Post-lockdown weddings tips for saving for your big day

For so long, soon-to-be newlyweds have faced disappointing setbacks and delays due to the number of guests being drastically curtailed and most wedding ceremonies suspended during peak lockdown.
While couples await a fixed date for the return of larger weddings, many will be starting to plan their nuptials and looking forward to a bigger celebration. Emma-Lou Montgomery, associate director for Personal Investing at Fidelity International has shared a few savvy savings tips for those aiming to tie the knot this year:

1. Get a realistic budget mapped out: According to our research, 22% of 18-34 year olds and quarter (25%) of 35 to 54-year olds experienced a drop in their income due to the pandemic1. With this in mind, there will be those who've made the difficult decision to scale back on their wedding expenses. If you have a budget for a maximum spend of £5,000 for example, over the course of a year you'll need to save just over £400 a month. If you're expecting it to come in closer to £10,000, you'll need to double your monthly savings for the same period. If your dream wedding is more likely to come to £20,000 or more, you'll need to substantially increase your monthly contributions within that year of active saving2.

2. Get a checklist: Start with the "wedding essentials"- these are the more expensive elements you can't imagine walking down the aisle without - and start saving for those items first. While lower cost 'wedding extras' are nice for photos, these can quickly bump up your overall spend if you don't have all your expenses clearly logged somewhere. For example, you're likely going to spend the most on your venue, food and drinks plus there will be fixed costs like your photographer and entertainment to consider. Other things like transportation, decoration, flowers, lighting, and stationery will all have a degree of flexibility and can be adjusted depending on what's leftover in your budget.

3. Get clued up on the latest wedding news: While some level of uncertainty about restrictions continues, it's worth understanding each of your supplier's terms and conditions and whether they have changed the way they operate. This can help to avoid any surprises nearer the day.

4. Get a view on your future: After having your wedding on ice for so long, it can be easy to overlook the need for future savings. However, without some sense of your long-term finances (both independently and shared), you run the risk of starting off married life with some serious debt between you. Starting to create even a small pot of savings or investments earmarked for later in life or continuing to top up your pension could help safeguard you for the future – no matter what comes around the corner.

Sources: 1 Research conducted by Opinium research between 7th January and 12th January 2021 among 12,038 men and women in the UK, Germany, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan. UK-specific findings taken from the global study are based upon sample of 2,004 (990 men and 1014 women).
2 Calculations according to Fidelity International are based on monthly saving of £416.70 for 12 months equating to £5,000.4. £833.40 monthly saving for a year equals £10,000.8 and £1,666.80 saved each month for a year equals to £20,001.6.