Right now the cost of living is going up fast – everything from petrol and diesel to food and drink, energy and utility bills to clothing and furniture.  That means couples planning a wedding have to be even more budget-conscious than before.  In this post we list the main reasons people spend more than they intended on their big day.

Heart ruling head

Most couples, even the most financially-savvy, go over their wedding budget.  The underlying reason is that they let their emotions sway their judgement.  This is perfectly understandable and hard to address.  Your wedding day is the most romantic occasion of your lifetime and if you are too penny-pinching you risk putting a real damper on things – keep things too tight when tying the knot and you’ll squeeze all joy and pleasure out of it!  Having said that you do need to maintain some balance between what your heart wants and what your head (and bank balance) is telling you.

Your original budget was unrealistic

This is the most common reasons couples give when ruefully reflecting that they spent more than they expected.  It follows on directly from the previous point – people let their feelings get the better of them and don’t make a realistic assessment of what things cost or how much money they have to spend. 

So here’s our advice.  Don’t make any decisions until you have a clear and defined plan that shows exactly how much you have to spend on each aspect of the celebrations.  If you ignore this advice you’ll find you’ve spent your budget before you know it and can’t afford a load of essentials – don’t be that couple!

To help you scope out the realistic costs here’s rough breakdown that shows how a typical wedding budget breaks down:

·         Venue (including catering/food/drink, décor and cake) 48%

·         Clothing and beauty (including wedding dress, groom’s attire, alterations, accessories, shoes, hair and makeup) 13%

·         Photography (including album and prints) 10%

·         Flowers (including bouquets, button holes, ceremony and reception) 8%

·         Entertainment (including ceremony, reception and evening) 7%

·         Ceremony (including officiant and licence) 2%

How much does all this equate to in actual money?  According to Hitched magazine the average wedding in the UK in 2021 cost £17,300 (but others suggest a number almost double that!).  Use this figure to do the maths for your own budget.  Hitched  reckons the average for the venue was £7600 plus £65 a head for catering, £1300 for the dress and £1200 for photography.  

Forgetting to factor in the extras

A lot of couples get caught out by costs that are pretty much unavoidable but easy to overlook.  Postage, for instance – sending out those invites is not cheap!  Corkage – you think you can save money by purchasing the wine yourself but forget that the venue will almost certainly charge a fee for bottle (this can be anywhere from £5 to £20 a bottle!).  Do you need additional lighting or sound equipment?  Beauty treatments before the big day - haircut and colour, facial, waxing, nails, tan?  Do you need accommodation the night before?  Transport to the ceremony?  Wedding favours?  Are you going to pay for bridesmaids’ dresses?  Bridesmaids’ hair and beauty?  Wedding insurance?  There’s a long list of possible extras you need to consider!

Unwillingness to compromise

If you want to stick within budget then you’ll need to be a bit flexible when it comes to some aspects of your big day.  Make a list of essentials, things you can’t do without (venue, dress, groom’s attire, photography?).  Then make a list of things that are nice to have - but not totally indispensable (live band, a weekend wedding date, professional hair and makeup, wedding favours?).  With the essentials you may be able to scale things back – trim the guest list, go for less expensive catering options, spend less on the dress or cake.  With the other list you may have to forgo some things entirely. 

If you prioritise the things that are really important to you, and are willing to make some compromises in the other areas, then you’ll be able to stay true to your dream wedding vision without breaking the bank.

Not keeping back some contingency funds

Even the best laid plans can go slightly awry – something unforeseen always crops up.  Anyone with a bit of experience of wedding planning will tell you to keep 10% of your budget in reserve to cover unexpected additional costs.  If you haven’t put money aside for such a situation you are going over budget!

Doing the math in your head

Use a spreadsheet or other budget tracking service otherwise you are inviting miscalculations.  It’s the only way to accurately factor in all the costs and keep track of the expenditure.  This is not only useful for major items such as the venue, catering and entertainment, but also the lesser ones items such as escort cards, favours, and lighting.  If you use a digital budgeting program any changes will be reflected in the total without you having to recalculate.  However, if pen and paper is more your style, that’s fine – just make sure everything is written down and all the documents are organised in one folder for easy reference.  No matter how much of a numbers whizz you are this is not a project that’s suitable for mental arithmetic – especially as your partner is not a mind reader and you are supposed to be working together on this!

Not listening closely to the vendors

Your vendors want everything to go smoothly.  They also have lots of experience.  Be straight with them about what your budget is and what you hope to achieve with it, then listen carefully to their opinions and advice.  Make sure you get all the details clear before committing yourself.  Also read the contracts very thoroughly.  If you leave things vague, and don’t read the small print, then you are inviting budget-creep!

Losing control of guest numbers

The more guests to higher the costs – it’s that simple.  So set a maximum number and stick to it.  This is easier said than done – parents will insist on inviting their friends you barely know, distant relatives will expect an invite and there’s the whole “plus-one” issue.  You have to stay firm on this.  Our previous post gives you lots of advice on how to manage this challenge without upsetting people.

Of course, not everyone will be able to attend – and you won’t know the total until all the RSVPs are in (and a few who said yes will fail to turn up on the day).  It’s safe to assume that about 85% of those invited will accept and be there.

Want some more free advice on how to stay within budget?

The team at Clevedon Hall have helped countless couples make their wedding day dreams come true – no matter how big or small their budget.  We love sharing our knowledge and using our experience to make the most magical day possible – without breaking the bank!  Let’s talk!