Have a memorable wedding day without paying for it for the whole of the honeymoon period…
Anywhere between a quarter and three quarters of couples get into debt to cover the costs of their wedding day. This can make the start of newlywed life quite difficult and even cause arguments over whether a ten tier cake or a vintage limousine was really worth the money that you’re now stuck paying off.
And if excessive spending on your wedding leaves you with a poor credit score then you might find loans for people with bad credit are hard to secure when you really need the money for an emergency, according to online broker Solution Loans. So if you’re keen to avoid wedding debt but you only have a small budget then these are some top hacks for making your wedding work.
- Avoid a church wedding. Everything is simpler if you opt for the civil ceremony – and cheaper too. You won’t need to buy decorations or organise ushers, cover the cost of musicians or pay for the venue.
- Keep the guest list small. Escalating guest lists are the main reason that small wedding budgets end up getting blown out of the water. Weddings are really only for your nearest and dearest if your finances are tight – don’t invite anyone you haven’t seen in the last 12 months and leave distant relatives off the list.
- Shop smart for the wedding dress. Sample sales are a great place to pick up a designer dress at a fraction of the regular price. Many high street brands now offer very reasonably priced wedding dresses in on-trend designs so you don’t have to spend half your budget on the dress to look great.
- Don’t pay for hair and makeup. Sometimes, getting your hair and makeup done for your wedding day can end up with you not really feeling like yourself. It’s also unlikely to be the most important spend in the budget and is something that friends or family can easily help with.
- Get married on a Wednesday in winter. Or on any day or date that is out of season and not in demand, as the costs will be much lower and the service providers more willing to negotiate. Those who really want to be at your wedding will relish the opportunity to take a day off and celebrate with you whenever that is.
- Find an alternative venue. Don’t get stuck on the idea of a country house or beachfront property that you’ll have to pay thousands to rent for your wedding. Start by asking friends and family if they have anywhere suitable that you could borrow – or pay mate’s rates for. The venue cost is often one of the most substantial and you could make your budget go much further if you don’t have to cover it.
- Don’t overspend on the flowers. Instead of paying a florist, go to a wholesale flower market, buy what you need and do the arrangements yourself.
- If you’re hiring a venue, find one where you can bring your own alcohol. If you can pay for champagne and wine in bulk and bring it with you it will cost a lot less than the venue’s own supplies. All you’ll have to pay is the corkage.
- A cake is a cake. Buy three of your favourite cakes instead of a three tier wedding cake and save yourself a fortune on this most overpriced of wedding consumables.
But if you find yourself needing just a little more money for the wedding why not ask parents to help – even if they cannot actually come up with more cash they could possibly help you get a guarantor loan. Just remember not to over-spend or borrow too much so you can avoid debt at the start of married life.
