Are you planing a wedding and wondering how much it will cost you? According to National Bonds, on average western expats spend around AED 75,000 on their wedding day, whereas UAE nationals can spend up to AED 300,000.
If you’ve got a dream wedding in mind, there’s a lot to consider before sending out the “save the date” cards. Paying for the dress, venue, catering and even the honeymoon can drain your savings. With proper planing and a few tips and tricks you can fund your wedding without burning a hole in your pocket.
Set up a budget
Stay organized while setting up your wedding budgets, so that everything fits in place on your big day. You could try using mobile apps to keep a track of your spends such as Wedding Budget List, Best Budget Free and iDoo – Wedding Planner. According to Fatima, a newly wed:
“I had a simple wedding in mind, and that’s why I kept a mental checklist of things. But soon things started to spiral out of control. I should have written out a budget for everything.”
Greg, a UAE resident says, “I spent so much time planning a budget for the big items, I completely forgot to count the smaller things which really added up in the end.”
Use your credit card wisely
Put all your big spends on a credit card with a miles or rewards program. Use it wisely, pay off debts in time and your credit card will become your best man.
“We traveled on our honeymoon using the air miles we earned on our credit card, with the spends made during the wedding!” says Natasha, a Sharjah resident
Compare credit cards in the UAE
Be willing to sacrifice
Do you really need flower arrangements worth AED 10,000? Think of the areas where you can cut corners. Consider sending out an email invite rather than printed cards or ask one of your friends to manage the music at the wedding rather than hiring a DJ.
Choose off peak dates
Summer time is usually peak season for weddings which means venues, caterers and other suppliers try to make the most of it and increase prices. Why not take advantage of reduced prices and plan your wedding post summer?
Try DIY
Try hand-made items to use at your wedding such as your own wedding gift bags. You can add personal touches to them and give as souvenirs to your guests. You could also experiment with centerpiece designs or even make your own photo booth for the wedding. Check out pinterest for creative DIY ideas for your wedding.
Get some extra help
Ideally you should save up for your big day, but sometimes even with a budget, expenses can spiral out of control. If your finding it difficult to cut back on costs, consider asking your close family relatives for some extra help. If that is not an option you might want to consider taking out a personal loan. Try not to apply for a loan well above your needs as you will eventually have to pay the amount back along with interest/profit. That’s why compare personal loans and apply for the one that suits you best, in terms of the finance amount, interest or profit rate and repayment period.