Saving for a wedding?

Valentines Day is fast approaching, and while love is in the air, we decided to have a look at how we could help couples out as they decide to spend the rest of their lives together, and get married.
Valentines is the second most popular day of the year for Brits to get down on one knee and pop the question, second only to Christmas Eve. It’s also a very popular day to have your wedding, as many people see it as the most romantic day of the year. So if you are preparing to get engaged or preparing to get married, we’ve put together some money saving tips so you can have the dream wedding, without the nightmare price tag!
According to Bride Magazine, the average wedding now costs between £18,000- £24,000. It’s a massive amount of money to pay for one day, but a lot of people only get married once in their lives, so believe it to be worth it.
Fall in love with saving
Some people are lucky enough to have £24,000 in a savings or bank account ready for their special day, but not everyone is that fortunate. If you have just got engaged and are looking to save for your dream wedding, the best thing to do is to open an ISA. This way, you can set up monthly payments or even pay in lump sums throughout the year, tax efficiently, for up to £15,000 (going up to £15,250 in April). It is one of the best ways for you and your partner to save up money for your big day. You can start to save from as little as £30 per month, and can vary your premiums as many times as you like to suit your situation, as long as you stay within the annual ISA allowance.
Venue, Menu and extras
Once you have worked out how much your budget, based on your savings, its time to prioritise what you think will work best for you. Venues often come in much cheaper on weekdays and in the winter. You can get the same venue on a Wednesday in November for up to half the price of the same venue on a Saturday in July. Winter weddings can be absolutely beautiful, and if your guests have to travel, they will thank you as there accommodation and travel will probably cost less as well!
If you are considering a budget venue, HallsHire is a website that lists all community halls for hire in the UK. These can cost from as little as £100, and with a few personal touches, can look just as beautiful.
It can be nice to have a sit down meal for your guests once they get to the reception, but buffet options usually work out as much cheaper. They can be more popular among guests as well, as the choice is more extensive and fussy eaters can stick to the things they like. For desert, you could try baking your own cakes, or asking a family member to help you bake them. This usually works out as cheaper than other deserts when baking for many people, as you can make large quantities. You and your partner could even try baking your wedding cake together! It may take a few tries, but it could be really fun!
For alcohol, replace champagne with the much less expensive but just as popular proseccco to help you save money. Don’t be pressured to get a free bar if you can’t afford it, your guests will understand.
Ask your family and friends to help out with decorations and invitations. You and your bridesmaids could look for dresses and accessories in high street shops, or even better, see if you can find any nice vintage dresses in special wedding charity shops.
A nice idea for the music is to ask all your guests to pick a song that reminds them of you and your partner. Put these together in a playlist (leaving out the songs you can’t stand of course) and play them throughout your reception. Your guests will feel touched that there song was played on your special day, and you will have a playlist to remind you of your wedding.
Dream day
One of the most important things to remember about planning your wedding is not to panic too much. If you and your partner are happy and together, no matter what happens, your day will be a happy one. For more wedding planning help visit Hitched or Confettiand make sure you enjoy every minute of it!

Happy Valentines Day everyone!