As every bride-to-be knows, tag the word ‘wedding’ onto something – from cakes to photography – and the price suddenly shoots up. And with the pressure to have everything just perfect on your big day, it’s no wonder the average cost of a UK wedding has jumped to an all-time high of £30,355. But if you’re currently planning your nuptials and worrying about how you’re going to stay within budget, then help is at hand. Wedding expert Elise Hugan, from Australian wedding website Easy Weddings, has revealed to Mail Online which aspects of a wedding it’s easiest to cut back on – and which you definitely should invest in.
© Photo: iStockIt may look beautiful, but that icing and decoration adds up
Dress: Splurge
"While it's definitely a personal preference, and you might pick up a steal of a pre-loved gown, in general it's worth spending a little money on the dress as you'll need to feel comfortable," Elise advises. "You could save a little on the veil by wearing a family heirloom, opting for something vintage or just buying a headpiece instead."
Hair and makeup: Save
"Think about the size of your bridal party before you think about hair and makeup," Elise says. "Doing hair and makeup for more people is the thing that's likely to make this wedding aspect more expensive." She suggests arranging hair and makeup just for yourself, or asking the bridal party to contribute to their own – if they haven’t paid too much for their dresses.
Food: Splurge
"Don't scrimp on food, ever, especially if you are serving alcohol," Elise explains. "You definitely need to serve enough that your guests are adequately fed." To save, she suggests skipping desert and just feeding your guests cake.
Cake: Save
"Save money by opting for a cake that's not a wedding cake and then decorating it yourself, or you could buy a naked cake rather than a fully-iced cake, which is also more affordable," she says. "The icing and decorations are what really add the money."
Flowers and décor: Splurge AND save
This one all depends on your tastes and what’s important to you. "For instance, you could splurge cash on the bridal bouquet, and then save a little bit on flower girl bouquets, or even don't even do bouquets for them," Elise says. "Equally, you should splurge on centrepieces, and then cut back on things that don't matter as much. A good rule of thumb is to spend money on the places people will be gathering in, and focus less on those that don't."
Photography: Splurge
This is the one area Elise advises you absolutely do not scrimp on. "You want to make sure you have those memories," she says. "So it's always worth spending a bit more."
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