{"id":1118,"date":"2017-04-07T20:30:40","date_gmt":"2017-04-07T20:30:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/weddingbranch.co.uk\/news\/?p=1118"},"modified":"2017-03-16T20:34:55","modified_gmt":"2017-03-16T20:34:55","slug":"shop-smart-for-your-dream-wedding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/weddingbranch.co.uk\/news\/shop-smart-for-your-dream-wedding\/","title":{"rendered":"Shop smart for your dream wedding"},"content":{"rendered":"<p dir=\"ltr\">Whether your dream wedding is a quiet country get-together with close friends and family or an all-out, gold-plated party with costume changes and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.weddingbranch.co.uk\/category-page.php?par_cat_id=6\">fancy wedding cars<\/a>, it all costs money. So how do you save on your big day without sacrificing the fairytale? Here are a few tips to set you on the right path\u2026<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\">Set realistic financial goals<\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">There\u2019s no point setting a goal you can\u2019t achieve \u2013 work out what you can afford to spend on your wedding before you think about what you actually want, and set out the budget and any big purchases when you first decide on the date. Opening a savings account or using online budgeting tools can help to get you started.<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\">Plan ahead<\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">If there are expensive additions you absolutely can\u2019t do without, then make sure you have enough time to save for them. Spreading the cost over a longer time period will ease the pressure \u2013 the more time you have, the more options you will be presented with. This is one of the best wedding saving tips we can give you \u2013 plan ahead! You\u2019ll also be able to take advantage of those seasonal sales that could offer up some bargains.<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\">Prioritise<\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Don\u2019t get caught up in wanting to have it all. Everyone dreams of the perfect wedding, but there has to be a limit. Stop and think \u2013 can you really do without that designer dress? If the answer is no then make cutbacks elsewhere.<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\">Get wed off-peak<\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Saturdays are the most sought-after day of the week to get married and will set you back the most, so switching to a mid-week wedding could save you a substantial amount \u2013 just be sure to give your guests enough warning so they can make arrangements to attend. If you really can\u2019t control the day, you can still control the time \u2013 earlier morning or later afternoon weddings usually cost less as you slash your wedding food bill considerably.<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\">Make use of friends and family<\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Got a friend who\u2019s a brilliant baker? Ask him or her to make the wedding cake. Musician in your midst? That\u2019s the wedding music sorted. Don\u2019t be shy about asking your friends and family to get involved in your big day \u2013 chances are they\u2019ll want to help out, and it\u2019ll make for a really personal gift that will be far more meaningful than anything on your wedding list.<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\">Shop around<\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Keep an open mind about what you want. Once you get your heart set on something \u2013 whether that\u2019s a DJ, wedding venue or wedding dress \u2013 then it\u2019ll be difficult to walk away if the cost is too high. Weddings can be stressful, so even the smallest set-back can feel like the end of the world. Viewing several options will give you a back-up plan.<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\">Do what you can yourself<\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Making your own wedding favours and table decorations could lead to significant savings. Plan well enough in advance and DIY your details early. That way, it\u2019ll be a nice way for you and your family to get excited about the wedding, rather than a stressful, last-minute headache.<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\">Try something different<\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Don\u2019t feel you have to stick with tradition \u2013 it\u2019s your day, and you should have the wedding you want. Unless that involves a private jet or a solo performance by Beyonc\u00e9, it could work out a lot cheaper. Look at the parts that cost a lot of money (for example, a sit-down wedding breakfast) and see where you can save. Would a buffet, barbecue or a potluck feast be a better option? Stick to your own plans, and you could end up with <a href=\"http:\/\/www.weddingbranch.co.uk\">the wedding of your dreams<\/a> at a fraction of the cost.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Whether your dream wedding is a quiet country get-together with close friends and family or an all-out, gold-plated party with costume changes and fancy wedding cars, it all costs money. So how do you save on your big day without &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/weddingbranch.co.uk\/news\/shop-smart-for-your-dream-wedding\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[319,326,303,408,261],"tags":[305,317,289,275,279,312,353,266],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/weddingbranch.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1118"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/weddingbranch.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/weddingbranch.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/weddingbranch.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/weddingbranch.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1118"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/weddingbranch.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1118\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1119,"href":"https:\/\/weddingbranch.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1118\/revisions\/1119"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/weddingbranch.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1118"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/weddingbranch.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1118"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/weddingbranch.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1118"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}