How to have your dream wedding without blowing the bank - The Prosperity Project

Many couples plan multi-day weddings specifically to create a series of Instagram-worthy moments. Photo / 123rf

A wedding planner says the oft-quoted statistic of New Zealand weddings costing $30,000 on average is no longer realistic.

The founder of PS I Love You Events, Astrid Braid, told Nadine Higgins on The Prosperity Project podcast that while a smaller wedding budget is always possible, what it buys often isn’t consistent with what couples want.

“Is that doable? Yes, but you would have to make sure that the day is pared back. You have to be really cautious with your guest numbers and keep the overall visual pretty minimalistic. I think that the average spend has probably risen closer to $50-$60,000.”

She says couples often do things in the wrong order by starting with the styling first.

“You should start with your budget, then you should create your guest wish list, and then you should decide on the style of the day - and very much in that order. So, it’s your guest list that fundamentally dictates your budget.”

Wanting something fancier than you can afford isn’t just an issue for those with a small budget, Braid says.

“Even when we are doing these high-end budgets, their budget doesn’t necessarily align with the vision that they’re seeing from these weddings happening in Dubai and in the States where budgets are really an afterthought.”

But she says there are a number of ways to economise that your guests won’t notice, including some tricks of the trade.

“We have been known on really beautiful events to serve Moët or Tattinger and use the bottle and showcase the bottle post-ceremony.

“And then when we get to the sit-down reception and we’ve got speeches and toast, we’re out the back topping those glasses up with Deutz or Lindauer.

“A lot of the time guests have got no clue that they’re not still being served that fancy champagne from earlier.”

Braid recommends not skimping on things like a great photographer but advises there are areas that aren’t worthy of investment.

“We don’t really advocate having favours, because 99% of the time we are picking them up at the end of the night, we are reboxing them and handing them back to our client the next day to take home. So actually, they are a colossal waste of money.”

Listen to the full episode of The Prosperity Project for more insights into the rising costs of weddings, and other tips to try and keep things within budget, including why destination weddings could save you in the long run.

The podcast is hosted by Nadine Higgins, an experienced broadcaster and a financial adviser at Enable Me.

You can follow the podcast at iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes are released every Monday.