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According to Bridebook’s 2018 UK Wedding Report, the average cost of a British wedding in 2017 was £17,900. With that in mind, it’s no wonder couples are considering DIY and reducing the number of suppliers as a way of keeping costs down. But does this really save money?
DIY wedding cost of venue
Choosing the right venue can have a massive impact on overall budget. It is possible to find beautiful venues at low cost that provide the room and space. Maybe you know someone with a barn or large garden. Perhaps a village hall or a social club with a function room.
Before booking a space that’s very cheap, check what’s included to be sure you won’t have to pay for essential items on top. If you need to add a marquee, the price rockets. Banqueting tables, chairs, table linen, a licensed bar and a dance floor add cost may be included elsewhere. A more expensive venue may come with lots of goodies that would otherwise have to be paid for separately.
DIY wedding cost of venue dressing
Doing your own venue dressing can help keep your DIY wedding cost down. In our experience, couples LOVE that our wedding barn is a blank slate. It allows complete customisation for a totally unique wedding. Even taking down the decorations can be fun with the help of family and friends, as long as you don’t have to do it at the end of the evening.
Usually, decorating the venue is the most fun part of a DIY wedding. Couples do it because they want to and not only because it is cheaper. However, professional venue dressing can take the burden off couples who aren’t crafty or creative and needn’t cost a packet.
DIY Wedding cost of food and drink
Catering is a biggie and often comes in as the second highest expense for a wedding after the venue itself. Catering for your guests may be an option if you have family members who love cooking. Be sure you have a plan for cleaning up. Many DIY venues offer a dry bar that you can man yourself and this can save money.
Check with venues on self-catering facilities, if they allow mobile caterers or if they charge corkage. Think carefully before making the decision to feed guests yourselves. The last thing you need is a self-catering disaster at your DIY wedding.
DIY wedding cost of clear-up
Where to start? This is the piece that most wedding DIYers underestimate. This is partly because no-one thinks about the continuous clean-up that needs to happen during the day and partly because when your wedding is in full swing, friends and family won’t want to clear tables, move furniture, wash glasses and throw away trash, even if that was the plan.
Check if your venue provides or hires out staff to help with these less-than-glamorous activities that are essential to the smooth-running of your wedding. If it doesn’t, be SURE to have responsible adults in charge of keeping the space clean and tidy.
How much does a DIY wedding cost?
There is no definitive answer to this question. You can have a low cost or a high cost DIY wedding. An army of friends and family to help with set-up, venue dressing, catering, bar management, take-down and clean-up can be a HUGE financial cost saver. But don’t kid yourself that it’s free or cheap. You may not part with wads of cash, but someone is paying in time and effort. We advise DIYing the parts you really love and leaving the rest to professionals.
Assisted DIY Venue Hire at Barnutopia
Our assisted DIY venue hire package is designed to help get the most out of your time and money so you can enjoy a stress-free wedding.
