What we can do is explain how to set a budget, split it sensibly and avoid the classic traps. Any figures below are made-up examples to show the maths, nothing more.
Setting your budget
Start with three numbers. What you've got saved, what you can realistically save between now and the wedding, and what family members have actually offered (not what you hope they might). Add them up. That's your budget.
Have the money conversation with family early and be specific. Is a contribution a fixed amount, or tied to something like the dress or the venue? Does it come with opinions about the guest list? Better to know now.
Then set aside a contingency, maybe 5 to 10 per cent, for the things nobody remembers until the last month. And decide what not to spend. Borrowing heavily for one day is a choice worth thinking hard about.
Splitting it up
The venue and catering will almost always be the biggest chunk, because they scale with your guest numbers. Everything else is smaller and more flexible.
As a purely hypothetical example: if your budget were £15,000, you might decide the venue, food and drink take around half, and split the rest between photography, outfits, entertainment, flowers, stationery and the smaller bits, with your contingency on top. Your own split will be different. The point is to write it down and agree it together before you book anything.
A good trick is for each of you to pick your top three priorities. If one of you cares about the photos and the other about the band, that's where the money goes, and you trim elsewhere.
Where couples tend to overspend
Guest numbers. Every extra guest adds food, drink, a chair, a favour and a bit of stationery. Trimming the list is the single most effective way to save money.
Little extras. Chair covers, favours, welcome signs, table extras. Each one is small. Together, they add up fast, and guests rarely remember them.
Things you didn't know you'd pay for. Service charges, corkage, VAT not included in a quote, cake cutting fees, overtime for suppliers if the day runs late. Ask about all of these up front.
Last minute panic buys. In the final month, everything seems urgent. Stick to the list you made when you were calm.
Ways to save without it looking cheap
Change the date. A Friday, Sunday or winter wedding can be noticeably cheaper than a summer Saturday at many venues, and Northamptonshire has plenty of places that look lovely in winter. Our winter weddings in Northamptonshire post has more on that.
Spend on what guests actually experience. A great meal and something to do during the drinks reception will be remembered. Personalised napkins won't. A single close-up magician from Magician For Hire during the drinks covers the longest wait of the day, and we'd say that even if we didn't run it (which, to be clear, we do).
Do the evening food simply. Bacon rolls, pizza or a cheeseboard go down well at 9pm. And ask yourselves if you really need both a band and a DJ, or a photo booth and a magic mirror. Usually one of each is plenty.
What to ask suppliers
Before you book anyone, ask for a written quote and check it against these questions. It saves arguments later.
- Is VAT included in this price?
- What exactly is included, and what costs extra?
- How much is the deposit, and when is the balance due?
- What happens if we need to cancel or change the date?
- What happens if you're ill or can't make it on the day?
- Do you have public liability insurance (venues often ask)?
- Are travel, parking or overtime charged separately?
- Can we see reviews from recent weddings?
Keeping track
A simple shared spreadsheet is all you need: supplier, quote, deposit paid, balance due and the date it's due. Update it every time you book something. If you go over in one area, take it out of another straight away rather than hoping it balances out.
Our wedding planning checklist shows when each payment usually crops up, and the venue guide is a good place to start comparing venues across the county.