Got engaged? Now what!?

January 12, 2023

Did you or your significant other pop the big question recently? If so, congratulations! While you may want to jump straight into planning your dream wedding, we all know that they don’t come cheap. Check out our tips to help you cut costs while still having the wedding you’ve always wanted.

Set a budget

With the average Irish wedding costing about €30,000, costs can quickly spiral. A good way to help you stay on track is to set a budget before you begin. You should also be realistic about what you can afford to spend, make a household budget and see how much you can afford to save for your wedding each month. A good starting point for your budget could be to see how many months there are until your wedding date, and multiply this by how much you can afford to save each month.

Start a savings plan

To avoid starting your married life with debt, consider opening a savings account dedicated to your wedding costs. Putting away a set amount regularly will see your savings mount up quickly, and will also help to spread the cost in the months coming up to the wedding. Having a separate account will also help you to avoid the temptation to dip into your wedding savings. You can even opt for a savings account that means you have to give a certain amount of notice before you can withdraw money.

Be flexible

Everyone wants their big day to be perfect, but you’d be surprised at the ways you can make savings without compromising on the most important things. A great money-saving trick is to get married off-peak, as the month and the day you choose could save you thousands of euro.

Go digital

Instead of spending a lot of money designing, printing and posting save-the-dates, customise a free version online and email it to your guests. If you want to even more savings, you could also do this with your actual invites.

Do your homework

With so much information available at our fingertips, it’s easy (and advisable) to do some research before you pay for anything. Join online discussion forums and read up on wedding blogs to find out about other people’s experiences with suppliers and ways you can make savings. You should also be wary of scams – scammers are always looking for ways to con people, and the last thing you want is to become a victim of a scam and lose your money. If you are signing a contract with any suppliers, make sure you check out the terms and conditions and understand the obligations on you and the suppliers and what happens to deposits and payments.

Return to News