instead have all the freedom to bring in your own elements and design, and create a wedding that’s truly unique and personal to you and your partner.
Keeping your wedding decor minimalistic is a great way to have a simple yet modern style, and will also keep costs down. Keep your tables simple and elegant by leaving them free of clutter, and double up by using your wedding favours as decorations. A lovely jar of homemade jam or specially-wrapped cookies with a simple label can also be an affordable and small – yet eye-catching – name card.
Creative use of wedding colours is also a simple way to keep costs down but still make decor pop. Whether it’s flowers or ribbons, a brighter colour will always grab your guests’ attention, so you won’t need to spend a lot on decorations. A bright colour against a muted background will create a very bold look.
As part of our ultimate wedding budget breakdown, flowers and decorations aren’t included in the same category, which means you’ll have to budget separately for each. But, the good news is, there are ways you can make the most of your wedding flowers so that they have double the use.
Why not use the bridal bouquets as decorations? As soon as everyone sits down at the breakfast and all the photos are taken, the bouquets get forgotten, so strategically place them as table centrepieces. You may even want to let your florist know your plans beforehand – that way they can work with you to create bouquets that you can later reuse. Most of your guests will be none the wiser!
Your guests will spend a few hours sitting at their table as they enjoy some drinks, food and the speeches. That means they’ll spend a good portion of their day facing the centre of their table. So, you could focus your decorating efforts on picking the perfect centrepieces to make a lasting impression.
While flowers are a popular choice of centrepiece, you could also consider glowing lanterns, unique terrariums or towering candelabras.
Just because your wedding venue is big enough for 80 guests doesn’t mean you should feel pressured to fill every single inch of space. It can be easy to get carried away, but try to look at your venue from the perspective of a guest – they won’t be expecting a multi-sensory theme park-level experience, after all.
Think about the important spaces and where guests will spend most of their time. Less is often more, so don’t feel the need to cram in as many decorations as you can.
If you start early enough, you’ll be able to save hundreds by designing your own personalised wedding decorations. You could ask around to see if any family or friends have some old craft supplies hanging around, which means you’ll save even more money. With some ribbon and a few pieces of fabric, you’ll be able to create one-of-a-kind bunting. Or with some coloured paper and glue, you can turn cardboard numbers into bright and cheery découpage table numbers.
Paper decorations are particularly cost-effective, not to mention versatile. Think homemade paper chains, origami cranes, streamers, confetti, bunting, tablecloths. Consider making some of your flowers from paper too, perhaps with pages from your favourite books or music scores from your wedding playlist.
Instead of buying or renting chair covers, which can be expensive, and become messy once everyone has sat on them, use wide ribbons instead. Wrap these in a big bow on the back of each chair and voila. This will be much cheaper and add an elegant touch at the same time.
DIY decorations aren’t just an affordable option, but also a very popular one. According to our 2024 UK Wedding Report, 63% of couples married in 2023 opted for DIY decorations, so you won’t be alone if you go down the DIY route! You can’t necessarily expect to get the same quality of design and attention to detail as professionally-sourced decor (after all, you get what you pay for!), but if you’re on a budget and keeping costs down is your top priority, it can be a great choice.
Bespoke decorations are naturally among the most expensive, as they have to be carefully designed and crafted by a professional, which can take time, and also require specialist luxury materials and equipment. So, if you want to save money, and are happy to forgo the personalisation, why not choose an existing design that fits in with the venue and your colour scheme? Off-the-shelf decor won’t be as personal to you, but it’s much cheaper. As a bonus, you could also sell it after the wedding and make some of your money back.
Buy your decor second-hand. Lots of new husbands and wives will be selling their decor on auctioning and repurposing sites for lower prices: take advantage of this. Similarly, utilise second-hand fairs and junk sales – as they say, one couple’s rubbish is another couple’s treasure. These are especially good if you’re going for a slightly eclectic look where you don’t need 10 matching items, but just enough items under an umbrella theme.
You could even take it one further and repurpose items you would ordinarily throw out. For example, instead of throwing out empty jars, why not soak them in water to remove the label, then fill them with cheap, battery-powered fairy lights? It’ll cost you very little but look beautiful as the evening sets in.
Try renting instead of buying whatever wedding decorations you need to save as much money as possible (and also reduce waste). Lots of styling and prop suppliers are able to sort everything out for you with a professional vision. There’s also every chance your wedding venue may also have some available.
Alternatively, you could ask friends and family to dig out their old decorations or have a look at what they have buried at the back of their garage or deep within the loft. There may just be something hidden away that you’ll be able to make great use of as a unique piece of decor.
Plan your dream wedding with Bridebook
Here at Bridebook, we use our expertise to help couples plan their perfect wedding and manage everything from their budge to their guest list. Sign up today and start planning your big day today!
When you’re getting married, a lot of focus is on the bride, but remember, it’s also the groom’s time to shine. Just because the bride gets lots of attention it doesn’t mean the groom has to take a back seat – in fact, it’s exactly the opposite. When a groom is standing next to their partner at the altar, they want to look good, to help them feel good – and a sharp suit or tuxedo helps with exactly that.
The fact that you’re shopping for a suit hopefully means you’re fairly close to the big day itself, meaning your comprehensive Bridebook wedding checklist must be nearly complete…but it also means that your wedding budget might be looking a little more restrictive than it once was.
No fear – there are ways and means to make sure you look like James Bond without an MI5 agent’s salary and still have money left over for a Martini, shaken not stirred. In this post, we’re going to look at how you can save money on a wedding suit while making sure you stand proud while exchanging your vows.
Do you need to buy an expensive suit for your wedding?
No, you don’t need to buy an expensive suit for your wedding. In fact, you might not need to buy a suit at all – renting or wearing a suit you already own are both great options too. Just because a bride might spend an average of £1,300 on a wedding dressdoesn’t mean a groom has to spend the equivalent.
You’ll want your big day to go exactly as planned and be as luxurious and special as it can be – this includes the groom’s wedding attire. Below are 15 ways you can save money on a wedding suit and still look and feel fabulous. For more cost-cutting tips, check out our ultimate guide to saving money on your wedding.
Before you decide to go and buy or rent a tux, first think about the style of your wedding and your chosen venue. A smart suit or tux isn’t always appropriate for a beach or rustic wedding. Discuss the atmosphere you’re going for with your beloved and choose your attire accordingly. For more information, check out our introduction to the groom’s and ushers’ wedding attire.
If you’re contemplating smart attire, then consider buying a sharp, tailored suit instead of a tuxedo. They can look just as good but will be far kinder to your budget, as the only real difference between a tux and a suit is the satin feel. Plus, you’ll feel more comfortable and be able to wear your suit again in the future.
Many grooms don’t realise that you can even rent a suit, let alone consider it for something as important as your wedding day. But, not only will renting a suit save you money – as much as £250, to be exact – but it’ll also open you up to a much wider selection of styles. What might be way out of your budget ordinarily will be far more affordable if you rent rather than buy. Many vendors will offer rental fees for as little as £50, so it should be high on your list of considerations.
While renting is usually a hugely affordable option, it’s always advisable to compare costs between buying and renting. For example, say rental costs are £50 a day: if you have a destination wedding, those costs could be £350 if you’re away for a week, which could be way more expensive than buying a suit off the rack. With buying, there’s also always the option to sell your suit after the wedding using a website like Vinted to make some of your money back.
You must have heard of the phrase, ‘If you don’t ask, you don’t get.’ Well, the same applies to getting a deal on a wedding suit. While you might not be able to haggle on price or get a custom deal at a high-street retailer, an independent business or tailor may be able to offer you a deal. This is especially true if other men in the wedding party use the same vendor – you may even be able to get your suit for free or at least discounted in some cases.
It can be tempting to splash the cash when you’re getting married and treat yourself to a new watch or some extra bling, but you might be better off using that budget elsewhere. There’s no reason why you can’t use your own cufflinks, ties or shoes if you’re willing to compromise a little. Just make sure they look dashing and fit in with your overall look and the theme of your wedding.
Chances are, you have a suit or two knocking around in your wardrobe, so consider wearing one of those and save yourself hundreds. You could freshen up the look with a few new accessories, which you could then coordinate with the rest of the wedding party. Just be aware that going down this route will be a compromise of sorts. You might not be able to get the dream ensemble you would be able to get by going to a designer store or boutique, where everything is custom-made and tailored to fit you perfectly on your big day.
If you’re renting a suit, make sure you know the exact details of the return policy. You don’t want to be fined because you return your suit a day late. That’s going to be the last thing on your mind during such a hectic time.
9. Ask groomsmen and ushers to buy their own suits
While matching suits will look smashing in the photos, there aren’t many other advantages to syncing up suits. Follow the popular bridesmaids’ trend and give your ushers a colour scheme which they can dress for. That means you won’t have to buy their suits, they can save money by not having to fork out for a new suit, and everyone will still look amazing in the photos.
You don’t need to spend a fortune to bring cohesion to your wedding party. A little creativity is all you need, such as with matching accessories. Try coloured socks, suspenders, vests or bow ties and have fun with them.
Shop around. Just like a bride will look in a few stores before she buys a gown, so should the groom. The prices of men’s formal attire can vary greatly, so make sure you get the best deal, both in terms of quality and finances. A bespoke suit or tux might look sharp, but many high-street retailers offer a wide selection of fantastic outfits to suit all styles, tastes and budgets if you’re tight on cash.
Believe it or not, browsing charity shops can lead to the discovery of hidden treasures – including a suit to wear at your wedding. It will probably take persistence, but with a little luck, you might just find a wonderful suit hanging on the rack in a charity shop. The only thing to bear in mind is finding your exact size is unlikely, so you may have to take it to be altered, which of course will cost.
Something borrowed doesn’t only have to apply to the bride. Borrowing a suit from a family member or friend will save you plenty, so long as you’re the same size. Again, bear in mind that if you go down this route, you will likely have to compromise, and might not get the exact suit you originally had in mind.
If you have time on your side, then simply keep a close eye on sales and offers. High-street retailers have sales periodically throughout the year, as do independent stores. By biding your time you could save as much as 50%, or even higher if some suits are end of the line.
This is a slightly risky option, as getting the right size can be tricky, but if you know your exact measurements, you could save a bundle by shopping online. Second-hand stores such as Vinted or auction sites like eBay have plenty of bargains, but there are also plenty of online clothing retailers which have more competitive prices than those on the high street.
Plan a budget-friendly wedding with Bridebook
Here at Bridebook, we have loads of tools to help you save money on your wedding and keep track of your finances, including our handy wedding budget calculator. Sign up today and start planning!
Your bridal party consists of your best pals who have supported you throughout the planning process, who have sat up into the early hours with you making favours while sipping bubbly, and who will wear the second most gorgeous dresses on your wedding day. The process of finding and trying on dresses can be a lot of fun in itself – if not a little stressful until you finally find the dresses.
At this stage, you might have decided who’s paying for your bridesmaids’ dresses, which can come down to your own budget and preferences, and the budget of your bridesmaids. But whoever’s paying, you need to be conscious of the cost. If you’re paying, remember to manage your budget with our handy budget planning tool.
The average cost of bridesmaid dresses is around £80 to £500 per dress, which means you can times this amount by the number of bridesmaids you have to work out the total cost. So, if you have five bridesmaids, you might pay between £400 and £2,500 for all of their dresses collectively.
So, how do you save money on bridesmaid dresses to ensure that – whoever picks up the bill – you don’t go beyond what your budget allows? After all, with the average wedding costing £20,775, you likely won’t want to add any more figures to your ever-increasing expenses.
In this post, we’re going to explore how to save money on bridesmaid dresses, including why they cost as much as they do and what you can do to pay less but still make sure your bridesmaids look stunning.
As with most things that are wedding-related, there’s often a premium price attached to bridesmaid dresses. This is especially true when it comes to dresses made by popular brands and designers. Bridesmaid dresses from specialist wedding boutiques in particular are also often custom-made with expensive, high-quality materials and embellishments. Plus, couples are usually keen to spend more money on purchases for their wedding to make sure it’s extra special.
Thankfully, just because many couples spend between £80 and £500 on each bridesmaid dress doesn’t mean you have to pay that much. There are ways to make sure your spending is closer to the lower end of that scale.
While it’s common for bridesmaids to wear dresses, there’s nothing to say that this has to be the case. If you’re asking your bridesmaids to pay for their own dresses, then you’re likely to get a whole selection of wonderful styles, personalisations and preferences.
Instead of dresses, you or your bridesmaids might choose to wear:
Jumpsuits
Rompers
Cultural attire
Separates
Pantsuits
Tuxedos
There’s no right or wrong choice. If you’d like your bridesmaids to all wear similar outfits, just make sure you coordinate this with them early on.
As a rule of thumb, if you’re asking your bridesmaids to wear a specific dress or putting severe restrictions on what they can and can’t wear, then you should offer to pay for their dresses. If you’re open to them wearing a dress of their own choosing, and only have some loose requests – like wearing a certain colour – then it’s easier to ask your bridesmaids to pay for their dresses.
That being said, this is a rather murky rule and by no means something you should feel obliged stick to. For more information, read our blog post on what your bridesmaids should and shouldn’t pay for.
Looking to save money on bridesmaid dresses but still have the best-looking wedding squad there is? Below are 10 ways you can spend less on bridesmaid dresses. For more money-saving tips, read our ultimate wedding cost-cutting guide.
It might be tempting to rush straight to wedding boutiques and receive VIP treatment, but a great way to save money if you’re on a tight budget is by browsing the high-street retailers you might shop at all the time anyway. If nothing else, the high street is a brilliant way to get some inspiration and for your bridesmaids to try on a few fabulous outfits.
Need convincing? M&S has a wide range of amazing bridesmaid dresses, and the best part is that costs start from around £65. It’s always worth a trip to your local town or city centre to browse some of your favourite retailers. The quality and level of service might not match that of a designer boutique, but if cutting back on your wedding spending is your top priority, then this can be an affordable and cost-effective option.
Many bridesmaids sell their dresses straight after a wedding, so there are beautiful, barely worn dresses out there just begging to be worn again. Similarly, suggest to your bridesmaids that they can sell theirs after (obviously not before!) the big day to make some of their cash back. Sites like eBay, Knot New and Vinted are great for finding affordable clothing which is practically as good as new. Going down the pre-loved route is also a great sustainable choice if you and your bridesmaids are eco-conscious.
Why not consider renting your bridesmaid dresses? This US trend has come to the UK, and the most gorgeous dresses, including Badgley Mischka and McQueen, are now available to bridesmaids at much lower prices than if you were to buy them outright. You might even be able to bag some extra deals by renting several dresses from the same supplier.
One thing to note is the returns policy. Make sure you return the dresses on time and without any stains or damage, as you might be charged an additional fee.
Online retailers are bursting at the seams with deals. Often the bridesmaid dresses that you’re looking for will be available at a cheaper price somewhere else, or some websites will offer discount coupons. Just be aware that you’ll need to be sure they’ll fit, and fit well – otherwise, you might just spend the same amount on alterations as you would have done in-store. Before you make your purchase, double-check the website’s return policy just in case you have to send something back or swap it for another size.
If you start bridesmaid dress shopping in plenty of time, you can hold out for some cracking deals at end-of-season sales. You’ll be amazed at how many gorgeous dresses you can find at almost unbelievable prices if you’re first in line when the sales drop.
Why not think about going for a non-obvious dress style for your bridesmaids? For example, vintage-style tea dresses can be quite cheap to pick up, so having your bridesmaids in a selection from the same era will look cohesive and unique but not cost the earth. Alternatively, midi dresses are everywhere – capitalise on this by getting some formal-looking dresses for an informal price.
7. Ask your bridesmaids to pay for their own dresses
If you’re conscious about your own budget, then there’s absolutely nothing wrong with asking your bridesmaids to pay for their dresses. Just make sure you give them plenty of notice and don’t ask them to drop hundreds on a specific dress.
Trust your bridesmaids and give them a few guidelines, like length and colour, and let them pick out their own dresses – that way, they’re likely to be willing to spend more as they can pick something they know they’ll wear again. Just check you’re happy with them before the big day.
Your bridesmaids don’t all need matching clutches and shoes – ask them to stick to a colour scheme and style and let them buy their own or wear something they already have.
Be brave and think ahead of the curve. Bridal jumpsuits are all the rage, but bridesmaids’ jumpsuits aren’t quite at the same hype just yet. This means they likely won’t have super premium price tags next to them, which is ideal if you’re looking to cut costs. Your bridesmaids would not only look incredibly chic in jumpsuits, but have money left over too.
If you’re keen on shopping at a boutique for your bridesmaid dresses (after all, nothing can compare to the luxury of boutique garments, or the experience of specialist service and attention), why not be brave and negotiate with the owner? You might struggle if you’re only buying a single dress, but if you’re buying multiple dresses (or even your wedding dress itself), you might well get a small percentage knocked off the final bill. When you’re spending hundreds (or even thousands), every little saving you make will quickly add up.
Once you’ve secured some of the biggest aspects of your wedding, such as your venue and catering, you can start thinking about inviting your friends and family to be there on your special day. Of course, that means you need to send out dozens of wedding invitations letting everyone know about the date, time, place, food, gift registry and more.
It’s a super exciting part of your wedding planning journey. However, just like with every other step of planning your wedding, it comes at a cost.
In the UK, couples spend an average of £400 on wedding stationery, which includes your save-the-date cards, invitations, name cards, seating plans, signage, menus and more. Basically, it includes anything that requires printing or writing onto card or paper. Your stationery certainly isn’t the biggest cost associated with your wedding, but when the average UK wedding costs £20,775, even the smaller costs can make a difference to your overall wedding budget.
But, that’s not to say that you need to spend even close to this amount on your own wedding stationery if you can’t afford it. There are plenty of tips and tricks you can utilise to spend less but still get wonderful, on-theme invitations and more. In this post, we’re going to explore how to save money on wedding stationery to help you stick well within your budget.
Just because you don’t want to spend anything close to the average doesn’t mean you’ll have sub-par stationery. With a touch of creativity and thriftiness, cheap wedding stationery can still be effective and make an impact.
Consider sending paperless post, especially for your save the dates. Save the dates don’t need to be as formal as invitations, so have fun with them and get creative – though you’ll probably want to do a little more than a text. Sending electronic save the dates is great, as they’re cheaper than paper and you can track who opens them too (fantastic if you want to make sure that everyone received and read your important news). Also, websites like Paperless Post have some stunning designs, with designers like Oscar de la Renta and Kate Spade bringing a touch of chic to your online post.
Alternatively, you could create a video save the date, which you can upload to YouTube as unlisted and share with everyone you want to come. Something like this is unique and fun, and will help your guests to remember to keep their calendars free.
When picking your invitation design, have a look at our enormous directory of fabulous stationery suppliers. There’s a huge selection of styles, as well as opportunities for bespoke design if you’re feeling creative. The best part is, with so many options available, you’ll be practically guaranteed to find a supplier that suits your budget. Many will be able to create unique, handmade invitations that match the style of your wedding.
It’s also worth checking out sites like Vista Print, which will usually be able to print your invitations for a lower rate. The downside is that unless you also hire a professional designer, you’ll have to pick from a selection of templates. If you do this, your invitations won’t be unique to you, but they will save you plenty of budget. So consider what priorities are most important to you.
You know that beautiful colour you’ve chosen that ties your entire style and motif together? You should definitely use it on your stationery. Choosing one colour for your invitations saves on printing and gives them a modern and elegant look. It also helps to keep everything cohesive.
This may be risky – especially if you only have a cheap printer – but if you have a decent home-office setup it’s worth considering. Ask for your invitations to be sent to you in PDF format and print them at home yourself. This is especially useful if you have to do some last-minute re-prints or additions. Alternatively, if you have an understanding employer, why not save more money and print a few things from the office? Just make sure you don’t print hundreds of sheets in one go and annoy your colleagues by hogging the printer all afternoon.
Be aware that the DIY printing route may save you money initially, but it isn’t without its drawbacks, and is unlikely to give you the clean, polished look of professionally-printed wedding stationery. And if you mess up, it may cost you more in the long-run, as you’ll have wasted lots of paper and ink.
Once you’ve sent your invitations, save some money on return postage and ask your guests to RSVP online. This will be brilliant when you start chasing people up or start on your seating plan. You can even do this for free by setting up a brand new email address: something like [email protected] will more than do the trick. That way, you won’t have to use your own email address and risk emails getting lost among your day-to-day emails.
While a professional service will produce fantastic state-of-the-art wedding invitations, they’re not necessarily cheap (after all, you get what you pay for). If you have either experience using design software or crafting with paper, you can generally save a lot of money by simply designing your invitations yourself. Then, you’ll have all the designs at your disposal, so you can make any changes you need to later on and not pay a penny.
Alternatively, you could always take a few calligraphy lessons and have a go at hand-writing your invitations for the extra level of class and elegance. Calligraphy is a tricky skill, but there are plenty of tutorial videos available on sites like Calligrascape. Just keep at it and make sure you have plenty of practice before sitting down to write your final invitations.
Do note that while the DIY approach can of course be cost-effective, there are some risks to be aware of. Designing your invites, sourcing the paper, having them printed, assembling your invites, addressing your invites… it all takes a lot of time, especially when you’re also juggling plenty of other pre-wedding tasks.
Designing, finding the paper, buying the paper, printing the invites or finding someone to print for you, assembling the invites, addressing envelopes… the time all adds up when creating wedding stationery at a moment in your life when you’re juggling lots of pre-wedding tasks. Mulling over the right font and design might be stressful as well, not to mention it might not be as cheap as you think! Beautiful wedding stationery can require expensive kit and materials which isn’t readily available to you in the way that it is for a professional stationer. Plus, many wedding stationers buy their card and embellishments in bulk, and have a well-researched list of wedding suppliers to help them keep costs low. Buying in the smaller quantities or from mainstream retailers used for DIY comes with a premium, so make sure you factor this in, and weigh up both options carefully.
Instead of printing 80+ personalised invitations, why not reduce time and costs by not including the name of your invited guests? If you do want to include the recipient’s name, you could leave a blank space for you to write it out once the invitations are back from the printers.
It can be tempting to create fancy stationery, but every additional ribbon, foil trim or magnet you include will add to the price. If you want something a little more than a rectangular piece of card, consider a little low-cost creativity, such as a uniquely shaped invitation or by including some confetti inside the envelope.
Remember when you could get a book of stamps for about £1? Unfortunately, those days are long gone, and if you’re sending invitations to friends and family across the country (and beyond) you could end up spending close to £100 on postage alone. There’s nothing wrong with hand-delivering your save the dates and invitations, especially if it saves you a bunch of money.
To keep your invitations small (and costs down) only include information that’s relevant and important. For example, if you’re not offering your guests a choice of food, don’t worry about including a menu. And unless your venue is difficult to find, the name of the venue, the town or city, and the postcode should be more than enough.
One way to save a heap of space on your invitations is by directing people to your wedding website. If you’re confident in building websites you could do this yourself, or use a tool that offers you templates, like Wix.
Or, you could hire professionals to do it for you, like Simple Wedding Websites. A wedding website can be used for everything from sharing menus, a gift registry, detailed directions to the venue, and a form so your guests can RSVP.
Before you skip to the next tip, stick with us. When deciding how many invitations to order, just bear in mind that the more you order, the cheaper the cost will be per invitation. Plus, you’ll probably want to keep a few for yourself to stick on the fridge or frame later on.
For example, if you need 50 invitations, then by ordering 60 you might pay £2 for each, which will cost you £120. But, if you order 75 at £1.50 each, it’ll cost you £112.50. Not only is it cheaper, but you’ll also have some left over to keep or replace if one or two get lost in the post.
Using premium card or paper for your stationery is the way to go if you want that extra touch of luxury, but it could mean that you pay a lot more. Of course, you might not want to choose the cheapest option, but something middle-of-the-road will still be of a reasonable quality without eating into your budget.
Before you even consider sending your design to the printers, make sure you proofread your stationery several times. The last thing you want is to open your order and find that ‘Birmingham’ is spelt ‘Birnimgham’, and then have to correct it and have it printed all over again.
If you can, ask several people to proofread it for you. The more eyes the better. If you don’t want to do that, make sure you proofread it yourself at least a day after writing it so you approach it with a fresh pair of eyes. Another handy tip is to print it out so you can read it on paper, and read it aloud. Trust us, doing it this way will help you to catch mistakes that you otherwise might miss.
Before placing any orders, search on popular discount sites for codes that will save you money. Printers regularly have offers, like free shipping or 20% off, so don’t hit that final ‘submit’ button until you’ve had a thorough look for a valid code.
Plan your dream wedding with Bridebook
At Bridebook, we have everything you could need to plan your perfect wedding while ensuring you don’t go over budget. Sign up and start planning today!
If there’s one thing that’s guaranteed to make people happy, it’s cake. We have cake during so many of life’s special times, like birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas. We don’t even really need an excuse – we Brits love afternoon tea, which is just one big excuse to eat cake in the sun. So, we really don’t need a reason to enjoy a nice cake.
In the UK, the average amount spent by couples on a wedding cake is between £400 – £500. This may seem at first look a lot out of the average overall amount spent on a wedding, which is £20,775. But your cake is more than just that. It can play an incredibly central role in your wedding. It will be a centrepiece and focal point. Of all the decorations and touches you add to your wedding, the most memorable for many will be your cake. Your guests will be on the lookout for your cake and will crowd around you just to watch you make that inaugural cut. They’ll also love helping themselves to a slice.
However, the good news is that there are ways to save money on your wedding cake. In this post, we’re going to dive into the many ways you can stay within budget while making sure your guests can have their cake and eat it too.
Cakes may be mainly sugar, eggs and flour, but so much skill, time and effort goes into making a wedding cake. They’re often far more extravagant and luxurious than the types of cake you might expect at other celebrations and can take several days to plan, design and bake. Not to mention a lot of wedding cakes are absolutely huge, with three being the traditional number of tiers.
So, while the price of a wedding cake may seem high, bear in mind that a lot goes into one to ensure it looks so magical and inviting for your big day:, bear in mind that a lot goes into one to ensure it looks so magical and inviting for your big day:
Customisation and design
Quality ingredients
Skill and expertise
Baking and decorating time
Delivery and setup time
Tools and equipment
The reputation of the cake maker is also likely to determine how much they charge, with professionals with long and respected careers typically able to charge more than those new to the industry.
A professional cake maker really understands the responsibility they have. The cake has to meet the brief in how it looks. It has to last being on display in a heated space, often for many hours, and still needs to taste perfect. They have one chance to get the cake right, knowing that all eyes will be upon it. There are no hiding places, and all this requires so much skill, expertise and preparation.
We may have already pointed out that many of your guests will be on the lookout for cake, but it’s important to consider what you want on your wedding day. What are your priorities? Try to please all your guests, and you’ll likely please no one. So, if forking out for a wedding cake isn’t high on your list, and you have a tight budget, you can choose to go without.
Weddings are usually jam-packed with traditions, so even though you won’t get to cut a cake, you’ll still have plenty of opportunities to enjoy other traditions, like the toasts, the first dance and throwing the bouquet. That said, if you and your partner are big on traditions, and can’t bear the thought of not having that fabulous photo opportunity that doubles up as the most incredible dessert, there are still plenty of ways to do so on a budget.
Just be aware that if you’re aiming for a particularly big or show-stopping wedding cake, you can’t expect a professional to make it for next to nothing. Professionally-made wedding cakes aren’t just cakes – they’re unique, edible works of art, which naturally come with a higher price tag.
If a wedding cake is a must-have on your big day, but you’re struggling to stay within budget, don’t worry. Below are 13 ways (a bakers’ dozen) you can find an alternative or compromise to save money and keep your budget on track.
Let them eat cake! Or cupcakes. Or doughnuts. Or brownies. Or maybe even sweets? Instead of having a big central cake, which can be expensive, you could always treat yourself (and your guests) to a dessert table full of your favourite sweet treats. Stack your delicacy of choice in a scrumptious and artistic display and encourage your guests to help themselves. Not only will your guests get cake, but they’ll have a wider variety of choices, too. Plus, you’ll save money at the same time.
Do remember that unlike a professionally made show-stopper, a dessert table is unlikely to be able to be out on display all day. Consider whether you really want a doughnut that has been out in a heated room for 7 hours! Many professional bakers offer brownie towers, which means that whilst saving a little bit on the budget, you can still get all the benefits a professional brings. The tower of smaller cakes may also mean you don’t have a cake to cut. A small store-bought cake in addition is a good way of still having that iconic cake-cutting moment.
There will be plenty of guests at your wedding who are hungry for a slice of cake, but remember, after a three- or four-course breakfast and a pile of buffet food, will they even be that hungry when the time comes for a slice of cake? Ask your caterers to not be too generous when it comes to slicing your cake. This will help a smaller cake go a lot further. And if the odd guest wants seconds, they can just help themselves.
A cake with loads of intricate details and delicate sugar work is going to be expensive. So, if you keep your design simple, most of the baker’s efforts can go into simply making a moist and delicious cake rather than into turning it into a show-stopping edible masterpiece.
Depending on the style of the cake, you may even be able to do some decorations yourself. This is, of course, unlikely to rival a professional baker’s expert creation. You may not have the skill, knowledge or experience to pull off intricate latticework. But there’s nothing etched in stone to say a wedding cake has to be complex. Instead of sugar work petals, go for real flowers artfully placed around the edge. Instead of painstakingly cut iced ribbons, go for real ones. Artistic vision is a must-have, but it requires you to be brave. The DIY look can be great – just be aware that it most likely won’t be able to match the intricacy of a professionally-made wedding cake.
Realistically, not everyone at your wedding will likely want a slice of cake, which breaks our hearts… but it also breaks out hearts to see any cake go to waste. If you still want a tall, multi-tier cake, substitute some of the layers with dummy layers, which are usually lumps of carved polystyrene. These can be decorated in the exact same style as the real layers, but you save on the cost of the cake ingredients and the time spent baking it. It will look just as majestic and yummy, but none of it will go to waste and you’ll save some dough.
That said, be aware that the overall price difference may be quite small. Cake makers usually won’t charge the full amount if some layers are fake, but can still charge close to it. Though you’re saving some ingredient costs and labour, the cake artist will still have to stack and decorate those extra tiers, and as we’ve highlighted above, the decorating is what you’re really paying for in most cases. Ingredient costs can be sometimes be cheaper than the polystyrene purchased to create that fake tier, so it’s best to chat with your cake maker about the most cost-effective option for your specific vision.
It may seem obvious, but that doesn’t make it any less useful – if you have a future Great British Bake Off contestant in the family who’d love to contribute to your big day, ask them if they’d be happy to make your cake. Or, if you have a collection of relatives and friends who all have a signature sweet treat, why not ask everyone to bake their favourite and bring them in on a nice dish, which you can then collate to make a super tasty dessert table out of?
The DIY route can be a great budget-friendly move, but there are some really important considerations which you’ll need to weigh up:
It’s never going to be quite the same as a wedding cake made by a skilled professional with years of experience under their belt. If you opt for a cake made by an amateur baker, be prepared to compromise.
Tiered cakes aren’t just works of art, but also structural masterpieces. Ask any venue about DIY cakes and they’ll talk about the cakes that slowly leaned more and more or fell due to mispositioned or insufficient dowels. The bake itself also has to match the strength it needs and professionals understand the challenges this throws up. Not many amateurs normally make a three-tiered cake that has to stand for a number of hours. So if you are going DIY, keep it simple.
Your family star baker is unlikely to say no to such a request, but they’re probably going to feel a tremendous amount of pressure. Chances are they won’t relax if they’re a guest until the cake is actually cut into. Again, venues will share stories of seemingly wonderful looking DIY cakes which, when cut into, turned out to be raw, and then the challenge of trying to serve enough not to cause embarrassment for the family member who made it.
Dietaries are such an important part of your catering, and the importance of avoiding trace elements from nuts to gluten can be a matter of life or death. A professional cake maker will always leave a full set of ingredients, and highlight any cross-contamination risks and cutting requirements if there are dietaries. With a DIY cake, assumptions can be made that a family member knows of a relative’s allergies, or a guest may assume ingredients will be strictly as listed and fine. So, if you are having a DIY cake, put a sign up thanking whoever made it but letting guests know ALL the ingredients, and that it wasn’t made in a professional kitchen. This may sound overcautious (and is easily forgotten), but equally, don’t assume guests with allergies will know or remember it’s a DIY cake, and that their dietaries shared with the caterers haven’t been passed on.
It might not seem like the most obvious choice for a wedding, and it isn’t traditional, but a shop-bought cake from your favourite supermarket can be affordable and delicious. There’s a wide range of shapes, sizes and flavours to choose from, and if you pick up some pillars you can even create a multi-tiered cake yourself. All you have to do is get a little creative with the decorations and be more flexible with your cake vision than if you were to commission something custom-made. Or, you can have a small simple cake for your ceremonial cutting, and a number of shop bought cakes put out for guests to eat afterwards.
For something trendy yet traditional, M&S sells a two-tiered naked cake that looks the part and costs just £45. Or, for something a little more unique that will be tasty and get your guests laughing, M&S also offer a personalised Colin the Caterpillar cake, which you can pair with a personalised Connie the Caterpillar cake to have matching couple cakes. Each cake serves 40, and is priced at just £50, so even if you buy both, that’s cake for 80 guests for just £100, making them a fraction of the typical cost of a traditional bespoke tiered design.
If you choose to hire a professional cake maker to design your wedding cake, why not ask them for a naked cake? Not only will you still get a premium cake by a professional, but naked cakes are really in fashion right now with a rustic but elegant look. Plus, they tend to be a lot cheaper because they generally use fewer ingredients and take less time to decorate.
A word of warning though – the icing on wedding cakes can play a big part in the structural strength. Naked cakes may seem an easier option for a DIY cake (after all, the icing looks like the hard part), but they need more dowels, internal supports and the right baking consistency if stacked on top of one another. This is where professionals are even more invaluable.
Looking for a complex and intricate design but don’t have a huge budget? One option is to work with your cake maker to design a cake that is only decorated down one side. By having a sugar work design cascading down one half of your cake you still get the wow factor but will generally only have to pay half the decorating costs. A sugar work cascade is still incredibly striking, and can make for a gorgeous focal point and centrepiece even with less decoration.
When searching for a wedding cake designer or bakery, try to keep your search as local as possible. Wedding cake delivery can be pricey and the further a cake has to travel the riskier it is – so, if you choose a local professional, it’ll keep delivery and setup costs down. Or, you could even consider collecting your cake a day or so before the big day, which is easier to do if you choose a simple design.
The more experience a baker has, the more likely they are to have a solid portfolio and reputation. As a result, they’re also more likely to charge higher prices. Instead, consider hiring a cake maker who is relatively new to the industry. They’ll still be able to make a fabulous and delicious cake, but charge less than the average. Just remember to see examples of a few other cakes they’ve designed before you hire them – you don’t want a complete novice taking charge of your wedding cake.
If you’re a keen baker and don’t mind adding an extra responsibility to your ever-growing list, you could just bake your wedding cake yourself. You could even bake the cake a couple of months in advance, then thaw it a few days before your wedding so it’s ready for some homemade decorations. This will naturally save you money, but will be a fair bit of work, so be prepared.
Part of the joy of hiring a professional cake maker is that it’s stress-free and convenient, so you can enjoy your big day without worrying about dodgy ovens and equipment or glazes and ganaches that refuse to set. It’s important to weigh up what matters most to you. The DIY route may save you some money, but it most likely won’t save you time or stress. All of the considerations we listed for asking a friend or family to bake your cake apply here as well.
Vanilla and chocolate are usually safe, crowd-pleasing flavours that don’t cost too much. If you’ve chosen a multi-tiered cake, you may still want one tier to be a traditional fruit cake, but be prepared to pay a little extra if that’s the case.
Most of your guests won’t be too fussed if you don’t have fruit cake, and a simple vanilla sponge is affordable and tasty.
Have you worked out the menu you plan to serve your guests at the wedding breakfast? We bet part of that meal will include a delicious dessert. Well, instead of doubling up on desserts, why not simply serve your guests a slice of wedding cake?
If this doesn’t suit your timings and you want your dessert before the cake-cutting commences, why not have a smaller, decorated one-tier cake as your main cake for the ceremonial cutting, and a plain, un-decorated version pre-cut and served as dessert for the beforehand?
To make your cake a little more dessert-like and wedding breakfast worthy, why not pair it with a scoop of ice cream or a quenelle of cream for that extra touch of luxury and finesse?
Or, if you want to serve your cake in the evening, consider whether you also need extra evening food. This way, you can make the cake the star of the show in more ways than one . This is a great way to save on your catering budget elsewhere without losing the cake.
Plan your dream wedding with Bridebook
At Bridebook, we have plenty of tips, advice and tools available to help you plan your wedding and save money. Sign up today and start planning!
Do you want to start your life as a married couple with a bang by setting off an impressive fireworks display (venue permitting)? Or perhaps you want to wow your guests with a passionate magician or dance group?
If you don’t want to go that big, even a photo booth and kids’ games area are still great ways to entertain your guests – but they all naturally come at a cost.
In this post, we’re going to take a look at the many ways you can save money on wedding entertainment while still making sure your guests have a fabulous time.
What are the most expensive types of wedding entertainers?
Generally, the more highly-skilled, experienced or technical the entertainment is, the more expensive it’ll be. For example, a fireworks show will cost around £750, which is almost the entire average amount spent on entertainment alone.
Dance troupes and circus acts can also be among the most expensive, as there are a large number of performers and equipment needed. The more members there are in an act, the more expensive it will be. Large dance groups and circus acts have costs starting from around £500.
Also, if an entertainer is well-known or has been featured on TV, like magician Dean Leavy who appeared on Blue Peter and Britain’s Got Talent, they can have higher rates than others.
What’s the cheapest types of wedding entertainment?
There are plenty of options available if you have a limited budget but still want to hire professional entertainment. Some of the most affordable wedding entertainment options include:
If you have your heart set on a certain type of entertainment but aren’t sure it’ll fit within your budget, don’t be disheartened just yet. Below are 10 ways you can save money but still enjoy wonderful entertainment. We also have tips and tricks for saving money on wedding music so you can have the best of both worlds.
Just like how a winter wedding will lead to lower costs for your venue and catering due to lower demand, so will the cost of your entertainment. Summer is the most popular time to host a wedding, which means entertainers can increase their rates. So, by having a winter wedding you’ll pay far less to hire the same entertainer. Similarly, their rates will also be higher on the weekend than they will be midweek. So, if you plan your wedding for a Tuesday in February, you’ll pay some of the lowest rates available.
If an entertainer has to travel far to get to your venue, then this will affect how much you pay. Unless you’re really set on one specific entertainer, then try to hire a professional whose catchment area includes your chosen venue. If it doesn’t, they may charge an additional per-mile fee, and if it’s really far they might need to book a hotel, which will be another expense to factor into your budget.
Remember how we mentioned above that, generally speaking, the more performers there are in an act, the more expensive it’ll be? For that reason, keep costs down by hiring a solo entertainer. Or, if you want dancers at your wedding, a pair will typically be kinder to your budget than an entire troupe.
Entertainment doesn’t have to rely on a professional doing all the work, and can take so many forms. Karaoke, a quiz or motion-controlled games are both great fun and cost-effective, and a brilliant way to get all your guest involved.
If you have a lot of friends and family with kids, then you’re probably conscious that they might get a little bored. Kids’ entertainment, like The Wedding Crècherz and All Events Childcare, are already fantastic affordable professional services, but if you’re on a super tight budget, you could save even more money with a DIY kids’ table. Some colouring books, a box of Lego and some games (which you might already have sitting in the back of a cupboard) could save you hundreds.
This requires a bit of thought and effort ahead of the wedding (as well as coordination with your chosen venue), but it’s a great way to keep your guests busy throughout the reception as the day goes on, especially as you head off to take photos with your new spouse. A scavenger hunt, where guests have to follow clues to uncover secrets, is an engaging, fun and – importantly, cheap – entertainment idea. You can even offer prizes to the guests who come first.
We bet you have a few board games and party games gathering dust up in the loft. Why not put them to good use and provide every table with a game they can use to keep themselves busy and interact with each other? There’s nothing quite as funny as watching Nan play Jenga after a couple of glasses of Prosecco.
If an entertainer charges a certain day rate, ask them if they’ll charge less if they’re hired for a certain number of hours. If you hire a bouncy castle, you might not want merry adults bouncing on it after a few glasses of fizz anyway – so only hire it for a couple of hours. Or, a magician is a great way to keep guests entertained after the ceremony and during the breakfast, so by the evening they won’t necessarily be needed. By hiring entertainment for a shorter amount of time you’ll pay less but your guests will still have the experience.
With a little consideration and creativity, there are plenty of DIY entertainment options. Put a box of props together and fix a digital camera on a tripod for a simple and affordable DIY photo booth. You could build a corn hole set and host a tournament with a winner-takes-all prize. Or buy a face paint kit and encourage your guests to decorate each others’ faces (but after the photographs please). There are plenty of cheap DIY options out there!
Do you have a particularly talented friend or relative who could bring out their party trick to impress your guests? Anything from card tricks to juggling or stand-up comedy to acrobatics. Any talent can be good to go when it comes to entertaining your guests. Just make sure they’re up to the task, and don’t rely TOO heavily on them either. After all, they can’t be expected to provide the same level of service and quality as an experienced wedding professional.
Plan your dream wedding with Bridebook
With Bridebook, you can take all the stress out of planning your wedding and save money at the same time. Sign up today and start planning!
What you wear on your wedding day is one of the most important decisions for any bride or groom. Whether it’s a white dress with an elegant, flowing train, or a sharp suit with a neatly pressed shirt, it all helps you to look and feel fabulous.
Accessories can be just as important as the dress and suit themselves. For the bride, this includes your veil, handbag or clutch, shoes, jewellery and a headpiece. For the groom, it’s your shoes, cufflinks, watch, pocket square, tie and belt. You may want all of these, or you may want none (although we recommend shoes unless your wedding ceremony is at the beach). But, you’ll probably want at least a few of these – which means it’s likely to cost.
There are ways you can save money on wedding accessories and still complete your outfit. In this post, we’re going to explore the different ways you can spend less on accessories so you can keep safely within your wedding budget.
Do you need to buy new accessories for your wedding?
No, you don’t need to buy new accessories, including jewellery, for your wedding. While you may want to treat yourself and your spouse-to-be to some shiny new bling for your big day, this can add to an already not-inconsiderable cost.
Instead of buying new accessories and jewellery, you more than likely already have a few suitable pieces if you’re willing to compromise on your look a little. Jewellery such as earrings, a bracelet and a necklace will often go with a wide variety of outfits, including a wedding dress. Why not try them on before committing to buying something new? Similarly, you more than likely have a pair of comfortable footwear which will be more than fitting.
If you’re a groom, you may already own a nice watch, and a smart pair of shoes which can be tidied up with some shoe polish if necessary. That means you’ll likely only have to worry about investing in a quality tie and pocket square which match the theme and colour scheme of your wedding.
Because they’re so delicate and intricately made, a veil can understandably be very expensive when purchased at a bridal shop, especially if you’re dreaming of a long one (if you’re unsure of the different lengths, check out our introduction to wedding accessories). For many brides, veils are symbolic of the day, but they’re often taken off fairly quickly after the ceremony as they can get in the way. So, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to consider forgoing the veil (which could save you as much as £250), and spend that part of your budget elsewhere.
When asked about veils, Nathalie Neuilly, founder of Dressarte Paris, told us: “We often do custom veils adding custom messages, initials etc. But it’s true that more than 75% of our brides decide to go without veils. Instead, they prefer to add fresh flowers when styling their hair, or upcycle their mum’s veil and create a custom accessory.” So, if you decide to ditch the veil, you won’t be in the minority.
If you’re keen on wearing a veil, check with your mum, grandma or another female relative to see if anyone has a beautiful veil tucked safely away from their own wedding – this can count as your something old and something borrowed. If they do, double-check it matches the colour of your dress and you’re good to go.
If you have the time and creativity, you could have a go at creating your own accessories, or repurposing something you already own. There are plenty of tips, tricks and inspiration available on Instagram, Etsy and other platforms. This also makes for a fun and unique activity during your hen party.
Just make sure you’re not pressed for time and that you have enough (good-quality) material to have at least a couple of goes at it. And be prepared to compromise on your designs, as they are unlikely to rival the professional creations of a specialist wedding dressmaker or designer!
While there’s a chance that you might not be able to borrow a veil, there’s a great chance that someone close to you will have an item of jewellery that you can borrow for your big day, whether it’s a unique headpiece or statement necklace.
Asking your in-laws-to-be is also a great way to further strengthen the union between your two families, and will no doubt mean a lot to them.
A fun and exciting way to find some incredible (and also generally cheap) accessories is by attending auctions, either in-person or online. It might take time and a bit of effort, but you’ll likely be able to find some unique, vintage and affordable pieces that will also complement your outfit well. Just remember not to get too carried away during the bidding process…
5. Search for hidden treasures at charity shops and antique stores
Instead of spending money on lots of different accessories, why not go for one big central piece that will pull your entire look together? This works well both for brides and for the whole bridal party. For example, consider going for a show-stopping one-of-a-kind hairpiece or a stunning statement necklace, instead of a collection of smaller (and potentially more expensive) pieces.
Many online retailers offer lower prices than high-street stores, but make sure you shop around. There are plenty of specialist retailers that have large collections of wedding accessories and jewellery. Online stores also often have deals and discounts, so make sure you search for voucher codes before making a purchase. Just bear in mind that photos aren’t always a true reflection of an item, so double-check the retailer’s return policy in case your order doesn’t look quite as you expected it to (and factor this into your accessory-shopping timeline).
Keep an eye out for local craft fairs and markets. Independent jewellery makers and artists will often have stalls at these events, and chances are you’ll find unique handmade pieces which will perfectly match your outfit and be more affordable than pieces bought from jewellers or other retailers.
Believe it or not, you can rent wedding accessories and jewellery to use on your big day. Rental companies will usually have a huge range of choices to suit any style, colour scheme and taste. You can rent everything, including necklaces, earrings, bracelets and cufflinks. It’s a great way to wear an extravagant piece without paying extravagant prices. Just remember to pay attention to the terms of your rental so you don’t have to fork out due to additional fees or charges.
Start browsing for your accessories and jewellery early so you can keep a look out for offers, deals, discounts and end-of-season sales. You never know, your favourite piece could suddenly be discounted, saving you a ton of money.
Save money by planning on Bridebook
Here at Bridebook, we have all the tools and top tips you need to help you plan your wedding and save money along the way. Sign up today and start planning your dream wedding!
Weddings don’t come along very often, but when they do they’re a cause for a celebration. And one of the ways a lot of wedding guests like to let their hair down is by having a drink or two (or three or four).
Raising a glass of bubbles is also a great way for your guests to toast you and your new spouse, and celebrate your marriage. But as well as the fizz, your guests will enjoy a variety of alcoholic drinks, from wines and beers to cocktails and spirits.
So, how can you save money on wedding alcohol? In this post, we’re going to dive into the ways you can reduce how much you spend on booze so you can get more out of your wedding budget.
What kind of alcohol is usually served at a wedding?
It’s common for a wide variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to be served at weddings. If a full-service bar is provided, the possibilities are endless, but the alcoholic drinks offered generally include:
Beer
Cider
Red wine
White wine
Sparkling wine or Champagne
Spirits
Cocktails
Often, couples will provide their guests with a limited number of drinks, such as an arrival drink, a bottle of red and white for each table at the breakfast and a glass of bubbles for the toast. A third of couples opt to offer an open bar, but this can be a rather expensive option – especially if you’re inviting a lot of guests.
Whether or not you choose to offer an open bar at your wedding is entirely your choice – there’s no right or wrong answer. Just because a third of couples choose to offer an open bar doesn’t mean you need to – that still leaves two-thirds of all couples who decide not to.
In fact, if you decide to have a paid bar at your wedding you could save more than £2,100. Plus, your guests are unlikely to think anything of it or mind paying for their drinks.
Offering a paid bar is just one of the ways you can save money on alcohol at your wedding. For more tips and cost-cutting ideas, read our guide to how to save money on your wedding.
Below are 10 more ways you can save while still making sure your guests can enjoy a few drinks on your big day.
Alcohol may be one of the most expensive items on your wedding list, but remember – it doesn’t go off! So regardless of your wedding date, we recommend buying any alcohol you need either after Christmas or New Year or around the big summer bank holidays. That’s when supermarkets slash their prices and have huge sales on alcohol. You can save up to £1,500 buying Champagne in the sales just after Christmas compared to in the run-up to your wedding.
Believe it or not, if you do offer your guests a couple of free drinks, then there’s every chance it won’t be finished, particularly if you’ve provided bottles of wine. Not everyone drinks wine – even when it’s free – so what do you do if you end up with six bottles of unopened wine at the end of the reception?
Ask the venue or vendor about sale or return, which is a policy that allows you to return unopened and undamaged bottles of alcohol for a refund or credit off your final bill. It might not save you loads, but even a little saving is better than none when you’re spending so much.
3. Switch the expensive stuff for the not-so-expensive
Your wedding is a fabulous celebration and it can be tempting to bring out the big guns and pop open a few bottles of Champagne, particularly for arrival drinks and raising a glass during the speeches. But, Champagne is expensive and some cheaper alternatives are actually more popularanyway.
Instead of pricey Champers, consider more affordable options like Cava and Prosecco, which plenty of people prefer, and many won’t even realise are different.
To put it into perspective, a decent bottle of Champagne will cost around £40, whereas a nice bottle of Prosecco will cost around £10. So, if you need 25 bottles, by switching from Champagne to Prosecco, you could save £750.
A great way to get your guests in good spirits (get it?) and save some money is with a DIY cocktail bar. All you need are half a dozen bottles of spirits, a few mixers and a recipe guide, and your guests can get to work creating their own delicious drinks. It also doubles as a unique form of wedding entertainment and gets your guests chatting and interacting with each other.
For a little extra personalisation, you could create some custom cocktail recipes that are themed around you and your spouse-to-be, and name some drinks after significant moments, places and people in your lives.
When you think about it, a wedding is just one big party – and it’s not unheard of to ask party guests to bring their own drinks. It might not be the most comfortable option, but asking your guests to come armed with a bottle or two will potentially save you thousands.
If this is something you’re considering, make sure to check with the venue that it’s something they allow – if you’re getting married in a hotel or similar, then it might be written into your agreement that it’s prohibited. But, many venue types will allow it, particularly if you haven’t gone for an all-inclusive package.
If you go down this route, just remember to add BYOB to your wedding invitations!
Another way to lessen costs is by hiring an outside vendor, such as a mobile bar, to provide all the drinks at your wedding. This also opens up more options for personalisation if your wedding has a specific theme.
This is again something you’ll need to check with your chosen venue – they may not allow mobile bars. You’ll also want to make sure your chosen vendor has a license to sell alcohol, because if they don’t, it could land you in hot water.
Before the ceremony, when your guests slowly begin to arrive, it’s common for couples to offer their guests an arrival drink to help them get into the mood. If you offer each of your guests a drink, it can quickly get expensive.
But, a drink on arrival isn’t something your guests will expect – it’s simply a nice surprise, similar to canapés and wedding favours. So, to save a little money, why not bypass the arrival drinks altogether? Or, simply switch them out for a non-alcoholic drink so you can offer the gesture while cutting back on the cost.
An open bar might not suit your budget, but you could still thank your guests for coming by providing them with a drink or two. Many couples opt to include a couple of bottles of wine for each table – one red and one white – but for a little extra selection, why not extend that to include beer, too?
If you’re keen on providing your guests with a glass of wine at the wedding breakfast or a flute of bubbles during the toasts, one money-saving tip is to simply ask the venue to be a little more reserved with their pouring than they might usually be. Whereas a bottle of Champagne will generally fill six glasses, a slightly less generous pour might stretch this to 10. If a bottle can serve more guests, you won’t need to open as many. And if you don’t need to open as many bottles, you won’t need to pay for as many.
If you plan far enough in advance, why not have a go at brewing your own alcohol? After all, brewing wine, beer and even spirits at home is becoming an increasingly popular hobby. Not only is supplying your own handmade drinks a great way to save money on wedding alcohol, but it also personalises your reception.
If you’re not one for traditions, consider forgoing the speeches completely, which then also forgoes the need to supply your guests with a glass of fizz and to provide bottles of wine on each of the tables. With the increase in the popularity of twilight weddings, it’s becoming more common for couples to bypass wedding breakfasts and go straight from the ceremony to the evening reception.
Plan your wedding stress-free with Bridebook
Here at Bridebook, we have all the tools you need to plan your wedding. You should also check out our ultimate guide to saving money on your wedding for more money-saving tips. Sign up and start your planning journey today!
Depending on the duration of your wedding, your guests are served food and drinks at different intervals throughout the day. This can include arrival drinks and canapés, a three or four-course breakfast and a glorious buffet in the evening. But, how much does it cost to keep your guests wined and dined?
We understand that this is a huge expense, and one obvious way to save money on wedding food is by cutting the number of guests. However, we also understand that this might not always be possible. If this is the case for you, fear not – there are still plenty of ways you can save money.
In this post, we’re going to take a look at the many ways you can save money on wedding catering while still keeping your guests full and happy.
Food that is easy to cook in bulk and requires little prep time will be among the cheapest food you can serve at your wedding. This includes the food served at both your wedding breakfast and the evening buffet.
At the reception, simple food cooked well will keep the costs down. An example of an affordable three-course wedding breakfast meal could include:
Starter – Soup
Main course – Roast chicken, potatoes and seasonal vegetables
Dessert – New York cheesecake
In the evening, the same applies to the buffet. Simple, tasty food that your guests can eat with their hands will make sure everyone is more than satisfied. Examples of cheap and easy wedding buffet food include pizza, pasta, salad, chips, chicken, wraps, tacos and more. You could even have a theme for your evening buffet, such as American, Asian, Mexican or barbeque.
If your chosen venue has an all-inclusive package, this likely includes food. While it can be more affordable to hire other vendors, an all-inclusive option is usually your best bet. According to our 2024 Wedding Report, couples save over £1,000 when the venue cost includes catering versus external catering costs.
If you do want to hire external caterers, though, do plenty of research before you book your wedding venue. Make sure your chosen venue is flexible, as this will open up your choices and allow you to hire other caterers. So, if you want a fancy countryside venue but also want to serve woodfired pizzas in the evening, ask the venue whether they would allow this first.
It’s best to research wedding caterers and venues at the same time so you can see which option is the most suitable for your budget. During your research, make sure you’re looking at not just the cost, but also the services they provide, their location and recent reviews to make sure they provide exactly what you want.
Once you’ve decided on a location for your wedding and you’ve found your perfect venue, try to choose local caterers if you’re outsourcing them. If your wedding is on the outskirts of Birmingham but the caterer you’ve chosen is based in London, they’ll charge you an additional fee to travel all that way, which could be a flat rate or a cost per mile outside of their usual catchment area.
By choosing a local vendor it will keep costs as low as possible. It’s also possible that they’ve already provided catering for an event at your chosen venue, so may also have a professional relationship that will help things go smoother on the day. An additional bonus is that you’ll be supporting local businesses.
Bridebook has a fabulous selection of wedding caterers, so regardless of where you’re getting married, you’ll find the perfect food options for your wedding.
Who doesn’t love a buffet? Your guests are free to choose whatever food tickles their fancy and can load their plates up with as much or as little food as they like. Not only are buffets versatile, but they’re also major crowd-pleasers – not to mention they’re generally cheaper than a traditional wedding breakfast.
With full table service, you get to be treated like royalty on your special day (which is obviously amazing), but this service does come at a cost. Typically, you’ll need one member of wait staff per 10 guests at a table service wedding breakfast. That means, if you have 100 guests, you’ll need 10 wait staff – and this is before you even take into consideration the kitchen and bar staff.
Even though buffets offer a wider variety of food than a three- or four-course table-service meal, a far smaller team is needed to prepare and serve the food. Whereas a breakfast might cost £30 – £40 per head, a buffet will cost around half of this. While a buffet isn’t quite as luxurious as a table service meal, your guests likely won’t mind so long as they get something to eat.
The number of guests you invite to your wedding directly affects the total cost of catering, because the more mouths to feed, the more food you need.
With the cost of food per head averaging £62, costs can quickly add up. Suppose you’ve invited 100 guests – 100 x £62 = £6,200 for the food alone. If you’re in a position to, cutting just 10% of your guest list will save you around £620, and this doesn’t even include other savings you can make, such as decor, stationery, favours and the ability to choose a smaller, more affordable venue.
It might be tough, but very few couples can invite everyone. A little bravery could potentially save you thousands, without you having to forgo the food you want.
A huge number of couples want to tie the knot during peak wedding season, when the weather is more likely to behave itself, flowers are blooming and you have more options for beautiful outdoor photographs.
However, with so much competition during the most popular weeks and months, vendors have to raise their prices, and this includes caterers. So, you could save a lot of money by setting your date on a common-or-garden weekday between October and March, when caterers’ rates are generally lower.
So, instead of booking your wedding for a Saturday in August, why not consider a Tuesday in February? This will slash the cost of catering, as well as other wedding costs such as your venue and entertainment.
Your first instinct might be to get one of everything when you see the menu options, as that way, you can cater to everyone – from meat eaters to vegetarians – while knocking out any allergy-causing options too.
But, to keep costs down, don’t offer your guests a wide variety of options at the wedding breakfast. It’s usually far more cost-effective to offer a limited number of choices, as the catering team will be able to focus on making sure every plate is perfect. So, one meat and one vegetarian or vegan option is usually more than enough to meet the needs of the majority of your guests.
The type of food you go for will also influence the cost. Instead of choosing fancy or time-consuming dishes like lobster, sushi or beef Wellington, opt for more affordable options such as chicken, potatoes and vegetables. A skilled catering team can make even the most affordable ingredients look and taste fabulous.
It’s even better to go for in-season and locally-grown ingredients. This will be much cheaper while also allowing you to support local businesses. Have a chat with your catering team to see what they can do to get the most out of your budget. Fancy food doesn’t automatically have to mean expensive.
While it’s vital to make sure dietary requirements are fulfilled, the more bespoke dishes the team has to cater for, the pricier it will be. So, it’s important to provide food for special requirements, but you should try to avoid making changes purely because your cousin is a fussy eater and will only eat chicken nuggets.
Remember, whenever in doubt, speak to your wedding caterer. If you want to know what to ask, read our guide on questions to ask your wedding caterer.
A fully stocked bar with all kinds of drinks, or a mixologist putting on a fancy show, might be a must-have for some couples, but this will add to the cost. This is especially true if you choose to offer an open bar, which will potentially add thousands to your final bill. You’ll save more than £2,000 by asking your guests to pay for their own drinks (with the exception of a bottle of wine at the table and a glass of fizz for the toasts). Plus, weddings with an open bar are in the minority, so it’s not something your guests will expect.
When it comes to the fizz, Champagne is a luxurious option, but your guests will be just as happy with a cheaper alternative such as prosecco or Cava. This is often more affordable than supplying your own bubbles, as most venues will charge a corkage fee, which can be as high as £35 per bottle.
You read that right – ask your vendor for smaller plates during the evening buffet. This will limit the amount of food your guests can pile up. Instead of taking mountains of food, most guests will take considerably less, which will reduce the amount of waste too. And don’t worry – if someone wants to go for multiple rounds, they can! No one will go home hungry.
Renting a food truck to provide freshly-cooked plates is a great way to add a personal touch to your wedding, and will help keep your catering budget down.
Think about it – food trucks are used to cooking and serving delicious, crowd-pleasing dishes at busy, fast-paced events. The same can be done for your wedding – just tell them your budget and they’ll handle the rest. This is great way to keep costs manageable while offering your guests some unique and mouth-watering food. Plus, with food trucks being one of the hottest wedding trends of 2024, this kind of catering is all the rage right now.
Keep a look out for wedding fairs, where a selection of vendors come together to showcase their offerings and encourage you to have a taste. This is a great way to see what options are available and try food from a wide selection of local caterers. During events, a lot of caterers will offer exclusive discounts and promotions, which could save you a nice chunk of change. Not only will you leave the event with a full stomach, but your budget will also thank you for it.
A twilight wedding is a wedding which starts much later in the day, usually around the time the sun starts to set. This means, after the reception and photographs, you’ll likely want to bypass the wedding breakfast and dive straight into the evening buffet – a far more cost-effective option. Because you’re only feeding your guests once, you’ll drastically reduce the amount of money you spend on catering, as well as various other parts of your wedding.
Canapés and arrival drinks add a touch of class and elegance to your wedding, but they can be costly. To save a little money, consider only offering a single canapé option or even cutting it completely, together with the arrival drinks.
More than 90% of couples in the UK hire a wedding photographer, but only one in three couples hire a videographer. Wedding photographs are a wonderful keepsake that the two of you will come back to again and again, and your wedding album might even become a family heirloom that will be passed down through generations.
The same might not necessarily be the case when it comes to a wedding video. However, a third of couples do still choose to capture their wedding on film, which is a more candid way of immortalising their big day.
Whether or not you hire a videographer for your wedding will likely come down to budget, with the average cost of a photographer being more or less the same. When it comes to one or the other, most couples choose to hire a photographer. However, there are ways to save money on a wedding videographer so that you can have the best of both worlds.
In this post, we’re going to explore how to save money on a wedding videographer and still have a lovely video you can watch again and again.
So, with couples paying an average of £1,300 – £1,500 for a wedding videographer, what exactly are they getting for their money and why are they so expensive? Videographers’ rates are based on:
High-quality equipment, including cameras, computers, edit equipment, stabilisers, microphones and even drones
The amount of time they spend shooting on the day, which could be during peak times
The amount of time post-production can take, which can range from less than a day to several days depending on the level of complexity
Skills and expertise which may have been refined from years of experience
Team and assistance, such as if they have a second camera operator and a dedicated editor
This is on top of other costs the videographer might have, including insurance, travel, software, equipment maintenance and more.
As we’ve already highlighted, only 33% of couples choose to hire a professional videographer for their wedding, so you shouldn’t feel pressured to hire one if it’s not something that suits your style, preference or budget. With the cost of many weddings reaching £20,000 and above, another £1,500 for a videographer can be difficult to justify. However, videographers will capture your special day in ways that photographers can’t, and a wedding video is a fantastic complement to your wedding album.
If a wedding video is important to you but you don’t want to pay costs anywhere close to the average, there are ways to pay less. Below are 12 ways to save money on a videographer and still have a fabulous wedding video.
While some couples prefer to have an hour-long feature that documents all the happenings of their wedding day, others choose a more budget-friendly version by asking for a shorter film. After all, the really important elements will all be there, only in a much more condensed format. So, instead of the wedding equivalent of The Lord of the Rings, something smaller will cut the cost at the same time as cutting the length.
The ceremony is arguably the most important and emotional part of your wedding day. This is when you make lifelong promises to love each other, as your nearest and dearest watch on. This is when all the dads get a bit teary giving away their daughters and when you share your first kiss as a married couple.
It’s also likely that you won’t have much other footage from the ceremony (as opposed to the Reels and stories you’ll see of the breakfast and evening reception) – especially if you ask your guests to adhere to an unplugged ceremony.
Ask your videographer to record just this part of your wedding day, saving you some precious pennies and giving you a wonderful keepsake.
Just like photographers, videographers tend to have package offers when it comes to wedding films. Instead of choosing all the extra editing and special effects, go for the most basic package, which will simply follow the wedding day and generally avoid the more complex filming and editing techniques (as well as extras like a trailer and highlight reel).
For example, Affordable Wedding Videos in Oxfordshire offer a basic ‘Carnation Package’, which costs just £700 and includes filming from the moment guests start arriving until the completion of the speeches.
A lot of professional wedding videographers will attend industry fairs and many of them will offer great deals to the couples who meet and chat with them there. So make sure you go, ask plenty of questions and secure yourself an awesome deal.
Another quick tip is to make your booking early – if you find yourself hiring a videographer at the last minute you might have to pay rates that are higher than normal.
If you’re something of a wannabe-Spielberg, you could have a go at editing your wedding video yourself. Your videographer will have hours of priceless, beautifully-shot film from the day that will practically speak for itself. If you’re a tech-savvy couple (or have techy friends), you may be able to do the editing yourselves and save on post-production costs, which is one of the most time-consuming (and expensive) parts.
The good news is, decent edit software is readily available and fairly affordable. Professional edit software such as Adobe Premiere offers a subscription service, so for around £50 you could subscribe for one month, edit your film, and then cancel. Or, there are plenty out there that are free, too. iMovie might not have the functionality of paid programmes, but it’s hard to argue if it saves you cash. Plus, iMovie can be downloaded on a smartphone or tablet, so you can edit on the go.
Do note that if you have no prior knowledge with editing software or any experience in the videography field, you might struggle at first. If you want high-quality results fast, hiring a professional videographer, with years of experience, is the way to go. Turning the raw footage from your wedding into an emotional film set to music, which perfectly tells the story of the day, is no small feat! So, be prepared to compromise on the quality of the final product if you go down the DIY video editing route.
Some videographers have an assistant who helps them film on the big day, which ensures they get plenty of coverage of your wedding. While this will give you a greater variety of shots and options in the edit, it will also add extra pennies to the overall cost.
You can still have a great wedding film with just one videographer. There’s even the option of setting up multiple unoperated cameras, too. Have a word with your videographer and see what they’re able to do without the need for an assistant.
The videographer you hire may charge you more if they have to travel a long way to get to your venue, so try to hire someone who makes it clear how far their catchment area covers.
The only exception to this may be if your wedding is taking place in London. Videographers based in the capital can have higher rates than those based outside of the M25, so make sure you get several quotes and weigh up the better option for your budget.
Know what the best thing about most of your friends and family members having a smartphone is? You in theory instantly have dozens of guests with relatively high-quality cameras at your disposal.
Consider asking one or two trustworthy guests to whip out their phones and record the ceremony. For a little extra professionalism, you can pick up a tripod that will hold a smartphone and allow for remote operation for around £20. That means your chosen friend or family member can record your wedding without having to miss out on actually watching you exchange your vows. That sounds like the perfect solution!
But again, as with the DIY video editing route, there are drawbacks to forgoing professional videography services. As we outlined above, there’s so much more to putting together a wedding film than simply pressing ‘play’ and letting the events naturally unfold. If you just want the simplest possible footage, and are prioritising minimising costs at all costs, then this could be the best choice for you. However, if you want a beautifully-shot and expertly-edited video which truly captures the story and spirit of your big day, then there’s nothing like that professional touch.
9. Don’t agree to pay extra for unnecessary extras
It’s 2023: high-definition should always be the absolute minimum standard for a wedding video. If HD isn’t offered as part of a standard videography package, we recommend either insisting upon it or finding a videographer who does offer it at no extra cost.
You may also want to think twice about whether or not you want a DVD or Blu-Ray copy of your film. In the age of streaming, fewer and fewer people have a Blu-Ray player, anyway. A USB stick, or even just a download link, should be more than enough. Then, if you change your mind later and realise you do want a DVD copy, you can use your home PC to create one without much trouble.
The more experience with shooting wedding videos a videographer has, the more they’re likely to charge. Of course, this experience will help them produce a fabulous video, but a videographer with less experience should still be capable of creating something magical.
It’s also worth remembering that less experience isn’t the same as no experience. If you hire a videographer who has never made a wedding video before, you’re unlikely to get a final product that meets your expectations. Then again, even the most skilled and experienced videographer had to start somewhere.
But, it’s about balance, and while an inexperienced videographer might not have a huge portfolio, they’ll have loads of enthusiasm and will want to impress you – and if they can do that while making sure you pay less, it might just be worth the gamble.
11. Avoid using drones and other expensive equipment
If you hire a videographer who uses a lot of technical and expensive equipment, like drones, then that can seriously add to the cost. Of course, sweeping drone shots will look stunning, cinematic and romantic in your final film, but it’ll likely cost a small fortune.
So, if you’re on a tight budget, speak to your videographer and let them know you want to keep things simple to help keep costs down.
The date your wedding takes place will have a big influence over the cost of your videographer, as it will over many other aspects of your wedding. If you get married on a Saturday during the summer, you’ll pay much higher rates than you would if you got married on a Tuesday in winter.
If you can, try to plan your wedding during off-peak times. Not only will you pay less for a videographer, but for your venue, your catering, your transport and more, which will help your overall wedding budget.
Plan your dream wedding with Bridebook
At Bridebook, we have all the tools and tips you need to plan your dream wedding while making the most of your budget. Sign up and start planning your big day!
