Our top tips for planning an A-lister party on a budget

Planning a great wedding party can be stressful enough, without having to worry about your budget – especially if you have dreams for your event to be rivaling the Kardashians dos! There are already so many things you need to think about, such as choosing the right theme and venue, sorting the guest list, and ensuring you have the right finishing touches. From the music and the lighting, to the decorations and the food and beverages, you want to ensure you make the right impression without breaking the bank.

Fortunately, there are a number of things you can do that will help to create that A-lister celebration whilst keeping your budget in check.

Charlie, a Marketing Executive speaking on the behalf of Hatton & Co, advises: "An A-list wedding or party starts with the planning. There are no two ways about it; if you fail to prepare, then you're preparing to fail. So, the following are a few tips and tricks to creating the perfect day on a budget.

"Firstly, planning is everything. So, for that reason, you should start early. Now some people have been planning their dream wedding since they were little. That's great! You know what you're looking for and you can get started straight away. Schedule different meetings to look at flowers, cakes and colours.

"Secondly, be prepared to compromise. Planning a wedding on a budget is the most simple of tasks which is why you need to be able to compromise and make sure you don't break the bank. After that, you should take a look at the guest list. This one will be a hard thing to do but you're going to have to only invite the people that are important to you. Your closest friends and family. and then draw the line there. Having a bloated guest list will create a great expense which you may not be able to afford."

Take a look at our other tips and tricks below...

Get creative!

Todich Floral Design advises: "Leave the main room styling to the professionals but the smaller details that can be done beforehand are ideal for you to do yourself – like the invitations, place settings etc! You could organize a girly night in with your bridesmaids to get crafty (with some prosecco and pizza of course!)"

Jacinta Richmond, Founder and Director of the Sunshine Coast International Fashion Festival, says: "Use Canva (an online tool) to design the invites yourself, and either send them through email, or use VistaPrint to print them.

Sonny Davies "Entertainment is easy - that's what iTunes is for! Alternatively, invite along friends who are a DJ, emcee or comic, or that cousin who your mum says is a good singer (though beware of that last one - it's never a good move)."

Jason Rubio, a certified wedding and event planner at Austin Best DJs, also adds that you shop around as much as possible. He says: "With the internet, it's so easy to get quotes from various vendors. Don't book the first vendor with the lowest price. Remember to look at the value of what you're paying for, not simply the lowest price. You may get more value from a vendor who is not the cheapest!"

Spend Wisely

Rebecca Aspin, Founder of Sell My Wedding encourages people to "start buying preloved and sell on aftee the big day. Their most popular items remain décor alongside accessories such as shoes, veils and headpieces as you are often unable to tell that these items have been used. Handmade décor for example signs, table plans, bars and photo booths are also popular as brides want to create something of that look, without actually doing any of the DIY themselves. This also means that you are getting a one-off 'talking point' item not available elsewhere."

Peter Rolfe and Victoria Larder, the owners of PAVE London state that "although there is usually a relatively equal spend between venue, lighting, sound, decore, entertainment, food and drink, and extras, typically the venue and food and drink require a larger spend. They add that "it is important to remember that when it comes to budget people and emotional/personal moments are free."

Adeline Lawrence, Director at One & Together Events, adds: "Champagne dreams but cannot afford champagne? Look for sales from the bottle store, you would be surprised how much you can save. Otherwise, get a decent bubbly (prosecco or cremant), add some crème de cassis (or raspberry), add a frozen berry in the glass and voilà, you have a beautiful kir royal, the guests are wowed by your sophistication, and pink drinks make super insta-worthy photos."

Additionally, a wedding cake is a fundamental part of the celebrations, and no marriage would be complete without the bride and groom cutting the cake.. You can go big on creative flair on a cake while staying small(ish) on prices. Piece of cake!

Save money on a venue by hosting your party at home

HWB accountants who know a little a bit about money suggest that "this is a particularly good idea in summer as you can utilize your garden and any outside space. You can hire in extra furniture and use fairy lighting and trees to hang décor from.

Alternatively...

"Hire a venue that already has the equipment/facilities you need, such as a bar area, dance floor, tables and chairs, etc. If you can get a great package with your venue, you can spend more on your lighting and decorations to give it your own personal touch and add that a list glam." - Flowers24hours.co.uk

Decorate the space wisely

Decorating your venue to A list standard doesn’t have to be expensive. Just look at the flower wall trend started by Kim and Kanye, these are the trend of 2018/19 and are widely available to hire and make an incredible backdrop for photos!

As our tips show, with careful planning there are a number of things you can do to plan an enjoyable A-lister party on a budget!

John Linden from MirrorCoop, is a interior and furniture designer from Los Angeles. He adds the following advice for planning an A-lister party with a limited budget: "The most important thing to do when throwing a good party on a budget? Stop listening to people who tell you that you "must" do anything. For example, if someone tells you that you have to have a DJ or a band for entertainment, they've probably never been to a good party. I've been to amazing parties where the music was provided by an iPod hooked up to a speaker, and that's how a lot of DJs operate these days anyway.

What about 'the dress' in 2019?

We took some time to speak with the Natalie Churchill from Only Dream Dresses...

"With the welcome changes to the Marriage Act last year, more of the traditions and rules for weddings went out the door.

You can wear a stunning white dress if you want to, but you can also wear anything else you like. Some brides and grooms are not into white, or dresses, or anything traditional. Creativity and variety in bridal styles in 2019 are more exciting than they have ever been before.

You might be looking for a bridal outfit that perfectly matches your partner’s, or that contrasts with theirs delightfully in the way that their personality also offers the perfect opposite to yours.

You might also be looking for one wedding outfit for the whole day, or perhaps you are excited about the increasing trend of changing into a second outfit for the reception to be more after-party ready. The sky is the limit, and more than ever, you have the freedom to wear whatever you like." Whether it's designer or Debenhams as long as you look great, that's all that matters.

"I don't want to be a party pooper or anything" advises Doug Kelley, Bluedrop Services "but when planning these parties make sure you have secure backup plans in place, and also we always recommended taking out insurance"