Consumer Corner: How to curb last-minute panic buying ahead of your wedding

One planning ahead tip is planning your meals in advance and preparing your dinners for the week leading up to the big day. If you have spare time a few months or weeks in advance, whip up some meals and freeze them. Also if there’s anyone who is only dying to lend a hand a good job for them could be making a shepherds pie or lasagne that you could freeze.

Jessica O’Sullivan, editor of OneFabDay.com said that it's easy to go overboard with unexpected expenses and non-essential splurges when you have that "sure, we're only doing it once" mentality. However OneFabDay.com has some excellent tips on how to curb your spending and not start married life paying hundreds of euro off your credit card bill.

Buying last minute items in advance can save you time and money in the final few weeks. These are items like make-up or lingerie or gifts. Instead of putting them at the end of your to-do list, bring them to the top. Buying these items when you’re in a pre-wedding fog means you'll be less likely to make considered purchases, said Jessica.

“Buy these items early and that way you can spend time finding the perfect gift or item. For anyone shopping at the last minute this can very often mean shopping badly and making poor choices.” 

The next tip will take strength of mind and that is avoiding giving into pressure. This pressure can often come too from those closest to you like your family and friends. Jessica said that so many couples tell them that they added elements to their wedding that they hadn't planned for because of family pressure at the last minute. These could be anything from the mother of the groom saying that people are worried about getting taxis so you decide to lay on a minibus to someone making a comment about people might be hungry after the meal so you book an ice-cream van.

“We would advise people not to put pressure on themselves and believe in what you have planned. Stick to your guns in the last few days and you won’t regret it. Believe in your initial plan.” We all love the idea of having everything new for an event or big day but there are times when you shouldn’t be afraid to borrow either, especially if that budget is getting to maximum capacity.

Jessica said that many couples and even people planning events will see a lot of small things crop up the week before the big day such as a stand for the wedding cake or fairy lights for the garden. She advises however to ask others who have had weddings recently if you can borrow or even put a shout out on social media for these smaller items. People will generally be only delighted to pass these things on.

A sound piece of advice is to stop and think before you spend. As Jessica points out your cash can start to feel a bit might monopoly money when you are dishing it out in the weeks pre your wedding but remember that this is hard earned cash and try to not throw it away too easily.

“We would say to people to ask yourself what you would do if it wasn't the week of your wedding and consider if you would spend the money you plan to on the items you are willing to pay that money for. Ask yourself do you really need to be buying all these items for the toilet, do you need that many flip-flops for the dancers or can the groomsmen just buy their own socks. Try not to let these things get in the way of being sensible about your spending.” 

As with many things in life it can be difficult to stick to a plan but that is why it can be a sensible move to build in a contingency into your budget. That way if you do go over you won’t feel as bad.