by Katarzyna Radzka

Created on: May 28, 2009

All brides to be want their wedding day to be perfect. Perfect dress, flowers, reception, church, music. It can all get expensive but you don't need millions to have the perfect wedding, with a bit of planning and thought, you can have a fantastic day even on a budget.

Tighten up the guest list. The more guests at the wedding, the higher the cost. The best thing to do is invite only our closest family and friends. You can invite more people to the ceremony, but be picky with who you invite for the reception, that's where the cost is. At $120 per person, that's $12,000 if you invite 100 guests. Cut that down to only eighty guests and you're automatically saving $2400.

Use family and friends. Most people can find a photographer, driver, baker and DJ in their family. Ask around and see whether anyone is willing to donate some of their time or equipment for your wedding. Do you really need the most expensive limousine to take you to your wedding? Probably not. Does the photographer need to stay the entire night? Organise for friends and family to bring their digital cameras and take snaps throughout the evening. Wedding cakes are expensive. Maybe your aunt or grandma bakes delicious cakes. Ask them to prepare your wedding cake, that way, all you're paying for is the ingredients. Play CD's instead of hiring a band and save even more.

DYI. Forget the wedding planner and decorator, instead opt to do everything yourself, that way you're guaranteed to have things just the way you want them. By decorating the reception and church yourself, you can save hundreds. Go to the markets for your flowers and get your friends together to make lovely arrangements. Use craft books from the library for advice. Invitations can be printed off the computer. If you've got a friend or family member who's a hairdresser or make up artist, use them. No point in forking out $300 when you can do it for free. Or do it yourself. Practice doing your hair before the big day to make sure you get it right. A natural bride is always better than a done up one. If you must go to the hairdresser, get a style & blow dry and don't mention it's for your wedding, that way they won't overcharge you.

Wedding dresses are expensive. Shop around. Check out the sales and second hand stores or even ebay. The resale value of a wedding dress is a fraction of the shop price. Many brides sell theirs and it's an opportunity for you to pick up a bargain. Why spend $2000, when you can get a dress just as perfect for $800 or less. Look for savings where there doesn't seem any.

Get married in the off season. Spring and summer weddings are popular and expensive. There's a high demand for churches and restaurants. Set a date for autumn or winter and you can get big savings. Instead of getting married on a Saturday like everyone else, book your ceremony and reception for Friday afternoon.

Try a modest reception. Restaurants run at exorbitant prices, especially for weddings. Could you have a barbecue instead? Or maybe finger food and some music. It really doesn't have to be a five course affair if that's not your style. You're getting married for you, not for your guests.

Having to plan a wedding on a budget doesn't have to be difficult at all and it shouldn't be a worry. Just because you're cutting costs doesn't mean you can't have fun doing it. In the process you might even pick up a skill or two.

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