Keeping costs down when planning a wedding is no easy task. It definitely takes a seasoned pro to know how to figure out where you can save. Caitriona from True Romance Weddings gives us her insider tips on making the most out of your wedding budget.
If you’re looking for the wow factor for your wedding, without the newlywed debt, check out these insider tips from the pros on how to save money but still dazzle your guests on the big day.
Cakes
Fancy a stunning four-tier masterpiece for your wedding cake, but not the four-tier price tag? Go for a display cake. The icing, sugar flowers and adornments will wow your guests, and when it’s rolled back to the kitchen to be cut, no one will know the difference when your separate, undecorated cutting cake is served later. If the thought of a dummy cake turns your stomach, go for a simpler cake, or one in a dramatic coloured fondant icing to match your colour scheme. The more painstaking the detail on the cake, the more labour involved and the higher the price tag. Finally, don’t leave your order until the last minute as this may increase the price, especially if your wedding is in high season.
Music
Many bands are managed by entertainment companies who can provide an array of wedding music services. By obtaining your ceremony singer, reception music, band and DJ from the same management company could save you a lot of money, or at the very least give you a bargaining chip. Likewise for mid-week or off-season dates, you could be in a much better position to haggle on the price.
The Flowers
Roses are one of the most popular flower types, with a huge selection of colours and styles available year-round. What many people don’t realise is that the price of roses is based on the stem length. Suddenly realising why ‘two dozen long-stemmed red roses’ are so expensive? Ask your florist for shorter stemmed arrangements and centrepieces, which will be overall less costly. Again, talk to them about an overall package deal for your ceremony, reception, bouquets and boutonnieres as it could save you a lot in the long run.
The Dress
Follow your favourite bridal shops on social media and sign up to email newsletters, as you’ll be the first to know about sales, special discount days and trunk shows. If you’re buying a new season dress, they can take 8-9 months to come into stock, so bear this is in mind when you start shopping. If you’re on a shorter time scale, a sample dress found mid-season might be perfect and could be sold at a decent discount.
The Venue
Most venues offer special discounts for mid-week (Sunday-Thursday) and off-peak months like November and January. While many people are preoccupied by their guests only being available on weekends, you should remember that many people work Fridays and Saturdays, especially with so many Irish people working in the hospitality and retail industry. This is also applicable to your guests travelling from abroad – weekend rates for flights and accommodation are a lot higher, so a Wednesday or Thursday wedding may be just as convenient and in turn save you a lot of money. If you get engaged around Christmas or in late summer, visit some venues and make a shortlist of your favourites. Most venues hold wedding fairs with special booking discounts in January, February and September, and could be the perfect time for you to book.
For more wedding advice and inspiration, check out True Romance Weddings.
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