Don’t waste your money on these things on your wedding day!
We see this pattern of spending all of the time - a couple starts with a clear budget but then randomly starts spending on things which they don’t need or sometimes even want! To have the best wedding you have been dreaming of, make sure you do the most important things really well, not all the things not so well. Give you guests an amazing experience by investing your budget in the right areas.
It is in easy road to find yourself down, especially as you draw closer to the big day and nerves get interwined with the feeling that you must go bigger or buy more. The best advice is work out what is important to you and stick to it. And in case you were wondering, catering should always be a priority at an Italian wedding!
Prosecco for speeches
It’s not common in Italy to have Prosecco for the toast during speeches. Guests tend to be very happy to stick with the drink they already have at the table. Plus, you avoid the distraction of catering staff filling everyone’s glass with a bit of fizz.
Photo: Studio Chloe David
2. Favours
Unless they are meaningful or you know they will be absolutely loved, you don’t need to spend on wasted plastic which will likely get forgotten and left at the table.
LL Tip: have someone collect the favours left at the end of the night, as guests after a few drinks are forgetful.
Photo: Grace & Mitch
3. Midnight
snacks
With an Italian wedding, you will be eating later in the day and expect to be finishing the main meal at 10/10.30pm. Followed by wedding cake or millefoglie. So trust us, your guests will be hitting the dance floor with full bellies! Food later tends to be ignored or goes cold and unappetising. Save yourself 300-400 euro here!
Photo: Paulina Weddings | Catering: Il Sorriso Ricevimenti
4. Drinks that won’t get drunk
We’ve said it before, we will say it again - a paid bar is a must for a destination wedding! But, the last 30 mins - 1 hour before the transport comes people really have had their fill of drinks. Dancing is in full swing and drinks get poured and then forgotten.
Consider closing the bar at this time to avoid wasted drinks which you are paying for.
LL Tip: Announce the bar is closing, allow for final drinks and guests know the party is coming to a close.
Photo: Studio Chloe David
5. Lots of Lights
Instagram is brimming with magnificent posts of Italian weddings adorned with stunning lighting, but trust us too much lighting makes it too bright - you lose the atmosphere. Plus photographers and videographers find lots of lights a really struggle when capturing those epic shots.
Photo: Paulina Weddings
6. Catering at other events
Invest your money into the wedding day itself. Don’t blow your budget by catering at every event if you can’t stretch to this. Be smart when considering the pre and post celebrations…perhaps just aperitif the day before and a pizza take-away the day after.
LL Tip: Don’t take on too much yourself - shopping or BBQ-ing the day before your wedding is no fun!
Photo: Marielle Catherine Albers
7. Photographer at all events
Let’s face it, the photos you are going to cherish are the professional ones taken on your wedding day. It might be nice to have photos at the welcome reception as people greet each other. But do you really want hangovers and the wedding aftermath documented? Save this money and put it into the budget to get a fabulous photographer and videographer at the main event.
LL Tip: Consider a local photographer to photograph the other events or trust guests to capture memories.
Photo: Taylor-Hughes
Looking for more detailed advice? In our membership The Club, our founder Lucy explains everything you need to know about planning an Italian wedding. Come and get your seat today.
Written by Lucy White, Founder of La Lista & Wiskow & White, with over 200 Italian weddings worth of experience.
