Cherish Wedding planning service

Q17 – What can you do if you want to buy something you have not budgeted for?

The obvious answer is don’t buy it, but sometimes your priorities change or you have missed something from an original list.

The first thing to do is research the item until you are sure you have found the best price, or are getting the best deal. Then you might decide to cut out something else that you feel is less important e.g bridesmaids bouquets.

Resist the temptation to utter the words “But we’re only going to do this once” to justify an unnecessary, unplanned even extravagant purchase.

If you decide you would really like to have a tiara for your wedding day, and initially you had cut it out of the budget, then you can always ask for it as an early wedding gift from grandparents perhaps.

 How can you keep track of your budget?

The only way to be on top of your budget is to keep checking it, and to be extremely honest about costs.

You will need to treat planning your wedding like a job, if you go over budget there will be consequences. Fill in your budget planner weekly, noting down when deposits have been paid and when final amounts are due. If you update it regularly and always have it to hand when you visit suppliers then you should be fine.

Do not buy anything that is not budgeted for on the list, and always check if VAT is included.

Q15 – What can you cut out altogether to make the money go further?

All the little things tend to add up, so if you can keep these extras like balloons, table sprinkles, fireworks, favours, chocolate fountain, photo booth and disposable cameras off the list and not be tempted by them as you do your research then it will really help.

Do you need a wedding car, do you need a 3 course meal, do you need a 3 tier cake, a free bar, a big band? Be honest with yourself, is it a need or a want?

The fewer attendants (bridesmaids/ushers) you have the more money you will save. Not just the clothes but accessories, flowers, suits, shoes, and gifts.

@melbellissimo Lovely evening, Thanks for inviting me. Great to meet the other girls too. Zoe

Hope you have a lovely evening tonight mel@bellisimo, you certainly have the weather for it.! Zoe

Q14 – Would it be cheaper to get married abroad?

Possibly, because you can get good package deals, but you have obviously got the additional travel costs.

It can be a good way to stick to your budget, because most things will be included in the package. So you will only need to add on clothes, travel, and personal touches.

Guests will obviously incur larger costs, than a UK wedding because they will have to pay for flights and hotels. It is your day, and your choice, but if there are key guests you want to celebrate with then you need to be sure they are happy to pay the necessary additional costs.

The wedding would usually lead straight into the honeymoon, but be prepared that guests will stay on too, so you may have to share your honeymoon.

Q13 –Are there any themes that work well for budget weddings?

Just about any theme can be used for a wedding, and any creative bride can use an idea for inspiration.

A good place to start is looking at wedding supplier websites to see if they have any special offers or clearance for particular themes.

If you go back to your 3 most important things and then see how ideas can fit with that. A summer marquee wedding could have a garden party feel, with rugs for picnics or a BBQ. A Venue wedding could just have a simple colour theme, which means you can source items from a greater range of shops.

A vintage styled wedding, means you can serve afternoon tea following the ceremony, and leave out an evening reception.

Q12 – Can you plan a budget wedding on your own?

Yes, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Not just because you are trying to stick to a budget, but because most weddings take more than one person to arrange. You should obviously always ask which tasks they would be happy to help with e.g making the wedding cake, or helping make invitations.

If you have a family friend who will have time on the morning of the wedding, you could ask them to do some transport trips for delivery of buttonholes, gifts to the venue, suitcases, seating plans etc. Often friends of the family are very flattered to be asked, and enjoy being included.

Think about your friends’ skills/jobs and often you will already have some specialist help on your doorstep – a seamstress, photographer, or a neighbour with a smart car for transport.

Good luck to Naomi and Steve for the wedding party tomorrow!

Going to see a new couple tonight to discuss plans for their wedding next September. Love this bit of the job!