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Daily Mirror
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'I'm a wedding coordinator - easy date change could save thousands'
A wedding coordinator has shared how changing your wedding date by a few days could knock thousands off the bill When couples start planning their dream wedding, they will likely have a season in mind. Perhaps they'd love a summer garden party, or maybe they're dreaming of a winter wonderland. However, it's less common for couples to have a specific date in mind. While some might choose a special day or anniversary, many can be flexible when it comes to the date, and a wedding coordinator is making the case for weekday weddings. Posting on TikTok, the expert shared why she's all for weekday celebrations. As the pro explained, moving your date by just a few days could save you thousands of pounds, and she thinks your guests might also thank you for the swap. Jessie, who posts on social media as @behindthewedding, explained: "I think weekday weddings are actually better than weekend weddings." She said: "I absolutely love a Thursday wedding because your guests will take off the Thursday and the Friday, and then it means you've got a long extended weekend. You've got the rest of the weekend to chill out and recuperate, ready for work on Monday." "You save so much money to spend on entertainment, better food, and drink," she added. "It's often cheaper because a lot of venues do package deals for weekdays or just cheaper weekdays in general. You can spend the money saved on actually making the wedding the best it could ever be." Jessie pointed out that the tip could improve your big day if your venue is open to the public. "If your venue isn't exclusive, it's going to be much quieter with the public on weekday days versus the weekend." Sharing another positive, she added: "It keeps your guest count down to the people who genuinely want to be there. Anyone who thinks your wedding is super important to them will find a way to get there on a weekday." Concluding her video, Jessie acknowledged the idea wouldn't be for everyone. "Obviously, there are caveats to this and this isn't a one-size-fits-all, but I just think a weekday wedding is the new weekend wedding," she shared. In the video's comment section, a bride replied: "Yesss, we've booked a Thursday wedding." Someone else shared that she'd also booked a Thursday wedding, saving £10,000 with the clever date swap. The money-savvy bride said: "We're a Thursday wedding and the £10k difference in price was insane! Because we've gone for Thursday, it means we can have the entire venue between Wed to Fri and our guests can relax pre and post!" Jessie replied: "Love this!! It's such a good idea and your guests still get the weekend to themselves." According to Bridebook, Tuesdays are the cheapest day of the week to get married. Previous research found that, on average, Tuesday weddings are £4,000 cheaper than Saturday weddings. However, Tuesday is the least popular day to tie the knot.
Metro
09-05-2025
- Business
- Metro
What I Spent: The wedding you actually get for £5,000, £20,000 or £50,000
The average wedding in the UK now costs £23,250 – almost £6,000 more than in 2021. That doesn't tell the full story though, as according to Bridebook, a quarter of couples will spend less than £10,000 on their special day, while 10% have a budget of £5,000 or under. Then, on the opposite end of the spectrum, 10% of nearlyweds are set to fork out over £38,000 for their 2025 nuptials. But whether your budget is tight or pretty much nonexistent, it's can be difficult to find out what you actually get for your money. So to take away the mystery and bust the taboo of talking marriage and money, Metro asked three brides what they spent on their recent weddings, as well as the advice they'd give to others tying the knot. Catherine Ramm, 52, owner of Dorset Dried Flowers from Corfe Castle, Dorset, got married in 2023. In total, she and her partner ended up spending less than £6,000 on a large wedding with 120 day guests and 300 evening guests. As Catherine's a florist, she was able to do the bouquets and decor herself, while her now-husband is a farmer, meaning they saved on venue costs by holding their ceremony and reception on his land. The pair's friends and family also donated services or helped out with mate's rates on everything from photography to toilets. 'We had no budget in mind when we started planning,' Catherine tells Metro. 'It just sort of evolved, and we had so many people wanting to be involved it was amazing.' She's over the moon with how it all turned out, adding: 'People are still talking about it. We had an amazing time and I don't think we could have made it any better even if we had thrown more money about it.' Although Catherine didn't specifically plan to spend so little on her big day, she does have some advice for others who want to keep costs down. 'Look at where you aren't prepared to compromise and where you are,' she says. 'There are places you can cut the corners and places you can't.' Venue: £3,500 We paid £3,000 for the marquee on our own land and £500 for a generator. Toilets were donated by a friend. Registrar/celebrant: £270 We got married officially on the Thursday at Poole registry office, which cost £270. On the Saturday, a friend of ours who is a celebrant did the ceremony as a favour. Catering: £950 Alongside a hog roast which cost £650, one of our friends on the farm gave us venison, shot and butchered, as a wedding present. We then had afternoon tea with sandwiches from local baker (£100), scones from local tea rooms (£100), sausage rolls made by a friend, and cupcakes from a local maker £100) Photography and/or videography: £0 Photography was done by a friend who was a professional photographer years ago, and friends also shared their images. Flowers and venue decor: £500 This was all done by me, so costs were minimal. Invitations and stationery: £50 I made the invitations myself using a bespoke stamp which I had made by a company online, then some lovely paper and an ink pad. Wedding cake: £100 A friend made this for the cost of the ingredients. Entertainment: £210 We had a singer who was 'paid' with four nights free camping on the farm. The band were friends, so we got a discounted rate of £60. We also had a fire dancer which was £150. Bride and groom attire: £120 My dress cost £100 in a sample sale, and my husband's suit was £20 on Vinted. Bridal party and groomsmen attire: £11 My daughter's bridesmaid dress was £11 on Vinted, and the rest of our children wore suits and dresses they already had. Transport: £0 We got around the venue on a farm buggy which we already had. Rings: £0 My husband doesn't have one as he is a farmer, and he will lose it – it's also dangerous with machinery. Mine were my engagement rings – he got me three silver rings – and I just used these, as I don't need any more Jasmine Granton, a 31-year-old Digital PR Consultant from Mansfield, got married to her partner of 12 years in November last year. In total, they spent just under £19,000 on a wedding of 100 guests at the West Mill in Derby. While she and her now-husband didn't have a set budget, they 'didn't want to spend a fortune' on the day itself, ideally keeping money aside for the month-long Vietnam honeymoon they'd always dreamed of. 'Deep down, we did want a big wedding though,' Jasmine tells Metro. 'And we both have large families so we were always going to have a guest count of around 100 – which inevitably brings the price up.' The couple created a spreadsheet listing everything they might need with the maximum they'd be happy to spend on each point. But as anyone who's planned a wedding knows, some things were more expensive while there were other areas they managed to save. 'I feel so happy with what we got for our money,' says Jasmine. 'Making some pretty big decisions at the start – like having the wedding in winter on a Monday – meant we could make other decisions like booking a photographer and videographer we loved, because for us, the photography was so important.' Alongside this, she kept costs down by making her own stationery, customising cheaper items, and doing a lot of the planning herself. She recommends other brides and grooms-to-be stay true to what you want and 'don't pay for anything that you feel you're doing just for the sake of it' or 'compromise for other people'. Jasmine continues: 'If you don't want a cake, don't have one. If you don't want that long distance friend who hardly makes the effort to see you, don't invite them. 'The biggest compliment we got (and still get) about our wedding was that it felt 'us', and that's because we prioritised the things that made us happy.' Venue: £2,800 Our venue hire was around £2,500. We got married on a Monday in winter which drastically changed the cost, as I believe in peak wedding season it's closer to £9,000. We also paid to stay in a large house with our family, but they paid for their rooms so this cost us around £300. Registrar/celebrant: £450, including licences Catering: £7,800 In total, food came to £5800 while drinks were £2,000. Photography and/or videography: £2,400 for both Flowers and venue decor: £600 I bought most of the decor – including candle holders, mirrors, and candles – secondhand from Facebook Marketplace (£300 in total) and did a lot of upcycling, such as turning the mirror into our welcome sign and seating plan. We didn't have flowers around the venue, just lots of candles and mirrors as that's more our style. In terms of bouquets, I had dry flowers for me and my bridesmaids which came to £300. Invitations and stationery: £70 I designed these all myself using Canva, so the only cost was for paper and printing. Wedding cake: Roughly £30 We decided not to have one – who even eats it?! – but had a prosecco tower instead, which just cost us the amount of the few bottles of prosecco as the venue had a no corkage fee Entertainment: £700 It was £600 for a singer in the day who did a music bingo which was such a party starter, and we somehow got a brilliant DJ for £100! Bride and groom attire: £1,562 I bought my wedding dress from a website called Stillwhite – it had tags on and was unaltered but cost me £1000 instead of £1800. I then got my veil second hand for £12, my shoes were £50 and my jewellery was kindly gifted to me. My husband's suit and shoes came to around £500. Hair and makeup: £600 Bridal party and groomsmen attire: £1,300 ASOS suits for two best men and two groomsmen and three bridesmaid dresses came to £700. Transport: £0 We didn't have any. Rings: £300 Krissie Williams-Stewart, a 36-year-old homemaker from Coventry got married in December last year. She and her now-husband Frankie spent £50,000 on their dream wedding, which was held at Merrydale Manor, Cheshire and had 91 guests in attendance. 'We had a budget in mind from the very start,' Krissie tells Metro. 'But I hadn't ever looked at anything wedding-related before, so I was completely clueless when it came to the real costs of anything.' Although their big day ended up costing more than double the average, she says 'it was worth every single penny'. 'I have absolutely no regrets about what we got for our money,' adds Krissie. 'Our day was a complete fairy tale, and my vision completely came to life.' In terms of advice, she stresses the importance of prioritising. 'Write down your non-negotiables and focus on those; and then see what you have left for all the other bits,' she explains. 'If your dream venue is expensive, then consider a weekday or slightly out of wedding season to get a better price.' More Trending Keep an eye on the 'little things' and DIY what you can too, as personal touches from favours to table settings 'add up fast.' Krissie continues: 'As tempting as it is to book everything, you really don't need to… Guests honestly enjoy mingling and having a chat with each other, so don't go overboard thinking you need entertainment for every second. 'We did this, and to be honest, it did make the day seem very busy, as there was so much going on all the time.' View More » 'That being said, never ever skimp on the photographer,' she adds. 'These photos are for life, so it's definitely worth the investment.' Venue: £13,000 Registrar/celebrant: £650 Catering: £12,000 It was £9,000 for food and drinks during the day and £3,000 for the evening. Photography and/or videography: £3,700 The photographer came to £2,500 and the videographer was £1,200. Flowers and venue decor: £5,350 We paid £4,500 for all the flowers – including bouquets. Other decorations were hired for £850. Invitations and stationery: £400 Wedding cake: £300 Entertainment £4,300 A musician for the ceremony was £800, and for the reception was an additional £2,000. Additional entertainment came to £1,500. Bride and groom attire: £5,400 My wedding dress was £3,500 and accessories were £1,000, while my husband's suit was £900. Hair and makeup: £2,200 Hairdressing came to a total of £1,500 and makeup was £700. Bridal party and groomsmen attire: £1,500 Alongside this, my husband also hand-built a watch for every groomsman and the father of the bride to complete the look! Transport: £600 Rings £450 Wedding planner: £300 Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: I'm a foodbank volunteer and have to throw away 20% of our donations MORE: My fiancé drinks so much he falls asleep during sex — should I call off our wedding? MORE: Getting married? Don't forget to think about your wedding jewellery and our top picks from Lily & Roo
Daily Mail
27-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Rise of the WEDNESDAY wedding! Weekday nuptials double in popularity as cash-strapped couples avoid tying the knot on a Saturday
Traditional Saturday weddings are slowly dying, as cash-strapped couples instead choose to tie the knot during the week to save thousands. Two-thirds (66 per cent) of all marriages took place on Saturdays in 1999. Yet this has since plunged to just 43.6 per cent in 2022, official figures show. By comparison, the proportion of weddings which happen on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays has doubled over the timespan, MailOnline can today reveal. Luxury venues typically ramp up their prices for couples wanting their big day to fall on a Saturday. For instance, tying the knot at Hedsor House in Buckinghamshire would cost you at least £19,950 plus VAT from Monday to Wednesday in the low season. An identical package on a Saturday – a 'simple and elegant' ceremony for 70 guests, 13 bedrooms for overnight accommodation and a three-course menu with booze, a three-tier cake and evening food – would set you back £27,500 plus VAT. Some savvy couples have been using the cash saved to fund fancy honeymoons to exotic locations, according to experts. Saturday weddings are extremely popular due to the unique benefit of having more guests able to attend during the day. There is also typically no need for them to cut celebrations short so they can make work the next day – meaning the reception can continue late into the night. Sundays are surprisingly unpopular, as although most people have the day off, they will usually have to be up early on the Monday morning. Weddings nowadays, on average, cost around £20,000, according to Bridebook – a free planning app. Hannah Rose, who has worked in the wedding planning industry for 15 years, thinks the changing consumer behaviour is down to couples becoming 'cheapskates'. She told MailOnline: 'Midweek weddings are a budget thing. They are really trying to cut costs.' But Ms Rose, who runs her own wedding planning business, said the savings tend to come from a cheaper venue. She said: 'A lot of venues do deals during the week, because the space is there. 'The space is the space. If they've got the space available, they might as well get a price for it, but everything else is going to cost you the same. 'So if you're hiring a photographer or a planner or a cake, that's all going to be the same price because for a supplier, regardless whether you're doing the wedding on a Saturday or a Wednesday, it's the same amount of time. 'I think the only thing really, that you tend to find is definitely across the board cheaper during the week is your venue. You're more likely to get a deal during the week.' Research from Bridebook, which claims to help plan 70 per cent of UK weddings, shows that couples on average can expect to save from £6,000 to £2,000 for a midweek wedding. The ONS has suggested due more people having second and third marriages these days, they often have them midweek as these tend to be more low-key. While the change in day may save the bride and groom thousands of pounds, it can be a headache for family and friends who would likely need to take annual leave to attend. But although this can be negative, it is also another way that couples save money as the guest list shortens. Instead of having to manually chop guests, which may include family members for those in a big family, Ms Rose says a midweek wedding will cut itself. She said: 'Having a weekday wedding means people are at work, so if they're not that close to you they're probably not going to want to use their holidays to take the time off work. So that can help your guest list. 'One of the biggest things people say to me is, "how can I make my wedding cheaper?" And I say "have less people".' As well as cutting costs, it can also make your wedding more intimate as only those closest to you might make the effort, giving a cozier setting. But a midweek wedding might also have drawbacks, as the looming workday might cause a chunk of your guests to leave early and cause the dance floor to look empty. Ms Rose said: 'The only thing you do find with a midweek wedding is, it does really dip off, and you just end up with like a handful of guests at the end of the night. 'If people have got to go to work the next day. They're not staying and partying all night long.' Ms Rose also said a lot of those looking for midweek weddings were doing so because they wanted to get married in the same year, and getting a Saturday in the summer is difficult as couples often plan the big day years in advance. She explained the wedding industry is now 'very, very different' than it was in 1999 due to social media 'completely changing' things. 'Gone are the days where you just get your dress and go to the church with a photographer, there's so many different things to consider now', she said. But although some couples are looking to cut costs, others are leaning in the other direction and expanding their wedding to cover the entire weekend and even bank holidays. If guests have travelled to a location for the wedding, some hosts are hosting events all weekend, such as a round of golf or a brunch the morning after the ceremony. For couples on a shoestring budget, the Church of England charges a legal fee of just £675 for a church wedding anywhere across the country. However, for those wanting to spend big, the sky is the limit, with some celebrity weddings over the years pushing the bounds of extravagance. Back in 2006, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes were wed in an extraordinarily lavish ceremony that cost a reported £1.5million ($2million). At the time, the ceremony – which took place in an Italian castle and featured a performance by legendary tenor Andrea Bocelli – was one of the priciest in history. Fast forward to 2014, and Kim Kardashian and Kanye West also wed in a historical Italian venue and were serenaded by the aforementioned Bocelli. Their price tag? £2.1million ($2.8million).
