Stylish weddings on a budget

Keeping wedding costs down is possible... without having to serve cans of bitter!

With the average cost of a wedding having passed £17,000, you could be forgiven for wondering if it's worth celebrating.

However, with careful planning, costs can be kept under control and a stylish wedding achieved for a fraction of this figure.

Here are 10 tips to having a splendid day without spending most of your savings or saddling yourself with debt for years to come:

1. Rings

Ask yourself if you really need to spend thousands on something some people lose or which wears out and becomes unusable.

Consider a simple gold band - these can be picked up for under £100 and still look classy. Or discuss using a family heirloom (rings left by grandparents, for example), which might be adjusted to fit for little cost.

- Search: Wedding rings

2. Transport

'Alternative' or amusing transport such as a horse and cart, steam roller or tractor can be cheap to hire.

Ask around and the chances are someone you know or a friend of a friend has a flash car they would be happy to lend (or even drive!) for the big day.

- Search: Wedding cars

3. Food

Think about making the food yourself, or at least the puddings and starters. Ask at local catering colleges if they provide a service; you might still get quality but at half the price. Alternatively, ask everyone to bring a dish!

The wedding cake needn’t be expensive either. Think about making it yourself, or go for a simple sponge. A current trend is to serve small individual ‘cup-cakes’, which aren't expensive but still look nice.

- Search: Catering

4. Reception

Some venues cost the earth. Top hotels, castles and stately homes can all be hired, but these could set you back upwards of £10,000.

Old town or village halls can often be hired cheaply as can large rooms above pubs. Some schools, art galleries and arts centres can also be hired out at a much lower cost than the more traditional hotel venue.

- Search: Venue hire

5. Drinks

It may seem mean, but with a pint costing on average nearly £3, friends and family will understand if a free bar finishes before the end of the night.

One option might be to nip across the Channel and buy your wine there, perhaps saving a couple of pounds a bottle. This would perhaps only be cost-effective if you were really intending on buying a great deal of wine.

- Search: Booze cruise

6. Outfits

For the bride, buying a dress, which may get stained and is then going to hang in a cupboard for the next 50 years, might seem pointless.

Dresses are very expensive (£1,000 is normal) and hiring can be a much cheaper option, costing around £200 for the day. Also, look out for second-hand dresses on eBay and in charity shops.

For the groom, best man and ushers, hiring is the cheapest option (£50 a day), if you're going for the traditional look.

Though why not consider wearing smart suits and dresses instead? At least then the bride would have an outfit to wear in the future and not just for one day.

- Search: Dress hire

7. Flowers

These can be an expensive addition to the day if you go over the top. Think about asking a friend whoÂ’s a keen amateur gardener to take responsibility.

Use local florists and get flowers that are in season. For the reception, consider using silk flowers or very simple arrangements.

- Search: Florists

8. Photography

If you do go for a professional photographer, ensure youÂ’re certain of the number and type of prints you want and ask yourself how many you really need.

Alternatively, ask a friend who has an interest in photography, but make sure they have a good camera.

- Search: Photographers

9. Honeymoon

Do you really need a villa in the Seychelles with every conceivable luxury? Honeymoons can add thousands to wedding costs.

Think of hiring a romantic cottage somewhere in the UK instead. Or take advantage of low-cost flights to a European city and try to negotiate a good hotel deal (especially if you intend to go out of high season).

Alternatively, ask around among friends and family and see if anyone has a second home you could borrow, or at least rent cheaply, in the UK or abroad.

- Search: Honeymoons

10. Finally...

Here's a three-point plan if you really do want to spend absolutely next to nothing:

• Book the registry office and a cab to get there
• Invite a few key friends only
• Ask the nearest Wetherspoon's pub to cordon off an area so you can enjoy special meal deals and cheap beer to celebrate!