TIPS TO SAVE MONEY ON YOUR BIG DAY

My suggestion for some ways to go about what many consider a tedious task- wedding budgets.

Firstly, there is no normal. An average New Zealand wedding ranges from $30,000-$50,000. However there are no rules. We recommend that you work out what your priorities are and go from there.

I have listed some of the main money suckers when it comes to weddings below;

VENUES

Would you like to get married at a venue that has everything already there for you? You may have already attended a wedding at one of these venues but the costs are very upfront and inclusive, which can make it easier to stick to your budget. Do you have land that you would like to put a marquee on? I’m a huge fan of a marquee wedding as they are so unique but, do be aware of hidden costs as you have to hire literally everything, from cutlery to portaloos. Do you want to have an entire weekend celebration rather than just one day? If so, it sounds like you may be suited to a destination wedding. With this there will be extra costs and admin involved. Be sure to factor in accommodation and vendor travel fees, in saying that you may end up with smaller guest numbers which would bring the cost down.

FOOD

When you attend other people’s weddings do you prefer a sit down meal, alternate drop, sharing plates, buffet, food trucks, grazing platters or canapés? Personally, my husband and I are big foodies so food was high on our list but not in the way you might think. We didn’t choose the fanciest 3 course meal, my husband and his friends are big eaters so we decided on a buffet as it was important to him that people had variety and weren’t hungry. For others, it’s important to have the highest quality of food and for some, they would rather be up mingling than seated for a meal. Again, I can’t stress enough how your wedding should be about what suits you as a couple and what you like the most. IT’S YOUR DAY!

DRINKS

Are your guests big drinkers? Do you have a big or small guest list? Our venue told us that we would have plenty of alcohol, however, we knew our guests were party people so we ended up getting more and it was lucky we did as we needed it. We stuck to wine and beer to keep our costs lower as alcohol was already going to be a huge portion of our budget.

MUSIC

What type of music do you like to listen to? Do you love the atmosphere live music creates? Most people go for a band or a DJ but you could save costs here and use a spotify playlist and hire some speakers, but don’t leave this to the last minute!

STYLING

Are aesthetics something you notice and appreciate? Do you want to avoid setting up the night before or on the day of your wedding? I absolutely love the way florals, candles and décor set the scene so it was a yes for me! The last thing I wanted was to be setting up or to have my family or friends having to do the set up, so we hired a stylist. However, if you’re happy to do that or delegate that task you could save some money here.

DRESSES

Do you want your dress custom made? Are you in love with one you’ve seen in a shop? Or would you be happy to wear a second hand dress? Custom made dresses will cost a lot more but there will only be one of them in the world so, if that’s a must, make sure you allow extra room in your budget for this. If not, you can buy off the rack dresses or look at second hand dresses. I recommend having a look at ‘Still White’ for second hand options. I sold my dress on here after I wore it to ensure I was the first to wear it but still be able to save costs. Instead of keeping it, I decided to have picture of me drawn wearing it. That way I could hang the art on the wall and see it every day as opposed to having it sit in my wardrobe. There are so many options right!?

PHOTOGRAPHY

Can you see yourself looking over your wedding photos or printing them to put on the wall? Would you like to relive the day and replay your wedding video? I’m confident most people would answer yes as it’s such a special day and worth capturing those beautiful moments. If you are wanting to cut costs you could choose a photographer OR a videographer, rather than have both. Alternatively, you could try and find a student or someone who is just starting out as they will charge significantly less. We opted for a photographer and saved some money by having a few friends wear go pros. To be honest our wedding video is very home made, but it’s better than nothing. You can’t always have it all so get creative where you can.

RINGS

Is having an expensive ring appealing to you? Is there a particular ring that you’ve always dreamed of? I’m not a huge jewellery person (and I lose things often) so for me the answer is no and this is where we cut some of our costs. For others, they see this as the piece that is on show and worn daily so can justify spending a reasonable amount on their rings. Which are you?

I hope this has allowed you to sit down together as a couple and work out what you simply can’t budge on, and where you may be able to make some wiggle room. It’s not easy but you’ll get there.

 Hayley Carville