The cost of the average wedding according to the latest survey by You & Your Wedding magazine is nearly £20,000. However many couples spend twice as much and many half as much and still have a wonderful wedding. Expensive does not always mean good and tasteful. With careful budgeting most couples get the weding they want for the money available to them. When you have your total budget you can start allocating it to different aspects of the wedding. The following percentage should give you a rough idea of how much you can expect to spend:
- Reception: 50%
- Wedding outfits: 10%
- Honeymoon: 15%
- Music and entertainment: 5%
- Flowers: 5%
- Photographs and video: 5%
- Extras: 5%
- Contingency: 5%
How to Save Money
- Hold a late afternoon ceremony
- Persuade a friend with a nice car to let you use it for the day
- Hire outfits rather than buying them
- Choose flowers that are in season
- Have a wedding during a weekday
- Don’t invite children to the reception
- Make your own invitations
- Make a CD of your favourite songs to play during the meal
- Invite only close friends and family
