by Natalia Jones

Created on: August 20, 2009   Last Updated: August 22, 2009

The list of expenses for the average wedding can make you head spin. From the dress to the food and bar and not to mention entertainment, you might start having dreams of eloping quietly in a small unknown town. Before you start seriously planning your escape, take a look at the tips below to get some help on keeping your costs down.

1. Something borrowed is actually a great idea. Instead of going it alone, ask those who have recently gotten married to use the accessories for the day. You can potentially save the cost of a ring pillow, flower girl baskets and even the cake top. Every little bit counts when you are on a tight budget.

2. Choose your venue wisely. You don't need to throw your wedding party in a large expensive auditorium. Maybe you have a friend or relation with a beautiful back yard or you can ask to use the church hall. There are many alternative venues if you start thinking outside the box.

3. Trim your invitations or make your own. Fancy invitations with RSVP cards and save the date stickers may be lovely but they are also expensive. You can drastically cut the cost of you invitations by making them yourself with an affordable invitation kit or by simply skipping the extras.

4. Be brutal with your guest list. It is not possible to cater for everyone you come into contact with, so invite only those that have really made an impact on your life. Explain to everyone else that it is a really intimate affair and you are really trying to control the numbers to keep costs down. People get over the slight disappointment a lot easier than you may think if you put it across in the right way.

5. Try to be rational about the dress. There is no denying the importance of the wedding dress, but it needs to be put into perspective. Would you enter your marriage in debt or drain your savings for a dress that you are likely to wear only once? Shop around and even consider buying a used dress to save some money.

6. Call on the skills of your friends. If you have a friend that decorates cakes, ask them to do the wedding cake or desert or maybe you have a creative friend that can help out with the decorations. You should not ask anyone that is also invited to the wedding to do anything that will take away from their enjoyment as a guest. You don't want them to feel like your wedding is a job, so photography or helping by the bar and so on should be contracted out.

7. Decorations. Choose a decorator that can deliver value for money. Using flowers that are in season automatically saves money because they are going to be cheaper. Sit with your decorator to come up with ways to get a high impact with a minimum of output.

8. Get a budget menu. There are ways to provide a satisfying meal that does not have to cost a bundle. Explore your options and choose something that works for you and your guests but is still within the budget.

9. Have a budget bar. No-alcohol weddings are considerably less expensive, but if there is no way you could get away with that with your crowd you may have to come up with more innovative ways of stretching the alcohol budget. Consider not serving alcohol before the bridal party arrives at the venue. You can also try to get your alcohol on consignment so you can get a refund on what is not opened. Shopping at a wholesaler may also deliver some savings.

10. Go with a DJ. Having live entertainment is nice but going with a DJ is a lot more affordable. Get a DJ that you feel confident will be able to go with the flow and get the party going.

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