Weddings are beautiful, emotional, expensive headaches. The average U.S. couple now drops somewhere between $30,000 and $35,000 to feed, seat, and please everyone from their grandmother to their coworker’s plus-one they’ve never met. But according to veteran UK wedding planner Hayley Evans (@amae.weddings on TikTok), many couples are blowing money on things that no one notices and no one cares about, sometimes before they’ve even booked the venue.
Here’s where she says most couples get it wrong.
The Big Wedding Money-Wasters, According to a Pro
1. Party Favors
“They are always a waste,” Evans told Absolutely Business. Most people forget to take them home. The rest? Straight to the trash. She recommends putting that money toward something useful, like a charity donation or better food.
2. Upgrading Champagne
Nobody’s dissecting your bubbles. “Nobody will know if you’ve upgraded from Prosecco to Champagne, apart from the experts, maybe,” Evans said. And when Champagne can double your drinks budget, that’s a lot of money for a detail most guests will miss.
3. Open Bars
Evans suggests skipping the free-for-all and going with one or two signature cocktails instead. Your friends will survive without their third tequila shot. Also, no one wants sloppy guests.
4. Five-Course Meals
“A well-balanced three-course meal can feel just as luxurious as five when thoughtfully chosen,” Evans said. Seasonal and simple almost always wins.
5. Impulse Buys
Buying bridesmaid dresses before you’ve picked a color scheme. Hiring a photographer before the venue. Ordering things just because they’re “cute.” It adds up. “Sleep on non-essentials,” she said. “All of that money just goes in the bin.”
6. Booking Off Instagram Alone
“Always read reviews, ask for quotes, and compare values,” she advises. Loving someone’s pastel wedding reel doesn’t mean they’re good at their job. And a planner, even for partial planning, often pays for itself in avoided mistakes.
7. Inviting Everyone You’ve Ever Met
Evans calls it the “Dinner Test”: if you wouldn’t gladly buy them a full day’s worth of food and drinks, do they really need a seat? Cutting back the guest list means better service, better wine, and fewer people asking if they can bring their new boyfriend.
8. Fresh Flowers Everywhere
Skip the flower explosion. Focus on high-impact areas: entrances, dinner tables, photo spots. Reuse arrangements from the ceremony to the reception. And maybe choose a naturally good-looking venue so you don’t have to hide it under hydrangeas.
Evans also recommends using a DJ over a band, sample sales over designer gowns, and digital invites over paper ones. Her goal isn’t to make your wedding cheap; it’s to make it smart. Thoughtful doesn’t have to mean overspending. Sometimes it just means knowing when to say no to the frivolous “cutesy” things.
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