If you are planning your wedding and money is no object, then just go ahead. Basically, you can do whatever you want and simply foot the bill.
However, for most couples today it is not as simple as that. The fact is that your wedding day is the most special of your life, so you want it to be one to be remembered, but for all the right reasons – not because something went spectacularly wrong, nor that you simply could not afford to splash out thousands of pounds.
The best way to arrange your wedding is by planning well in advance, and also by using a wedding decorator whenever possible to provide the ambience that is needed for the reception. It is definitely going to cost some money, but you can probably arrange a very memorable wedding for less than £4,000 – £5,000 all included rather than the “minimum £20,000” that is bandied about so often these days.
To begin with, you need to restrict the number of guests that you invite. With many Indian and African weddings in London it seems to be the “done thing” to invite the world and his wife. The result is that you have a reception which has 300 or 400 people there, and some of them you may never have met, but they are a “third cousin of your mum’s sister-in-law’s uncle”. You really DO need to cut down on the numbers. If you wish, you can have a reception for a small number of people and then have a larger party in the evening.
Cutting down the numbers means that you don’t need to hire the Albert Hall for the reception. You can find some very good venues in local pubs or village halls. It doesn’t matter if they are plain because, as specialist African wedding decorators in London, Kenza Creations can produce some stunning décor on a fairly small budget.
You don’t need to go mad on the bride’s wedding dress either. You can find some white occasion wear dresses that are pretty stunning for less than £100. If the groom has a suit already, just buy a plain white shirt and jaunty cravat or tie to enhance it.
Wedding photographers don’t come cheap, but you may have a family friend whose hobby is photography, and that will save a considerable amount.
Of course, the catering is going to eat up a chunk of money, but even here you can save. If you have, say, 40 guests you should be able to get catering done for £25 a head. Another idea is to have a buffet style barbecue or party instead of the traditional sit-down meal.
As for the wedding cake, you can buy a cake builder from Marks & Spencer where you can order different sized tiers in plain white icing, and a three-tier cake should cost no more than about £60. Decorate it with some coloured ribbons, and you’re done.