Useful information Planning - Guide to Planning your wedding

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Budget for your big day

When it comes to budgeting, there is only one rule – Create a budget and stick to it!

 Stick to your budget
Planning your wedding is stressful enough without arguments over the costs. Allow a further 10 per cent to your budget to cope with the inevitable extras.

H ow much?
T he average wedding costs about £14,000 and is on the up! This includes around £1,200 for the rings, engagement and wedding of course! Around £2000.00 for the wedding outfits and essential pampering in the run-up to the big day and £1,300 for the wedding itself. The reception adds a further £4000.00 and then, of course, there’s the honeymoon and various other expenses that differ from wedding to wedding…

Decide who's paying for what
Traditionally, it falls to the father of the bride to pay for the main event, with the grooms family offering to help out for the church or registry office costs and usually the honeymoon.

Nowadays though more couples choose to pay for the bulk of their wedding themselves. It's important to work out from the start who is paying for what and how many guests you can afford to invite to the main reception, detail everything, it soon mounts up!

Shop around
The easiest way to save money is to shop around for your venue, dress, flowers, photographer etc. Ask for quotations in writing and make sure you know exactly what the price agreed covers. Split florists for example to keep costs down, exchange favours or do part of the decorating yourself.

Cutting down on costs

• Consider a weekday wedding - venues generally charge less.
• Check if you can supply your own champagne and wine.
• Hire your wedding dress. Do the flowers yourself or have a friend do it.
• Do not use flowers, experiment with balloons or candles instead.
• Use a good photographer, but preferably a more local firm that will not charge for the name.
• Make use of friends with cars like Mercedes.
• Invite more casual friends to the evening reception instead of the full shebang!
• Ask a relative or friend to make the cake as their wedding gift to you.
• Some travel agents now open accounts for you to have your guests contribute to your honeymoon fund – a great present from them!
• Hire a wedding planner, they cost less than you think and will stick to your budget whilst getting you the best for your day. A wedding planner will have an extensive list of contacts to use and will have experience on their side!

Melodie Evans

Thats The Plan

Wedding and party planning

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This directory is to help you from your initial engagement, buying your wedding ring, dress, tiara etc. Booking your venue for the reception ordering the wedding photographer, cars, and flowers, booking the entertainment be it a magican band or singer. sending out invitations on your chosen stationery and the final touches such as choosing favours table decorations such as balloons etc. and of course planning for your hen and stag night parties. You can also download wedding planning software to make it all come to gether