With the average wedding now costing in excess of £18,000, many couples looking to tie the knot are facing a choice between giving up long-held dreams or starting their married lives heavily into debt. Fortunately, with a little thought and the help of some creative friends, you can still enjoy the wedding of your dreams with a DIY celebration.
Instead of forking out lots of money for a specialist wedding venue, look at alternative spaces in your area that could still meet your requirements. Village and church halls often have all the basic facilities you need, and are blank canvasses that can be transformed to fit any theme. Simple and inexpensive decorations like fairy lights and fabric drapes can easily create a magical environment, and don't need any special artistic talents to arrange.
If you are lucky enough to have creative friends, get them involved in your DIY wedding. Those of an artistic bent can be put to good use making table decorations, invitations, wedding favours etc., while foodie friends can be called upon to contribute a dish or two to a buffet-style meal. For the evening entertainment, if you're not lucky enough to have any musical friends, check out your local music scene for up-and-coming bands. Many of these will be far more entertaining than your average wedding band, and available at a fraction of the price.
You can save more money by taking a more creative approach to other essential items on your wedding checklist. Check websites like ebay or ask at your local college for promising design students to get great deals on beautiful wedding and bridesmaids dresses, and consider hiring a photography student to take photos on the big day. Want a fancy wedding car? Why not go for a self-drive option over a chauffeur-driven car to save money and enjoy more freedom and flexibility on your big day? While your DIY wedding might not have all the trimmings you might have wanted, you'll be sure to have an amazing day - and one even more memorable because of all the personal touches.