For romantics & Disney addicts like me, we’ve always dreamed of our perfect wedding day. To me, I always imagined that my wedding day was my one chance to look and be treated like a princess as I walked down the aisle to my Prince Charming. So getting engaged brought me one step closer to this fairytale becoming reality..
Here are a few personal tips on how to save for your wedding
1. The ‘B’ Word: Budget
Saving for your future is always a good habit to cultivate. First step in saving for your wedding is to set a budget for all the estimated costs and stick to it. The average UK wedding now costs over £23,300 according to Brides Magazine UK. So if you are not sure what your budget should be, here is a good place to start. Saving and paying upfront will help reduce any financial stress interrupting your ‘happily ever after’ after your big day. Remember ‘Cash is King’, or preferably ‘Cash is Queen’. You could also draw up a budget for the first few months of your marriage and make a conscious effort to save in the course of your marriage.
2. Make your Vows
Make a monthly commitment to you save a fixed amount from your salary . You can decide on this amount by estimating the time before your planned wedding date and your current financial responsibilities. A longer engagement period will reduce the amount you have to commit to save monthly. When I got engaged, I already had savings, although it was nowhere close to where I wanted to be. I agreed with my fiancé at the time (now husband) on a saving plan and we both stuck to it. We agreed to save a minimum of 10% of our salaries each month. I personally was able to save 40% each month as I had already trained myself to live on less than 50%, and you can too. We got married 12 months later with no debt.
3. The Piggy Bank
Set up a savings account and transfer your monthly commitment there unfailingly on your pay day as if you were paying a bill. Shop around for a savings account with good interest rates which will help your savings grow further, you can set up a standing order so you never forget.
4. Money, Money, Money
I come from a culture where family members and friends often give the couple monetary gifts on/towards their wedding/marriage, hence couples often have the tendency of planning their wedding based on this expected gifts. However, things don’t always pan out as expected so my advice will be to plan based on how much you and your partner have saved up.
5. Trim down your expenses
Let your spending hit the gym and cut out the ‘luxury’ expenditure that you can live without until after the wedding to free up some cash. Try keeping your living expenses under 50% of your salary.
Here are some areas I was able to reduce my spending included:
- Downgrading my cable TV to freeview.
- Opting for a 12 month sim only mobile plan
- Stopped eating out
- Cut out JUNK FOOD.
- Drank more water and cut out fruit juices and smoothies. Cut out alcohol also if you drink.
- Signed up for grocery shop loyalty schemes – particularly helpful as I got points and money off future purchases.
- Used communal transport and walked instead of taking taxis (that Uber bill does add up).
- Definitely no shopping for clothes, this includes shoes & bags too.
After all these cost saving measures, as you see your savings account grow, it’s normal to feel that you want to do something nice for yourself as a reward for all your hard work. If you do need to spend money on personal treats, a dinner or a gift, seek discounts on groupon, wowcher etc.. You might even find your honeymoon there.
Saving definitely takes loads of discipline and sacrifice, skills that we working ladies have embedded within us. Good luck!
Written by Tomisin Thomas
