Symone and Junior Osei, from Kent, spent just £8,477 on their wedding at Danson House in Bexley, despite the UK average wedding costing £21,990, according to a survey by Hitched. The couple, who married in October, achieved what they describe as an 'affordable luxury' day by leaning on their personal networks and making strategic choices.
How the couple cut costs
Symone, a content creator and tech manager, explained that she and Junior, who works in the music industry, utilised the skills of friends and family to keep expenses down. 'We both utilised the friends, family and connections that we had,' she said. 'I was in the beauty industry at the time so I knew a lot of makeup artists, hair stylists...service providers in general.'
She added: 'My husband is in the music industry so he equally had a lot of mutual friends who helped bring down costs - our two DJs for example are very good friends of ours so having them do the music at the reception was a no-brainer.'
The couple also benefited from a bridesmaid who runs a cake baking company and offered to make the wedding cake at a significant discount. The dinner venue, a relatively new restaurant in the area, was happy to host the wedding, and the couple chose a mid-week date to secure a lower price.
Budget allocation and DIY touches
Symone revealed that the largest portion of the budget went to food, as she believes guests remember the meal above all else. 'We allocated most of our budget to the food. I always find that if nothing else, guests remember the food at weddings,' she said.
She also incorporated DIY elements, such as making her bridal neck scarf from fabric bought at a local arts and crafts store, and arranging bridesmaids' flowers and her bouquet from a local supermarket. The couple's guest list was 50 people, which allowed Symone to plan most of the event solo.
Advice and reflections
Symone described the wedding as 'simple, smaller scale, with the people we knew and loved,' and advised couples to ignore outside opinions. 'Try not to listen to others and have the wedding you want, how you want it,' she said.
The couple did face one challenge: an autumn storm on their wedding day, though it passed quickly. Symone noted that a summer wedding might have offered a better backdrop.
The total breakdown includes: registry venue at £850, photographer at £1,500, a 3-course set menu for 50 guests at £2,475, chauffeur cars at £400, bridal hair at £60, makeup at £280, jewellery at £4, restaurant decor at £1,550, bar tab at £1,000, and cake at £210, totalling £8,477.
