The average Wedding in the UK costs between £20,000 - £25,000 and this does not include the rings...
Most couples who spend "a lot" are first time Newlyweds. If you've never been married before, how do you know how much a "good or bad price" is, how do you know if something is really worth it or not?
3 ways to cut costs..
1. make a plan first..
Most people just jump straight into it based on what they think a wedding should be and what should be involved. that is the biggest error! You & your partner literally need to start by brainstorming. Use colours, pencils, stickers and come up with a plan that gives you visuals of what you are trying to achieve for your big day. People usually think they should give themselves a budget first, now I wouldn't do this before planning. If you try and do that first, it's easy to set a budget that could be too high, which means you could end up spending recklessly, OR you could set a budget too small, which then could stress you out.
2. find your voice when shopping around..
Now this applies to all wedding factors, from the Venue to Flowers, to Catering to Entertainment. - Most people think what they are offered is what it has to be.
I'll let you in on a little secret...
Most places do have variability when it comes to their prices and how much they charge you. They can usually go lower, whilst still meeting the percentage they need to make profit for their business, it will just mean they don't get the extra profit they wanted out of you. Extra tip: to save time, if negotiating isn't a skill of yours, always state your budget before asking for prices. This way the provider knows exactly what your are looking for and how much money you have to play with, if they can work with that then great! if not then you've saved yourself time.
3. compare! Let me just start this third tip by saying, I know when us ladies fall in-love with something we can work on impulse.. now this is where your husband must bring you back to reality. Even if you think you are getting a good deal, before jumping straight into it, go away and call around some more, see what other providers are offering !