I’ve heard a lot of couples who wedded tell me, Ivy, just go to court and get married. It’s way cheaper and hassle-free. Some have told me they took 6 months to fully recover financially from the wedding expenses. Gone are the days when people would plan their wedding expecting the wedding cash gifts to help them recover.
My thoughts are, a wedding doesn’t have to be expensive. Sometimes, it’s the ‘unnecessary’ details we add to the day that cost us a lot. Otherwise, a simple venue, décor, and food wouldn’t cost much. I have listed a few of the most popular wedding expenses regrets that you could avoid.
Purchasing the wedding dress
Before a wedding, as a bride-to-be, you may be so excited and want to make your day so special. You want everything to be exclusive to the extent of having your custom made dress. Custom made dresses are pretty costly as compared to hiring the dress which you will only wear for a few hours. After the wedding, you will have beautiful pictures and a lot of social media likes but financially grounded. You will be lucky if you can resale it or get people who will hire it.
Hiring expensive cars
Most couples have bemoaned the cost of hiring cars for their wedding. Some of them spend 30 minutes in a car that would have cost them a lot. Of course, you want to arrive in style, but is it worth it? Food for thought.
Having a fruit cake as a wedding cake
The tradition has always been that a fruit cake is used but I still don’t understand why it has to be necessarily a fruit cake. A lot of couples regret having the whole wedding cake as a fruit cake because it is a bit pricey. Others have suggested having one fruit cake to keep and have the rest of the cake in the less expensive variants, just to cut costs.
Having a wedding planner
Wedding planners are a necessity but they can be expensive. Couples have advised that planning and setting up a wedding committee consisting of close family members can be beneficial and you save a lot more instead of hiring a wedding planner. You can also purchase a wedding planning guide to help you with the planning of the wedding.
Wedding invitations
Most couples regret spending way too much money on wedding invitations. There are two sides to the situation – on one hand, a nice, unique, and custom invitation can set the tone for your wedding if done correctly. On the other hand, in terms of costs, custom invites can put a dent in your pocket, but they don’t have to. You can opt for pre-made wedding invitations or you can go digital, which is way cheaper than printing.
Guest favours
Little wedding gifts for your guests are such a thoughtful way to express your gratitude to those that came to share your special day with you. However, they can be costly and sometimes not worth it as some may not even realize the significance and throw them away or even forget to take their favour home with them, leaving dozens of leftovers and wasted money behind.
Decorations
Additional decorations are one of the biggest regrets of most couples. Some couples suggest that if the budget allows, choose a venue with naturally attractive interiors and style as this will reduce the need to spend more on additional decorations. A marquee is better simple than over-dresses. You can keep things minimal, simple, and lovely.
