Yes, we know… no one wants to keep on talking about the cost-of-living crisis. However, the fact remains that at the time of typing, the squeeze on many people’s budgets is not going away – at least anytime soon.

That, in turn, might have prompted you to look again at previously carefully laid plans for the use of your wedding budget. If so, you’ll need to be even more stringent with the prioritisation of your spending, considering what truly matters to you and your beloved. 

Here, then, are some of the steps that those of you presently organising weddings in Gibraltarmight look to take if your budget is under even greater pressure right now. 

Choose the basic package of your favoured wedding photographer or videographer 

There might be certain things that you can get away with spending little or nothing on when it comes to planning a wedding, but is a photographer or videographer something you can cut out altogether? We wouldn’t recommend it; after all, your wedding photos and any video footage will be the defining keepsakes from your special day for years to come. 

Many wedding photographers and videographers, though, are responding to the urgency of the moment by making available highly stripped-back packages. It’s also worth remembering that here at Sweet Gibraltar Weddings, even our most ‘basic’ Registry Office package includes photography during the ceremony as part of the price, so it wouldn’t be a separate expense for you to worry about. 

Even if the photographer or videographer you have your eye on doesn’t offer such a cheaper package, it might still be worth talking with them about ways in which the prices of their services could be lowered. Maybe you might be able to reduce the length of time you hire them for, or the number of pictures they take? 

Do your own hair and makeup… or get a friend or relative to help 

Couples planning weddings in Gibraltar who are especially constrained in their budgets might need to consider forgoing the services of professional hairstylists or makeup artists – although if you can still stretch to them, we offer them among our optional services here at Sweet Gibraltar Weddings.

Presuming you do decide to go down the ‘DIY’ route, the good news is that there are many online resources out there, such as wedding makeup and hair tutorials on YouTube, that can help you get your wedding-day look just right. Performing Google searches for terms like ‘best wedding makeup’ will also help you find relevant product recommendations and other tips. 

Perhaps you’re even lucky enough to have a friend, relative, or friend-of-a-friend who is especially good at hair and makeup, and who you could ask for some help and advice? 

Ask for members of the wedding party to pay for their own outfits 

Of course, you will want your bridesmaids, ushers, and other members of your wedding party to look good and feel confident. But if your budget as a couple is as tight as it is for many couples right now, paying for all of their wedding outfits might not be something you can easily cover. 

That, in turn, might necessitate you asking, politely and tactfully, that they provide their own. As long as you are reasonable in your stance on this issue, most members of your wedding party will probably be understanding of the situation, and happy to buy their own attire. 

But of course, it’s important to be mindful that it isn’t just you who is embroiled in cost-of-living pressures at the moment. So, it’s a good idea to let them know of the situation as early as possible, and to provide a colour or other brief guidelines to help them when they are shopping around for the most suitable – and not overly expensive – outfits. 

Cut up the cake for use as wedding favours 

The wedding cake is obviously a staple of many people’s nuptials, as are wedding favours – although in the present climate, a lot of people understandably find it difficult to cover the cost of both those things. So, why not effectively combine them? 

It can be as simple a process as arranging to have slices of your cake given out to guests in little wedding cake boxes or bags. You might complement this with further inexpensive wedding favours, such as wedding-themed tissues or bags of fudge. 

If you’re prepared to use your imagination and to do things on a bit more of a ‘DIY’ basis than you might have initially intended, there are a lot of things you can do to arrange a wedding that isn’t necessarily overly pricey. For more help with the planning of your nuptials, please contact our experts today at Sweet Gibraltar Weddings, whether via phone or email.