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Wedding draining your wallet?

We ain’t gonna lie, weddings are expensive. Can you think of another event in your life where you’d spend that much money for one day? If your wedding is going to drain your wallet then we have some neat little suggestions to reign it in, helping you achieve your best wedding with a tidy little price tag. As my Pop always says, never ever pay full price. Thanks Gramps.

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Plan your wedding in the off season:

Typically the peak wedding seasons are Spring and Summer with winter being considered the off-season. So if you want a less expensive reception, then start wrapping your head around faux fur, mulled wine and open fires. Brrrr….

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Weekday Weddings:

Friday and Saturday come in for the win as the most popular and pricey days to say I-do. Weekday weddings are rare so, you may find that a venue will happily accommodate you at a fraction of the price if you have weekday flexibility. Of course, this can be a total bargain but, there are always challenges you should consider, as your guests might not be as thrilled. For them it means adjusting their routines, taking a day off and, some guests may not be able to attend if it clashes with work commitments.

A you a risk taker? Take a Punt:

If you fall in love with a venue and you can plan your wedding on a whim, then let the venue know you’ll happily go on stand-by. For example, if the venue has had a cancellation and you are able to plan your wedding quickly, then this date may be offered to you at a reduced rate.

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Organise a wedding website:

These days building a little website is an easy and inexpensive thing to do. Go digital and skip out on the cost of printing your stationary. You can have a wedding-website in place of an invitation and also have all of the details online for your guests. You’ll also get a nod for going paperless and being environmentally conscious. Go you good thing.

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Kill two birds with one stone. Find a location that will do your ceremony and reception in one.

A huge win for the wedding budget. You’ll only have one venue hire fee, only one  trip for the wedding cars and of course the guests only need to go to one location. This means there is more time to sit back, relax and enjoy the day.

Hire a hall:

Booking a local community hall for your ceremony and reception will save you squillions. You can rent many of these locations through the local council. The cost per venue will vary but it will be a heck of a lot less than a popular wedding venue. Some country halls have so much charm and character and, if you have a keen eye for styling then take the bull by the horns and run, baby run.

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BYO catering:

Bringing in your own caterer can be an excellent way to save money. Maybe you even have friends and family who can join forces to put on an amazing feast. Many hands make light work, they say. If your alcohol budget is tight then supply the beer and wine but, set up a DIY cocktail-bar and ask friends to contribute with their favourite recipe. Getting everyone involved will make for a good time, take some pressure off and save you loads of money.

Let go of the top shelf liquor:

Ask the venue if you can have less expensive, lesser known spirit brands. Or just have beer and wine at the reception and forgo the spirits entirely. Out of sight, out of mind.

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Source your florist and caterer from afar:

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Preferred suppliers will often be more expensive. Keep digging as there may be some suppliers further afield or not as well known who may be less expensive. The Best Wedding App celebrates all suppliers in all different, shapes, sizes and budgets. Jump on the app and start swiping for the right one for you.

Use The Best Wedding App’s preloved Marketplace to source and buy all your wedding goods from:

The Best Wedding App has a preloved Marketplace for all things wedding related. You can buy your dress, shoes, arbour, plates—literally anything you think of is for sale on the Marketplace. We also donate a portion of the proceeds from the Marketplace to your chosen charity. I mean, who doesn’t love a good cause?

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Go to your local community groups like Good Karma Networks and reach out for second hand chairs, cutlery and plates.

If you are hiring a local hall and you need to fill it, then Facebook groups like The Good Karma groups are a good way to source things you cannot afford to pay for. People love to help, so tell them it is for your wedding and your budget is low.

Get Crafting:

Add a little DIY into your big day; however, don't overload yourself. The last thing you want is a super stressful set-up day. If you are going all out DIY, make sure you enlist a huge group of friends to help.

Add candles and have less flowers:

Another way to get an amazing and super elegant look is to add candles to your ceremony and reception. They are way less expensive then flowers and look amazing with mixed with a few scattered floral arrangements. Trust us, Ikea is is not a four letter word when talking about candles….

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Go Uber Black:

Instead of hiring wedding cars and limos. If you are unphased what car you turn up in, you could simply get an Uber Black. They are stylish and will not break the bank. However, this can be a tad stressful if you cannot pre plan the cars too far in advance.

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Go to trunk shoes and sample sales:

If you are wearing a wedding dress, you can save money by buying a sample dress. You can also go to trunk shoes and find your dream dress here at a fraction of the price.

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Borrow your bling:

If you want a hairpiece and loads of jewellery but don't want to pay the hefty price tag, then ask around. We are sure you have friends who have been married or family member who have beautiful jewellery in a safe somewhere just waiting to be worn.

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Ask if your photographer has a second shooter:

This way you will get bang for your buck, as you have two different people perspectives on your images for your big day.

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Order kids meals and supplier meals:

If you are having the kiddos at your wedding, their meals will be a lot less expensive than a normal adult meal. Also, order your suppliers  a meal, they are often not a posh and less expensive—trust us you need to feed them.

Go the Buffet route:

Having food prepared on mass and not plated up pretty will save you loads with your venue. Of course not every venue will allow this, so check what their options are prior to booking your chosen venue.

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Don’t have a wedding cake:

If your venue includes dessert in the meal, then don't have a wedding cake. Just serve the venues dessert as your sweet.

Go the naked cake route:

If you wanted a cake but don’t want to pay a hefty price tag, then ask your cake maker to make you a naked cake. It has less icing and less time involved so this type of cake will be cheaper.

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Hand make you bomboniere with love:

Hand making a bomboniere will save you a lot of money, it can be as simple as a photo printed of the couple with their friends and family or a handmade sweet or cookie or a succulent in a jar.

Source local musicians from a Music Academy:

A local musician from a school academy will be a less expensive than a well know band. Of course hiring someone with less expertise is always a gamble.

If you are on a tight budget follow a few of the tips above to make your wedding planning budgets go further.