Splash or slash: What you should stop wasting your wedding budget on

Why, hello there, moneybags! Wedding planning is practically effortless when you’ve got an unlimited budget for seventeen couture gowns, a menu personally designed by Bobby Flay, and, naturally, a life-size ice sculpture of you and your amor locked in a rapturous embrace. Unless that sounds exactly like your wedding (and in that case, congrats, Beyoncé), let’s talk about the things you should splash or slash your precious budget on. 1234

Splash: Food Glorious Food

No one wants a throng of hangry guests at their wedding… especially if there’s free-flowing champagne all night. Food is both a practical necessity and one of the most sentimental parts of any celebration.

Think delicious and filling with ample portions to go around. Ideally, you want your guests’ conversations to sound a little like this in the months, nay, years following your wedding feast:

Guest one: “Remember that to-die-for lemon-herbed ricotta ravioli with sage butter and—”

Guest two: “—roasted pine nuts?! Remember it?! I’ve dreamt about it every night since…”

Slash: Too many outfit changes

Sure, slipping into a second, third, FOURTH look appears fabulous on Instagram, but here’s the catch: every outfit change means less time actually at your own wedding. Do you really want to spend half the night in a bathroom with your bridesmaids wrestling with zips and ties while your guests are on the dance floor without you?

Splash: A wedding look that will make your nan cry (in a good way)

If there’s one outfit that deserves the spotlight, it’s your wedding dress. You’ll never regret investing in the gown that makes you feel like the main character and has your nan reaching for the tissues before you’ve even walked down the aisle. You can wear minis and suits for years to come, but that once-in-a-lifetime dress? That’s the moment everyone will remember… including you.

Splash: A gorgeous venue

Spending on a beautiful venue is rarely wasted. The right setting gives you stunning photos and sets the mood the moment your guests arrive. Whether it is a grand hall, a hidden garden or a breezy coastal spot, a gorgeous venue does half the heavy lifting for you. You will not need to drown it in décor when the backdrop itself is jaw dropping.

Another bonus is how much is usually wrapped into the hire fee. Think tables, chairs, glassware, linens, staff, and sometimes even lighting and sound. When you add up what you would otherwise need to source separately, a well chosen venue can save you from a long list of rentals and logistics. It is one of those splurges that often pays for itself in both time and stress saved.

Slash: A cake to feed an army

You do not need a skyscraper-sized cake for it to be memorable. Smaller cakes are having a big moment, and the options are cooler than ever. Think petite single-tier cakes with modern buttercream textures, tiny vintage-style cakes straight out of your Pinterest board, or chic cutting cakes paired with a dessert table of doughnuts, brownies or tarts.

Not only are they stylish and personal, but you can mix and match flavours, play with bold designs, and still get that all-important cake-cutting photo. The best part? Nothing goes to waste, and your guests get variety without you footing the bill for three tiers of uneaten sponge.

Splash: Photos you’ll actually frame

Tempted to ask your cousin who is doing a minor in photography at uni? Think again. Your wedding day moves fast, and you will want someone who can catch every laugh, every tear and every dance floor mishap without missing a beat.

Professional photographers know how to turn fleeting moments into the kinds of images you will actually frame, not just leave in a camera roll. These are the photos you will come back to on anniversaries, show your kids one day and maybe even make your nan cry all over again.

Slash: Extra décor no one notices

That second floral arch, the seventh set of centrepieces or those monogrammed cocktail napkins? Gorgeous in theory, but most guests will never clock them. Once the music starts and the champagne flows, the finer details tend to fade into the background.

It is better to focus your budget on a few statement pieces that set the tone, such as an incredible ceremony backdrop, dramatic lighting or standout table arrangements. The rest is often lost in the blur of the evening, and you will be glad you saved your money for something more lasting.

Slash: The priorities of someone else

It is easy to get swept up in the opinions of family and friends, especially when everyone has an idea of what your wedding should look like. Before you know it, you are adding a champagne tower because your aunt saw it in a movie or booking a string quartet because your mum always dreamed of it.

Your wedding should reflect you as a couple.  Spending big to tick off someone else’s wish list usually leads to regret, while focusing on what makes you both happiest is money well spent every time.

Splash: The things that are important to YOU

It is not money wasted if it makes your heart race with excitement. Maybe it is a mariachi band for cocktail hour, a champagne tower that sparkles at midnight, or alpacas dressed in bow ties for the photo session. For some couples it might be custom sneakers, for others it could be fireworks over the dance floor.

What feels over the top to one person can be the highlight of the night for another. If it matters to you, then it deserves a spot in your budget. After all, those are the touches that make your wedding feel like yours and not just another pretty party.