Attending your wedding can easily cost your guests several hundred pounds once you add up travel, accommodation, childcare, outfits, and gifts. Making the day affordable for them is just as important as managing your own budget. Make sure you give your guests 18-24 months’ notice to help them plan in advance, and consider choosing a midweek date for better pricing and availability for you and your guests. Select a venue with onsite accommodation to remove the cost of hotels and taxis altogether, opt for a relaxed dress code, and go “no-gifts” to help your guests avoid overspending.
Did you know that the average wedding guest spends £348 on travel, accommodation, outfits, and gifts? When planning your wedding, it’s important to be mindful of the financial pressure on the people you love most, and take steps to reduce this wherever possible.
Here are our top wedding affordability tips to help you plan a beautiful wedding day that won’t leave your guests out of pocket.
RSVPing to your wedding isn’t free for your guests. The costs of travel, a hotel stay, childcare, a new outfit, and a gift quickly add up, and your closest loved ones could be spending several hundred pounds before they even arrive. On the day, they may need to pay for drinks, taxis, and any extras they choose to treat themselves to along the way.
That’s not a reason to shrink your guest list or feel guilty about who you invite. You should instead plan your wedding in a way that reduces costs for your guests and makes it feel even more generous, without adding a penny to your budget. Here’s how.
The easiest thing you can do for your guests’ budgets is to give them plenty of notice. Sending your save the dates 18-24 months before your big day gives them plenty of time to save, request annual leave, and organise childcare or travel. This is much more cost-effective than having to scramble around making arrangements at the last minute.
If you book your wedding at Solton Manor and give your guests enough notice, they could even build a few days’ holiday around your wedding. This allows them to spread the cost over a longer stay and enjoy a much-needed break on the Kent coast, rather than treating it as a last-minute expense. That way, your wedding becomes part of a longer adventure, not just another date in the diary.
Weekend dates fill up fast, and they often come with a higher price tag. Choosing a midweek wedding is one of the most effective ways to keep costs down for you and your guests. You benefit from more venue availability and affordable pricing, while your guests get cheaper rates on travel or hotel stays.
At Solton Manor, we offer midweek multi-day wedding packages at great value prices. You can get the dates you want, even in peak season, at a lower price point. You and your guests can enjoy exclusive use of the Manor House, grounds, and accommodation for up to three days, with endless opportunities to make the estate your own.
Hotels and taxis are two of the biggest costs your guests will face. By booking a venue with onsite accommodation, you eliminate the price tag associated with guest travel and overnight stays, helping to free up their budget so they can enjoy every moment of your day.
At Solton Manor, up to 28 of your guests can stay across our Grade-II listed Manor House and charming Dovecote Cottage. They won’t need to book a taxi or find a nearby hotel – instead, they can just enjoy a short walk back to bed once the party’s over. We also offer a cheaper, more relaxed bell tent glamping option, complete with a toilet block and sauna for good measure. It’s much more sociable and easier on their budget than a hotel room. See our trusted suppliers for more information.
A relaxed dress code takes away the cost and stress of your guests needing to buy something new. Let them know that smart casual is perfectly acceptable, or that they’re welcome to rewear something from another occasion. You could take it a step further and recommend some outfit hire services on your invitation or wedding website. That way, they don’t have to fork out a dress or suit they’ll possibly only wear once.
Take the pressure off your guests when it comes to gifts by asking for no gifts at all. When you send out your wedding invitations, add a short note along the lines of “your presence is the only gift we need” to remove any expectations from the outset. If your guests would still like to give something, you could ask them to contribute towards creating something for the day itself, but the cost and choice is entirely up to them.
FAQs
Yes. Midweek dates typically offer better venue availability and pricing for you, and cheaper travel and hotel stays for your guests. Opting for a midweek wedding is one of the easiest ways to reduce costs across the board.
We recommend giving your wedding guests 18-24 months notice ahead of your wedding date. This gives your guests plenty of time to budget, book annual leave, and plan their travel or childcare well in advance, rather than facing high last-minute costs.
The cheapest way to accommodate your wedding guests is by choosing a venue with onsite accommodation. This removes the cost of taxis and hotel stays altogether. At Solton Manor, your guests can stay in the Manor House, Dovecote Cottage, or our bell tent glamping meadow.
Yes, asking for no wedding gifts is an increasingly popular choice. Send your guests a short note as part of their invitation letting them know that their presence is the only gift you’ll need. If they’d still love to give something, they could contribute by creating something for the day itself.
