Home
Weddings
Ideas
Advice
Suppliers
The Whole Works
The Whole Works
By Louise Baltruschat Hollis
Every couple deserves to have the most amazing wedding experience, both during wedding planning and on the wedding day itself. No matter your wedding budget, you can have a gorgeous day that doesn’t look or feel at all cheap.
I am going to prove to you, that not only can budget weddings be magical and beautiful, but that you can achieve the same for your day. Plus I am going to share my top wedding budget-saving ideas to plan your dream wedding in your unique budget. Without it looking cheap!
Trust me, I have over 12 years in the wedding industry as a wedding editor, blogging in excess of 3400 real weddings here on WWW (and counting!).
Photo: John Wellings via Rainbow Wool Pom Pom Wedding
Now don’t get me wrong, a budget wedding is not always an easy option, you may have to do a lot of work to save money on your wedding costs. But it will be so worth it in the end, and the sense of pride you will have in knowing you created your day alone will be amazing.
The wedding venue is one of the biggest expenses of the day especially if you include food and drink. You can get package deals that do everything for you but it may cost a lot.
To save money on your wedding venue think outside of the box. Track down beautiful buildings, those that aren’t advertised as wedding venues.
Here are some alternative venue ideas:
It’s also worth remembering that typically these wedding venues types are dry hire, which means you could rent them for as little as a couple of hundred pounds. But don’t forget to factor in elements such as toilets, furniture, waiting staff, tableware and so forth. Sometimes, something may seem a good deal, when in fact, there are parts missing you’ll need to hire elsewhere.
A good tip is to scout your local area, walk/drive around and look for spaces that may work. Alternatively, try Google Maps or ask for recommendations in local Facebook groups.
If you want a more traditional venue, then be flexible; go for last-minute availability or for a weekday date and negotiate a deal. There are also a few hotel chains doing wedding packages on a budget, which may be worth looking into.
Photo: Three Flowers Photography via Chichester Hall Wedding
When I was wedding dress shopping I got a bit obsessive with a certain wedding dress designer, which I couldn’t afford and I felt really sad about it. But my opinions on budget wedding dresses have totally changed. If you don’t have the money, you don’t have the money.
In the end, I bought my dress from a wedding boutique by a designer that cost less. My husband meanwhile went for a mix and match outfits from different high street shops.
To be honest, half the dresses that are on a budget you would never realise were. Especially if you have them altered to fit perfectly and accessorise your look.
Here are some ideas for a cheaper wedding outfit:
A vintage dress outfit has a sense of history, a preloved look can be more sustainable and if it’s easy on the wallet too, it’s a win-win. Enterprises such as Brides Do Good actually support charities too for a more ethical purchase.
Photo: Amber Louise Photography – Jessica wears an ASOS dress at their Minimalist Barn Wedding
Once a preloved item has had a good dry clean, as well as alterations it can look amazing. Just be sure to keep an open mind and remember it’s about how you feel in your chosen look, rather than just how it looks.
Try buying a dress or suit online, but please be careful when buying new online. My motto is, if it’s too good to be true, it usually is. Be sure to do your research and scour independent reviews before you make that payment. Don’t forget to think about customs fees and shipping fees too!
Photo: The Shannons – Freddie wore a vintage suit and accessories at their Vintage London Wedding
Keeping your wedding party small, is automatically going to cut down on costs. In fact, if you don’t wish to, you don’t actually have to have bridesmaids, groomsmen, best men, best women, maids of honour or bridesmen.
The fewer people in your wedding party, the smaller the cost of outfits, accessories, gifts and so forth. That being said, if you do want to have a large wedding party there are plenty of money-saving ideas. You could buy bridesmaid dresses online as well as suits.
For example, have mismatched outfits and ask your party to wear a particular colour they already own. The look can be really striking too and can save hundreds in new attire. In my bridesmaid gift ideas guide, there are loads of cheap wedding gift ideas too.
A simple touch like matching flowers, accessories or buttonholes can really bring mismatched wedding party outfits together too.
Wedding party money-saving tips:
Photo: Three Flowers Photography via Chichester Hall Wedding
Finding a wedding photographer within a small budget can be hard. My opinion on wedding photographer costs before I became a wedding blogger was – How do wedding photographers only work for one day and get paid hundreds or thousands of pounds? Well, I was wrong!
Talented and skilled professional photographers and videographers work possibly more hours than in a typical 9-5 job. What with running a business, editing images/films and designing albums. It’s all about the value of wedding photography, it’s more than a single day’s work.
If there is one aspect of your wedding I would advise not to skimp on it would be your photography/videography budget. Simply because the images/film you have from your day are your one lasting memory. A brilliant photographer or videographer will make even the simplest of wedding memories look incredible, and of course you too.
Photo: Marianne Chua Photography via Chainstore Wedding
If you are really stuck though, seek recommendations if using a budget photographer/filmmaker. You do not want someone unreliable to be taking your images. I have unfortunately heard too often of couples not receiving their images, it’s so sad.
Most photographers and filmmakers now do digital-only packages, which can save money and you can ask for an album as a present later on. Keeping an eye on blogs for up-and-coming photographers is a great way of finding one on budget.
Or look out for competitions or special offers on social media. Do look at my recommended wedding photographers and wedding filmmakers who cover a wide range of pricing options.
Photo: Rachel Burt Photography via Clockworks Wedding Liverpool
How to save money on wedding photography or wedding filmmakers:
You may think I’ve gone stark raving bonkers, but hiring a wedding planner can actually save you money. Hiring a fabulous and well-experienced planner is a great way to save money. Many planners charge a percentage of your total budget, or some a set fee, however, a planner could save you more.
Experienced wedding planners have industry contacts, cost-cutting ideas and insider know-how. Having formed relationships with wedding suppliers they may be able to negotiate deals for you and show you little gems you wouldn’t have found yourself. Let alone all the hard work they will put in to help you organise and style your wedding day.
How a wedding planner can make your wedding cheaper:
Photo: Rob Tarren via Surrey Farm Wedding
Bit of an obvious one, but a small wedding will save you money on almost everything. If you want a more intimate wedding, whether you have 30 guests or elope alone, go for it!
You can always have a big party afterwards, which will also save money on food and drink. Your wedding won’t be any less special if there are fewer of you there. In fact following the micro wedding trend during the pandemic, many couples said how lovely it was to have a more intimate celebration.
A smaller guest list can mean a cheaper wedding:
Photo: Emma Lawson via George and Gemma’s tiny forest Glen Dye Wedding for £5K
On a wedding cake, you can spend hundreds on more on a number from a top wedding cake designer. Make sure you research wedding cake costs to help you decide on your cake style before you fall for a particular design.
But if you can’t face forking out for your wedding cake there are a few options:
Check out my DIY wedding dessert table tutorial and DIY naked cake tutorial for more inspiration.
Photo: Anna Pumer Photography via WWW readers Helen and Paul’s Sparkly Wedding who had two DIY wedding cakes
You may feel like you need a magician, DJ, band or even that fire-breather to entertain your guests, but don’t worry too much.
Good company, food and drink will keep guests happy. You can always fill your Spotify with your favourite wedding songs and get the wedding party going yourself. Get some board games, garden games or create a quiz on you both. These are all free ideas to entertain!
Photo: LoveSeen Photography via Ceridwen Centre Wedding
Find local musicians or recruit friends and family to help bring live music, making your day personal will keep your guests far happier.
If you do have a budget for entertainment, it’s worth contacting a wedding entertainment agency, who can help you find something to suit your budget wedding. Simple changes such as the number of musicians in a band, the length they play for and the distance they need to travel, can all change the quote.
A solo artist can provide real atmosphere and is likely to cost much less than a large live band. You can read more about how much to pay for wedding entertainment in this article too.
Cheap wedding entertainment ideas:
Photo: Emily + Katy Photography via Creative Village Hall Wedding
Of course, with your wedding flowers, you can go also DIY, from homegrown wedding flowers to arranging flowers yourself. Wild and natural floral arrangements are on trend and are easy to create.
If you want something more structured it may be more tricky, but there is plenty of help out there. Get on a local floristry course or browse YouTube for handy tutorials. Have a flower-arranging party and rope in your talented loved ones to help.
Many florists offer DIY wedding flower options, you can buy DIY flower buckets from flower farms too. This is a good option for relaxed table flowers, and in fact, is exactly what I did for my own wedding. I had my bouquet professionally arranged and I did the centrepieces myself!
I spray painted bottles and jars to give them an extra special look, but I’ve also seen ribbon, hessian and lace added to make them look more special too.
Photos: Alexa Loy from my wedding reception
How to save money on your wedding flowers:
If you go down the DIY wedding stationery route, go simple and striking. Many wedding blogs have free invite downloads, which is a great option. You could also design your own and get them printed (this is what I did!).
Some companies now have a DIY version where you put together the stationery for a smaller price or offer digital invites. Get an illustrator to draw something beautiful and print them yourselves.
Many wedding stationery companies have great budget options and would be willing to chat to you about your options, so do get in touch with them. Keep in mind that sometimes DIY doesn’t equal cheaper, costs can escalate, so do properly estimate DIY costs vs buying stationery.
The more elements you add to your wedding stationery, the more it will cost. So simple is often the best option for budget wedding stationery.
For signs, upcycle wooden pallets, and bicycles or use fabric with fabric paint to create really effective signage and table plan options.
How to cut costs on wedding stationery:
Photo: Lauren Marchant Photography – WWW followers Daisy and James’ DIY stationery at their Trafalgar Tavern Wedding
If you want a lavish honeymoon but don’t have the budget, why not have a honeymoon gift list? You can always delay your honeymoon for when you have more money.
Plan your honeymoon for a low travel season, for example, outside of the summer holidays, to save money. Or take a mini moon, to somewhere beautiful in the UK or for a city break (we had a Bath honeymoon). As long as it’s romantic, just the two of you, then I promise you won’t mind where you are! It’s all about the company, not the destination.
You can find even more budget honeymoon ideas from the experts on the blog too.
How to have a budget honeymoon:
This is another aspect of your wedding you won’t want to skimp on are your rings. You will most likely want your wedding ring to match your engagement ring too, so try and go for the same metal and finish.
To save money why not go bespoke, small wedding ring companies may be able to make your ring for a great price due to being in the trade. Don’t be afraid to shop around.
If you are really stuck, go for a budget high street ring for now and upgrade it in the future. Or go for different ring materials, wood or non-precious metals and gems are souring in popularity, as are lab-grown diamonds.
Tips for keeping rings in your wedding budget:
Photo: Taylor and Hart via The Dazzling Colours of Sapphires
These 101 wedding favour ideas and centrepiece ideas should get you started on budget options. But if you are really tight on money, don’t worry about having them! There are no rules remember.
Get a taxi, borrow a relative’s car, walk, scoot, cycle, skateboard, grab a train/bus/boat or hop on a tractor. Transport ideas can be as wild as you could imagine!
Don’t feel you have to have a professional, give it a go yourself. Take a look at these wedding hairstyles. Visit a makeup counter in a department store for a lesson, hope on Youtube or treat yourself to some lovely new products.
Have a night out on the town with your friends, or have a day trip, a picnic or pamper at someone’s house. Don’t feel pressured to jet off somewhere exotic.
Hire a street food stall or food truck, rent a horsebox bar or contact your local bar hire service. Have a picnic or put on a grazing table or BBQ.
Do a booze cruise and pick up booze for cheap – be sure to check corkage costs though!
Let me share with you some of my favourite budget weddings, so you can see for yourself just what can be achieved at different price points. Do read the couples’ stories for tips and how they created their day within their budget too.
I am sharing with you weddings below £10,000, as the average wedding cost in the UK is said to be in the region of £20,000 to £30,000 according to surveys conducted with UK couples.
Hannah and Dan’s York Register Office wedding was budget-friendly and had a family-friendly focus. Just brilliant! Plus they had super stylish outfit choices.
Photos: Hannah Brooke Photography
With a budget of £3000 WWW readers, Luke and Ruth created a celebration that oozed love, style and warmth. With DIY elements, such as Ruth’s stunning homemade dress, pretty DIY flower arrangements and loved ones contributing decor, cakes and foliage. It was a real collaborative effort. Does it get any better than that?
Photo: Hannah K Photography
Lauren and Sean’s fun budget wedding was achieved remarkably, for less than £5000. Their day is proof that you don’t need to spend vast sums of money on your wedding and with a can-do attitude can craft the day of your dreams. They focused on heart and sentimental touches, both with their ceremony and the DIY decorations.
Photo: Donna Murray Photography
WWW readers Lucy and Ollie held their intimate and very special wedding day in Whitstable, with just themselves and their two daughters present. It was so pretty and stylish!
Photo: Rebecca Carpenter Photography
WWW readers Daniel and Rhea’s woodland wedding, complete with pretty flowers and calligraphy stationery, was so simple and effective. I can’t believe how budget-friendly their day was at under £6000, how inspiring is that?
Photos: Heather Winstanley Photography
Tom and Phebe’s woodland autumn wedding was just stunning. Their day was created for a budget-friendly £6000, their loved ones all rallied around to create their wedding of dreams.
Photo: Lily Sawyer Photography
Natalie and Rob described their day as relaxed and non-traditional. There is so much inspiration, from the dried flower bouquets to the VW campervan transport, smoke bombs and cool outfits to name just a few and all for a budget-friendly £7,000.
Photos: Lisa Howard Photography
Hannah and Buddy’s day was just so personal and creative, not to mention full to the brim with love with an £8000 wedding budget. At the heart of their wedding planning vision was a relaxed atmosphere with good food and music plus plenty of fun, not to mention some gorgeous decor.
Photo: Rob Smith Photographer
Zara and Tim’s day was so chic and stylish and all for a very budget-friendly £9000. I really adore their outfits, the colourful and bright blooms, the cute matchbox place names and the pink and red cake.
Photos: Heather Sham Photography
Tom and Chase’s wedding was beautifully rustic, with fairy lights, along with their simple and rustic decorations. There was a semi-naked cake, hessian sashes, log slices and flowers in jars. Coming in at a wedding budget of £10k.
Photo: Lisa Carpenter Photography
Well, I do hope this resource was useful to you and has saved you lots of money.
It really is my mission to help you achieve your dream day, on your own budget, with zero stress. So I hope I have helped in some small way.
The main thing to remember is that it's your day, go with your gut instincts and do what you both want to. Prioritise your wants and set your budget accordingly.
Get creative to save money, but most of all have fun!
If you have any hints or tips for a budget wedding please leave them below for other couples too.
Proposed Changes to UK Marriage Laws: What You Need to Know The government has announced what it calls the biggest overhaul of marriage laws in England and Wales since the 19th century. The proposals aim to make weddings more flexible, boost the hospitality industry, and give couples more choice over where and how they marry. […]
Read More
One of the first decisions couples face when planning their wedding is whether to invite kids. Children can bring something special to the event and might even have their own roles as ring bearers or flower girls, but they also come with extra planning considerations. There’s no right or wrong answer. It’s your wedding after […]
Read MoreYou May Also Like
Explore more posts from the blog
Want In On Our Happy Wedding Letter?
Join over a thousand engaged couples (and counting) who have snagged our fun no-nonsense regular wedding advice and inspo straight to their inbox. Plus you'll get planning checklists & spreadsheets for absolutely nada.
© 2010 - 2026. Whimsical Wonderland Weddings Ltd & Wedissimo Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Leave a Reply