"It's not HOW MUCH you spend on the day... It's how you SPEND the day!"

My partner Steve found and read out THIS ARTICLE, claiming that up to a quarter of a million couples will get married this year and with an average budget of... £21,000!

The article 

Hold the bubbly:  

How to have a wedding on a budget 

It's well worth a read!

While I agree with a lot of the article... I have to say... I've never met a couple in North Yorkshire or for that matter, Cleveland, County Durham and Cumbria, who are prepared to spend anywhere near as much as that! Most of my couples are spending between £7,000 & £10,000 ... making the 'average' £8,500.

I understand why suppliers of services hike their prices (and for the record we charge the same, whatever the occasion). It takes far longer to consult with a couple... often many time and with many changes, than it does for all other events. Couples can help themselves more by being clear right from the start and only agree to something once they have firmly made up their minds.

While we don't charge extra for Invitations, no matter what the occasion, we are having to consider a charge which will be incurred if the couple (usually the Bride I'm sorry to say) changes her mind and wants changes to the original consultation.

For a supplier of services, it can be a daunting task when dealing with many, many, emails backwards and forwards and often with days and sometimes weeks in between getting an answer. All this takes time, time that could be better spent producing items for a decisive bride.
In my opinion... why should a couple who come for a consultation (these often take an hour) pay the same as one who changes her mind, before (or even worse after) you've sent her idea for approval. Keeping track of brides emails can be a nightmare.... especially if they are slow to respond to any questions/concerns you may have.


What I don't agree with

£21,000 seems to me to be a ridiculous amount of money to be spending on one day! Certainly in North Yorkshire the budget is far lower. Do you think that the Brides have any less of a 'perfect day'? Absolutely not! I swear that these are London prices! Perhaps the Yorkshire couples are just a bit more savvy with their money and know a bargain when they see one. Hopefully they have more sense. Set a budget and know how to work through it by shopping local.

According to Wedding Budget Planners, Wedding Stationers get the lowest cut of the cake, just 4%.
Now if this is right... that means I get £840 per wedding! Ohhhh YES PLEASE! If this is true then I'm not pricing my work right. Even on an £8,5000 budget I do not get 4%.

If I leave you with nothing else...

it's with this thought....

"It's not HOW MUCH you spend on the day...

It's how you SPEND the day!"