Planning a wedding? Top tips to save you money.

After years of working in weddings and events, we have dealt with many a thrifty bride and groom and we have picked up a few tips to share with you. In our experience, couples who kept a careful eye on the budget and the details produced some of the most beautiful weddings that we have seen. Weddings that were personal, quirky, bespoke and charming and where guests were relaxed, at ease and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

1/ A bit of local knowledge goes a long way. Do you know someone else who has been married around your chosen area? Pick their brains for good suppliers, venues, catering, music and so on…. (Pick our brains too…. we are happy to help!)

2/ Don’t get married on a Saturday. Weddings during the week can save you as much as a third on venue hire.

3/ Choose your venue carefully. There are lots of sites that are not perhaps traditional wedding venues e.g. outdoor centres run by charities, stately and not so stately homes, ex-farmland and even beaches. Sometimes these gems can be hard to find. We have a long list of special places that are off the beaten track and will give your wedding the feel of being special and different without the price tag to match.

4/Choose a marquee. Well we would say that wouldn’t we!!

Marquees can be made to look even more beautiful than a room in a hotel. The money you save can be put towards decking it out with beautiful decorations that you have chosen and that reflect you as a couple. They are a blank canvas so you have no need to worry about blending your chosen decorations with the décor of the hotel.

5/ Get married outside of the main wedding season. Weddings outside of the main summer season can be very special. You can construct additional smaller shelters around the main wedding marquee just in case and marquee heaters are very effective at keeping a large space toasty and warm. The added bonus is that more of your guests are more likely to be available and not away on their holidays.

6/ Think outside box with your wedding catering. What is your budget? How many people do you have to feed? After years of co-organising VDub at the Pub we have got to know lots of quirky independent local Dorset food suppliers who are known for their quality, locally sourced ingredients. You can go Mexican, vegan, pizza, barbecue, halal, Russian and so on. Find something you love with plenty of choice for your guests.

7/ Booze!! There are plenty of ways to save money here. Offering the first drink or first couple of drinks to your guests and then after that a paid bar. Check with your venues the rules surrounding drinks. Some will allow you to bring your own, others ask for a licensed bar whilst others will request that all drinks are supplied by an onsite bar. Again we have worked with lots of different venues and are happy to advise.