The wedding guide: How to save when planning your big day

Planning a wedding? We know that weddings can be pricey with the average cost being around $65,000 in Australia (2017). And we know, no matter what the budget, is everyone wants to save some money where they can. Our wedding guide is here to help point you in the right direction on saving money from gowns to the honeymoon and more.

Here are a few tips and some ideas on where to purchase your wedding day essentials and get cashback on your big day’s expenses.

Gowns

Okay, if you’re not getting your gown specially made or you’re looking for something you can change into at the reception, then Moda Operandi, Needle & Thread, Showpo, NET-A-PORTER and a range of other stores offer a selection of show-stopping, ready to wear dresses and gowns. And best of all, you’ll earn cashback on your purchases.

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Shoes

Whether it’s shoes for the bride, groom or bridal party, you can be spoilt for choice. If you or your bridesmaids are wearing a short dress, you’ll want to go for a pair that are a statement piece. With short dresses, the shoes are a key feature of the outfit. For the groom and groomsmen, change it up a little. If the suites are blue, go for a tan or brown shoe rather than black. You can shop for shoes at Siren, Wittner, David Jones, Myer and many more stores and save yourself some money with cashback on your purchase.

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Accessories

Costume jewellery can cost a small fortune. For the bride and her bridesmaids, you could end up paying for earrings, bracelets, hair clips, necklaces and plenty more. Lovisa has a bridal range of gorgeous accessories, and Colette has a range of jewellery and bags to match any outfit. Shop both these stores and earn up to 5.6% cashback.

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Honeymoon

One of the hardest decisions you’ll have to make, other than the decision about the wedding dress, is where in the world to honeymoon. Europe is always popular between June and September. If you want somewhere closer to home, Hawaii, Thailand, the Maldives and Bali are all hotspots. You can plan and book your travel and earn cashback on your airfares and accommodation with Virgin Australia, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Luxury Escapes, Booking.com, Hotels.com, Agoda and more. Cashback on your honeymoon – think of the extra money you’ll have once you’re back home.

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Bridesmaids Dresses

There are two ways to approach the whole bridesmaid expense thing. One, you can ask your bridesmaids to contribute a portion of the outfit cost, or two, you could foot the bill on the entire outfit – it all depends on your budget. Either way, purchasing gorgeous dresses from ASOS, Needle & Thread, NET-A-PORTER and Showpo will save you and them money with up to 5.6% cashback. There are so many stores available through Cashrewards that no matter what the budget is, you’ll find that perfect bridesmaids dress. Hint: try personalising each dress to your bridesmaid. Get them a multi-way dress so they can each personalise to their style – with your blessings of course! The dresses will look the same but will be different at the same time.

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Groom and Groomsmen

Looking for a suit or tux? Whether it’s a traditional celebration or a more casual affair, M.J. Bale, David Jones, Hawes and Curtis, Mainline Menswear and more have a range of suites and less formal attire to choose from. The groom and groomsmen will be looking sharp, and the happy couple can relax knowing they’ve saved money with the cashback they’ll be receiving.

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Invites, save the dates, stationery and bonbonniere

You can find plenty of unique invites, bonbonniere (party favours) and all your stationery needs from stores like Etsy, hardtofind and Minted. Select from a range of ready-made invites or have them custom made to your liking. You can receive between 1.4% and 3.5% cashback.

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This wedding guide was written to help you get inspired with options for your wedding preparations, as well as to save you money where possible. However, we know that wedding planning is not as simple as browsing the internet. So, if you’re heading out to the shops to find what you need, you can earn cashback in-store at Novo Shoes, Nine West, Forever New and many more stores. Simply link your valid Visa card, activate the offer and shop as normal. For more on In-Store Offers see our how-to guide.

Disclaimer

Some items in this article may not be eligible for cashback. Deals, products, displayed prices, cashback rates and available retailers through Cashrewards mentioned above may change at any time without notice. This article has not been specifically sponsored in any way, by any retailer, although Cashrewards has ongoing partnerships with the stores mentioned above in order to provide you cashback at these stores.

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