Getting married is the best day of your life, but can also be the most expensive. From wedding cars to marquee hire, the simple occasion of saying ‘I do’ can run to thousands.

Even the most money cautious bride and groom can find the costs spiralling and it’s all about setting a budget and sticking to it. Every element of a wedding comes at a price, but the trick is not to say yes the first time you see something you like. There are thousands of companies looking to sell products and services and a little bit of time, research and planning can save an enormous amount of money.

Location, location, location

Whether it’s at a church or a manor house, the location of a wedding is one of the most important elements to get right and to book as soon as possible. Popular places can be booked as far two years in advance so if you want your wedding to take place in your dream location, be prepared to book in a long way ahead. To decrease the cost, consider a mid-week wedding as Saturdays are very popular. You’ll be almost guaranteed to be offered a lower price to hold the ceremony on a Tuesday or Wednesday. Whilst many dream of a summer wedding, the months of June, July and August are also the most expensive so maybe think about an Autumn wedding in late September when the prices start to drop and when there’s the chance still of a warm day and some amazing photos as the leaves change from green to the hues of red, bronze and gold.

Say cheese

Photography packages are available to document every element of your wedding – right from your engagement party through to your honeymoon.

Photographers can be extremely expensive and the cost can pile up once you start adding prints of favorite photos and any accompanying extras such as a DVD of all the snaps.

A great way to get free photographs to remember the day is to ask all family members to take photos on their phones and cameras and to email them to you. Whilst they may not have the quality of a professional photographer – although there’s every chance of a budding David Bailey in the family – , you’ll capture plenty of amazing moments and lots of candid shots an official photographer may miss.

Dress to impress

A top designer wedding dress can cost thousands but the canny bride knows how to get one just as beautiful at a fraction of the price. Bridal boutique sales slash costs of the dresses on the rails and there are bridal warehouses packed full of styles from last season. Sites such as Gumtree and Preloved can offer dresses which have already been worn by another bride but these will be very
cheap if there’s a design you really want and you are lucky enough to see it for sale second hand.

Even if you’re being careful with your finances whilst planning your big day, there could be an unexpected bill when you return home from your honeymoon which knocks your budget for six for a couple of weeks. If this happens, review payday loans online at Payday Choice to find a short term solution to get you back on your feet.

Getting married is about being with the one you love and pledging your life to each other. It doesn’t matter if you spend a few hundred or a few thousand as long as you shop clever and realise that the day is about love, not money.