Weddings on a budget

Some venues have more hidden charges than Ryanair – one MoneySaver had to pay extra to hire a cake knife. So before booking, ask as many questions as possible and get important answers in writing.

Some of the key questions to ask before signing are below – hopefully they'll help you find a suitable but cheap wedding venue:

• Crucially, does the price include VAT?
• How much is corkage?
• Are there any extra staff costs and is service included?
• Is there a minimum headcount or charge per person?
• Is the cloakroom free?
• Are there extra costs for lighting?
• Is there a marquee hire charge?
• Is there a charge for tables, crockery, glasses, linen or chairs?
• Will we get exclusive use or are there other weddings there on the same day or the next day?
• If it's a hotel, does it give reduced room rates for guests?
• Do we have to use certain 'approved' suppliers?
• Can we access the venue before the big day to add our own decorations?

Outlets sell end-of-line bargains – ideal for snapping up suits, shoes, cheap bridesmaids' dresses and more.

Nowadays you don't need to drive miles to an out-of-town outlet store – lots of high street and high-end stores have online outlet stores, either via eBay* or special websites.

See our Outlet Stores guide for a list of big names including Asos, Office, Reiss and more.

Weddings are an expensive and emotional business, so you should carefully consider if you need insurance.

Wedding insurance covers a problem with the venue or a supplier, or a key wedding party member falling ill. It doesn't cover a change of heart.

Our Wedding Insurance guide explains the basics of insurance for a wedding or civil partnership, everything it covers and how to get it cheaply.

Whether they're wedding gowns, cake stands or champagne flutes, eBay sellers often specify items must be collected in person. As this often means fewer bids, there are bargains to be had.

You can't normally search "collection-only" sales, so we've built a mapping tool. Tell our Local eBay Deals Mapper your postcode, plus how far you're prepared to schlep, and it maps nearby gems.

For more help tracking down hidden bargains, our eBay Buying Secrets guide lists tools to find underpriced goods, exploit spelling mistakes, auto-bid to cheaply seal deals and more. 

Designing and making your own invites is easy, especially if you use free DIY printing sites such as Wedding Chicks.

Of course, you'll have to pay for paper and ink when you print them out yourself (although if you really want to keep it free, you could email them instead). Alternatively, why not ask your workplace if they'll let you use its company discount on stationery?

You could get creative on design app Canva  - search for 'wedding invite' to find templates for save the date cards and invitations which you can then download. Many are free, or a monthly subscription which gives you access to more designs is £12.00 (don't forget to cancel if you opt for this to access the design you want).

If you're willing to pay just a little, then Etsy – a site which is a bit like an eBay for arts and crafts – is full of sellers who will design bespoke invitations for as little as £5 and email you a PDF to print off yourself. Just search for 'printable wedding invitation'.

Try Vistaprint for super-cheap self-designed cards or scour eBay* for cheap sellers. If you do pay for invites, always check if the cost includes envelopes and factor in the cost of postage.

Instead of posting save the date cards, let people know by text or email. Alternatively, create an event on Facebook (choose 'private' in the event's privacy section, so only guests can see). If you are printing or ordering, remember you only need an invite per couple or household, not per person.

Small sacrifices can boost your wedding coffers. If your big day is a year away, cut out something today that you buy every day. If you cut out £2 on crisps and Coke each day, you'd have 365 x £2 to spend, making £730.

Try our Demotivator tool, which reveals your annual spend on coffees, snacks, cigs, mags and other discretionary purchases to help you cut back.

Too many people only consider wedding gifts at the last moment. But they can be worth a significant amount of cash so consider as soon as you can what you want people to get and how that fits in with your own financial plans – so that the two fit together. See Martin's blog: Am I alone in wanting to know what to give to couples?.

Think very carefully about guests. The numbers soon add up: 70 sounds a lot, but it's only 15 members of each person's family, then 10 friends each with partners. Narrow down your guest list. Stick to close friends and family. And if you want to invite more, just do it to the evening disco. 

Play the wedding prioritisation game above and work out what's more important to you – gold-embossed invites or including ex-colleagues?