When to Save and When to Splurge On Your Wedding Day

Your complete guide for the big day!


Article heading image for When to Save and When to Splurge On Your Wedding Day

There are some things in life you just don’t want to cut corners with: a comfy pillow, tasty tequila and flimsy footwear. A wedding, however, doesn’t need to be one of them.

We’ve teamed up with The Country Bridal Collective ahead of the CBC Wedding Festival in Bendigo to figure out when it’s best to save and when it’s best to splurge on your wedding day.

CBC Wedding Festival will show when you should splurge or save on your wedding. Source: Unsplash

Save: Venue

Sure, you want a memorable day in an idyllic location, but that doesn’t mean you need to book the ballroom at the Ritz. A retro warehouse or open space near a beach or forest can work every bit as well as a fancy facility costing ten times the price if you spruce it up with a big tent, lavish fairy lights and some stunning décor.

Photo credit: The Country Bridal Collective

Splurge: Date

There’s nothing more appealing for the bankbook than a mid-week cost-saving ceremony. However, no one likes a cheapskate and the amount of cash you pocket won’t outweigh the goodwill you’ll ruin with loved ones as they’re forced to disrupt their working week and busy schedules so you can save a buck.

Save: Rehearsal Dinner

Who needs one? Grab some wine and wood fired pizzas and put your feet up. Casually go through the schedule for your big day with anyone who absolutely needs to be there and save the stress and hassle for when you’re actually tying the knot.

Skip the rehearsal dinner and opt to run through schedule at home. Photo credit: The Country Bridal Collective

Splurge: Reception Dinner

This is the main event and you want to go big or go home. Don’t get stingy when it comes to catering the most important day of your life. People don’t forget delicious meals. You can always mitigate the damage – cut out a starter, have a dessert bar instead of individual plates – but the quality of the food shouldn’t be compromised.

Photo credit: The Country Bridal Collective

Save: Videographer

Perhaps every anniversary you’ll toss some popcorn into the microwave and whip out a video of your nuptials, but that’s about it. Save a little moolah on a tape that will barely see the light of day and don’t bother with a videographer. (Tip: Ask everyone to save and send their Snapchats. There. Done. A wedding video that’s kept $5,000 in your pocket.)

Splurge: Photographer

Just like schoolies snaps and photos of your first dog, you’ll be looking at these babies for a long, long time. Don’t hire that family friend who’s done a TAFE course and is trying to get his business off the ground, hire a professional and make sure to review their portfolio. Settle on someone who captures events in a style that you like.

Save: Cake

There’s nothing that screams “wedding” quite like an eight-tier, basket woven, beaded buttercream cake tower. But there’s also nothing showier and more unnecessary. By the time the cake’s cut everyone’s already full and most completely disinterested in tasting it. It’s also a renowned nuptial money gobbler. Leave it.

Ditch the eight-tier cake. It's a nupital money gobbler. Photo credit: The Country Bridal Collective

Splurge: Flowers

While the glory of a wedding cake lasts only a moment, the magic of an exquisite bridal bouquet and reception filled with breathtaking centrepieces lasts, if not a lifetime, then certainly all night long. Don’t be scared to shell out for a top-shelf wedding florist – they’re worth the asking price.

Save: Bar Tab

We’re not saying a little liquor doesn’t go a long way – after an evening filled with doting, drunken speeches it’s all but necessary – but you don’t need to be making it rain over top-shelf whiskeys and fancy IPAs from Moroccan craft breweries. Offer only basic wines, beers and a signature cocktail to save a few pennies.

Splurge to make sure the music is fun and will appeal to all ages. Photo credit: Country Bridal Collective Wedding

Splurge: Music

The most critical factor for just how much fun your reception will be comes down to your DJ or wedding band. Don’t offer your nephew’s six-piece alt-rock ensemble an exposure gig; fork out for someone who’s guaranteed to keep the party buzzing until the early hours. Take the time to go and hear them play before you sign on the dotted line. Make sure they’re fun and will appeal to all ages. (Tip: Why not get each wedding guest to send in, alongside their RSVPs, two song requests they want to hear on the night? That way, everyone’s happy!)

Planning a wedding? Losing your mind? Or just need a little inspo? Find all the latest wedding trends and inspiration at the Country Bridal Collective Wedding Festival at Bendigo Exhibition Centre on August 26. For more details follow the event page here or follow their Facebook page.

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In Association The Country Bridal Collective

15 August 2018

Article by:

In Association The Country Bridal Collective




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