Saving Money on Your Wedding Ceremony

Wedding Expenses, 8 Tips

Let me tell you something you would never have suspected: weddings, vow renewals and the like can be very expensive!

However, there are ways of cutting a few corners without detracting from the ceremony

• Choose Your Date CarefullyYou may have more bargaining power with your officiant if your event takes place off-season (so avoid Spring or Summer, and special days like Valentine’s Day)
• Consider the TimingA morning event will mean that you can offer a brunch, rather than a dinner, and few people will be wanting alcohol at that time, which will save on expense.
• Look Around for the VenueIf you do not want a full religious ceremony, you can find some beautiful civic houses and gardens at a surprisingly reasonable cost.
• The Guest List You do not need to invite people you haven’t seen for five years or more. Be selective when inviting work colleagues, but, to avoid insulting anyone, invite entire sections. You can also stipulate “no children”.
• Food and DrinkIf you have a theme for the event (eg “A Day in Italy”), you can provide lovely food that does not have to be expensive. If you have a bar, you can limit free drinks to two, say.
• Invitations and ProgrammesPrinting and even design can be done ‘in-house’ if you have access to a 10-year-old or older! Results can be excellent – and the children may not even need paying!
• FlowersLocally-grown flowers are usually cheapest.

These tips will help you saving money on your wedding ceremony (without sacrificing quality) in certain areas, which may also allow you to spend a little more on dress or entertainment, say, which may be more important to you. Michael Gordon is a celebrant based in London.