Congratulations — you’re engaged! With one of the most exciting and memorable times of your lives together on the horizon, it’s easy to let your thoughts, ideas and dreams run away with you when it comes to budgeting for your big day. Aside from a deposit for a home, a wedding is one of the most expensive things you will have to pay for.

As each year passes, wedding costs become more and more expensive, with the average wedding in 2018 costing a staggering £32,273 according to wedding website, Hitched. But worry not. With a few tweaks and budgeting hints and tips, you’ll be able to keep track of where you’re spending your hard-earned pennies and save money too.

Work out your budget BEFORE you start planning

It sounds straightforward. However, many newly-engaged couples head off to choose their venue and other important aspects before they’ve sat down together, either by themselves or with their parents, to discuss the overall budget.

Whether you’re using savings, your family are chipping in or you’re taking out a wedding loan, getting a financial plan in place is crucial to staying on top of your spending during this exciting time.

Researching the average industry cost of each part of the day — from the venue, dress, transportation and ceremony costs — will help you and your partner map out where all of the money will be distributed. By doing so, you might even find that you’ll be able to save money on some elements as well!

Start looking at wedding bands

It’s never too early to start shopping around for wedding bands. There are many different styles available and you will, of course, need to consider how much you’d like to spend. Look online for inspiration and then head to your local jewellers to try some on to get a feel for the type of band you would like to go for.

Getting inspiration for free

From your flowers, makeup and table favours, get inspiration for free instead of venturing off to big expensive wedding shows and exhibitions. Go online to websites like Pinterest which boast thousands upon thousands of inspirational ideas to help you plan for your big day. Have a Facebook account? Why not request to join one of the many national and local wedding planning groups? Share your journey with others, ask questions, get advice and maybe even stumble across some unique ideas for your own big day.