Weddings On A Budget

Elope -  Elope! That is one sure way to save a ton of money on a wedding. Elope to Hawaii, get married on a cruise ship or get married Viva Las Vegas style with an Elvis theme wedding in Las Vegas. Where ever you go, it will surely cost less than an expensive wedding.

Wedding Date - Get married during the week or on a Friday night. Weekday weddings are less expensive than weekend weddings.  

Wedding Location - Get married at a low cost location, such as the beach, by a lake, at a park, in a friends backyard.

Wedding Dress -  If you are wearing a wedding dress other than white, shop in the bridesmaid section at a bridal store or shop at a department store. Look in the prom dress section too. This will be cheaper than shopping in the bride section. If you do plan to wear a white dress, consider purchasing a used one. Most brides only were their wedding dress once, so the used ones are usually in pretty good condition. If you don't want a used wedding dress, shop for your wedding dress at a wedding discount store. Well, you could always wear your moms old wedding dress for tradition. It's free too!

Wedding Invitations - Make your own invitations. There are several different invitation maker programs on the market and a ton of "How to make your own invitation" articles on the Internet.

Wedding Cake - Instead of a traditional wedding cake have fancy cupcakes or a cupcake tower.

Wedding Guests - Set a limit to the number of guest you invite. Make a list of everyone you want to invite and then go over the list and take 5-10 people off.

Wedding Photographer - Eliminate the cost of a high priced wedding photographer by having a friend or family member take photos. You could also place cameras on each table at the reception and ask your guests to take photos of their choice. Sometimes these pictures turn out to be the best ones. You'll be surprise when you get the film developed.

Wedding Food and Drinks - Buffets are the cheapest way to go. If you have an open bar, close it an hour before the wedding ends.

Wedding Favors - Instead of purchasing expensive wedding favors, set up a candy buffet for your guests to enjoy. Place some cello bags on the table so they can take some candy home. Purchase the candy at a wholesale candy store. 

Wedding Flowers - Flowers are not the only way to set a scene in a room. Replace the flowers with balloons. Balloons can transform a place for a fraction of the cost. You could also have your wedding at a garden location where there are already lots of beautiful flowers.

Honeymoon -  Create a honeymoon registry or check with friends and family to see if anyone owns a vacation rental that you can stay in. Use travel discounts that are available on Internet. If you have frequent flyer miles, use them. Plan your Honeymoon during the off-season when travel and hotel stays are cheaper.