How can I save money on wedding decor?

Short answer

Borrow, repurpose and keep it simple. Choose a venue that already looks good, use seasonal flowers, and ask friends and family to lend vases, candles and fabric. Focus spending on one or two statement pieces.

The biggest saving is to let the venue do the work. Pick a room with nice architecture, good light or a garden view, and you will need far less decoration. Then plan decor that can do double duty: ceremony flowers can move to the top table, and chair covers can become table runners.

Borrow what you can. Ask your bridal party, parents and guests if they have vases, jars, candle holders, fairy lights or fabric they are happy to lend. A mismatched collection can look charming and costs nothing. For anything you buy, choose items you can sell or reuse at home afterwards.

Flowers are often the biggest decor cost. Choose seasonal blooms that grow in the UK, and use lots of greenery, which is cheaper. You can also ask a florist for a simple arrangement and add your own foliage from a garden or hedgerow. Candles and tea lights create atmosphere for very little money, and they hide a plain table.

Skip the extras that guests rarely notice, such as elaborate place settings, giant backdrops or confetti cones. Instead, spend on one focal point, like a welcome board or a table plan, and keep the rest clean and simple. If you are handy, make your own signage and bunting, but only if you enjoy it. A stressed DIY project is not a saving.