Watching my now sister-in-law glide down the staircase on the morning of her wedding looking nothing less than glorious, two truths became apparent to me, truths that would dawn on the fidgeting members of the congregation in the not too distant future as they waited, watching my dear brother adjusting and readjusting his morning suit. Truth 1: The dress was fabulous, a floor length cascade of intricate lace, with a tapered silhouette and hidden bodice, shimmering with tiny beads from bust to scalloped hem. Truth 2: She would have looked beautiful in anything. And here is the problem: a bride does not wear just anything.



It is perhaps the most significant dress you ever hope to wear. It is significant not only in colour, style and feature, but in price. A recent survey by Mintel revealed that the average bill of sale for a wedding dress is now creeping towards £900; that’s roughly £100 for every hour of wear, unless you happen to be one of the very few brides to actually go through with the promise “I know it’s more than I budgeted for… but after the big day I’ll dye it and wear it to parties.” When you hear yourself saying this, do as Phil Mitchell might recommend: ‘ave a word with yourself! The more you spend on it, the less likely you are to ever bring a pair of scissors to it.

A dress for less
A bride recently appeared on a daytime TV chat show having purchased her brand new dress on the web for less than you might spend on the Padstow Park and Ride. It was exactly the style and size she had been looking for and couldn’t believe her luck. Neither could we. If you have the patience, auction sites can be a fantastic way to start shopping. Just remember to proceed with caution: for every buoyant bride who bags an unbelievable bargain, there’s another bemoaning the quality, cut and colour of the dress that arrives on her doorstep.

Besides, the web isn’t the only route to a bridal wear bargain. You can still get a great deal on a gorgeous gown without sacrificing the fun (and the inevitable blubbery mother moment) of the bridal boutique experience. A number of local boutiques stock stylish budget ranges, and some will allow you to buy sample gowns at a significant discount. Find out when stock clearances and discount days are taking place, and always have a good rifle through those sale rails.
 
If you’re a fan of vintage, root around in the attic for your mother’s wedding dress and get it updated both in style and fit. Wearing a family heirloom is chic, budget-savvy and eco-friendly to boot.

Wallet friendly favours
Little gifts for guests soon become a headache for tired brides and grumpy grooms. What do you give people in exchange for their attendance? You’ve already bought them dinner, snacks and enough bubbly to fit in with Fiddy Cent and his bihatches. What else do they need? Probably not sugared almonds. A shocking statement for a wedding magazine to make, we know. What about mini picture frames? Well, the answer is in the question. That leaves keyrings. Least said, soonest mended.

Pre-packed and delivered wedding favours that are designed to meet your theme will set you back between £1.50 and £2 per guest – an expense couples don’t often budget for. If you want to give out a personal memento of the day, think simple and inexpensive: funny pictures of the happy couple taken on a digital camera can be tagged with personal messages or names for place settings. Printed on photopaper (about passport size) they make cute tags for individually wrapped sweets. The cost of these tasty keepsakes is about £10 instead of £200.



‘Tis the season to be thrifty
We lucky few resident in God’s country (otherwise known as Cornwall) are perhaps more easily persuaded than any other Brit to staycation: ditch the passport and take in the local spots. However beautiful, we are sadly subject to the British weather and this year’s statistics indicate that we have as yet only enjoyed 30% of our average yearly sunshine, with no immediate sign of improvement (come on December!). With that in mind, a summer wedding is becoming more difficult to justify. The expense casts a clout over any semblance of a sunny day: prices are hiked up, visitors pay premium rates and train fares are nudged from extortionate to outright mugging. Couples opting for an off-peak ceremony will find more companies willing to be flexible on timing and price because there are fewer bridal parties to contend with. The Newlyn School of Art would never have been so successful if they had packed up their paint pots in autumn: Cornwall has the best quality of light in the world, so pick a date off-peak and save pounds.

Let me entertain you
Well not me, I’ve made babies cry with a well-intentioned verse or two. You entertain instead. Karaoke might not be your idea of classy, but if it’s good enough for Coleen… You might not have the mighty larynx of Westlife killing you softly, but you do have ushers and they would no doubt love to perform something in your honour, then there are the bridesmaids, father of the groom, and on it goes. This is not perhaps an all-evening entertainment choice but hosted properly (perhaps by the best man) it will last long enough to cut down the bill for the professional band. If the idea of getting up to do the first dance is making you squirm, what better way to detract from your performance than a well-chosen swing time number courtesy of Grandma’s friend from the social club?

If you want to supplement the crooning with some upbeat tuneage, hiring a DJ is a more budget-conscious solution than a live band. If the budget won’t stretch that far, consider an iPod disco. Ask your guests to choose their favourite tracks (probably best to mention the words ‘upbeat’ and ‘party’ in your request: Radiohead might be a great band but Mr Yorke’s wails aren’t conducive to setting the dance floor alight). Upload the tracks to your technology of choice, attach some speakers and hey presto! Something to satisfy everyone and no excuse for an empty dance floor.

Heard of the pentavret?
The pentavret comprises the five big wedding expenditures, designed to tease, tantalise and ultimately break your budget, then your bank balance… They include: the dress, venue, catering, car hire and entertainment. If you’re watching your pennies, consider your pentavret and choose two to prioritise. You must then compromise on the remaining three, opting for less pricey but nevertheless stylish options.


words Charity Wilson

Copyright WED Magazine 2010