But while many of us loving splashing the cash on the people we care about, sometimes our bank balances just don’t stretch as far as we’d like them to.
TS on average spend a whopping £479 on every wedding they go to
With that in mind, here are 10 top tips to save up to £150 on going to your best mate’s wedding this year.
Check out the charity shops
Rather than splash out on new headwear, have a look around in your local charity shops.
Let’s face it, most of us only bother wearing hats and fascinators once before they get shoved in a box and start gathering dust at the back of our wardrobes.
You can often pick one up super cheap second-hand – when their previous owners have decided to have a clear out.
Rather than splash out on new headwear, have a look around in your local charity shops
Don’t buy a new outfit
Realistically, the people at this wedding won’t be the same as the last one you went to, so it’s not like they’ll have seen your old cheap prom dresses before.
But if you really want to freshen up your look, why not swap clothes with a friend who’s the same size as you?
That way you both get to wear something different without splashing out on a whole new outfit.
Why not swap outfits with a friend who’s the same size as you to save a few pennies
Alternatively, look into renting a dress – outlets like Chic by Choice and Girl Meets Dress offer a good selection of designer dresses available for as little as £29.
Plus new sign-ups to the site get extra money off – winner.
Plan ahead and be organised
Even when it comes to shopping for outfits, it pays to think ahead.
Often you know a wedding is taking place nearly a year before it happens, so shop for clothes in the sales and book your travel and accommodation well in advance – you may even snap up an early bird deal.
Keep it local on the hen
If you happen to be a member of the wedding party, odds are you’ll have a say in the organisation of the hen or stag party.
While a trip to the continent all sounds very nice, there’s a lot to be said for keeping it in the UK.
It’s far more difficult to get everyone to agree on a European destination, plus you have the added aggro of booking flights, costly baggage allowance and finding good hotels in cities you may be unfamiliar with.
If you have a say in organising the hen do, recommend keeping it local to keep costs down
While trips to the capital are inevitably pricier when it comes to going out, city breaks to destinations like Brighton, Glasgow, Newcastle, Cardiff, Liverpool and Bristol have a lot to offer – and you can often find great deals for whole house rentals on Airbnb.
Make the activities dip in, dip out
These days hen and stag parties tend to be jam-packed with activities, from cupcake decorating and chocolate making to beauty treatments and paint balling.
Rather than expecting everyone to take part in them all, make it ‘dip in, dip out’ – with alternative, cheaper activities for those that want to give something a miss.
That way the less well-off in the group won’t feel bad saying no if they can’t afford to do everything.
Have a whip-round
Why not all chip in on a bigger wedding gift?
Rather than buying something cheaper from the wedding list as you can’t afford the pricier pressies, why not a whip-round with a few friends?
With everyone putting in £20, you’ll have a bigger pool of cash to get the amazing gift you really want to give the bride and groom.
Make your own wedding present
Alternatively, swerve the wedding list altogether and make your own, personalised gift.
Why not find a gorgeous photo of the happy couple and pop it in a nice frame, or spend a little more getting it printed on a canvas?
It’s something they’re likely to cherish forever – handmade gifts are always more thoughtful anyway.
Make your own gift for the bride and groom for that extra special, personal touch
Car-share
If there are a bunch of you coming from the same area, it would save money (and the environment) to share a car.
If you don’t know many people going, why not set up a Facebook group and organise sharing lifts?
The majority of the guests will probably be friends with the bride and groom, so get them in on it to spread the word – it’ll also help you get to know everybody on the way.
If none of you own a car, it’s worth looking into car hire for the weekend.
Check out comparison websites like travelsupermarket.com to get the best deal.
Don’t bother with a hotel – try Airbnb
Weekend nights at hotels are always more expensive – chances are you’ll find an Airbnb nearby for half the price.
Why not rent an entire house and split the cost with your mates?
Sharing an Airbnb between you could be a great way of keeping costs low
That way you’ll all wake up and enjoy a nice hungover breakfast together.
Though be sure to look into how much it’ll cost in a taxi to and from the venue, as it may end up being cheaper to stay on site.
Don’t say yes to every wedding
Sounds harsh, but think about it – do you REALLY want to go?
If it’s an old school friend you haven’t seen for years (and aren’t massively likely to see again any time soon) is it worth it?
If your calendar’s already jam-packed with nuptials, maybe give that couple a call to let them know you can’t make it.
Read more:cheap prom dresses uk