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Here are some things I tried that worked for me when I had my wedding:

1. Hire a garden/flower nursery to do your floral arrangements and bouquets - SO MUCH cheaper than a florist. Some will deliver, some will not. If they don't deliver, make sure someone can pick them up on your wedding day, and will know where to place them.

2. In your floral arrangements, choose inexpensive flowers/greenery for the bulk and the more expensive ones for colour. I did salal greens and hydrangea with orchids and roses - just a suggestion.

3. Select a set-menu, rather than a custom or a la carte menu. Your guests will still have options, but you save by having the restaurant use ingredients that are kept in stock.

4. Instead of having a completely hosted bar, arrange it so that your guests pay $2 for each drink, and you cover the rest, (limit which bevvies are available so you don't end up covering the cost of someone's Grey Goose martinis!).

5. Make your own CD's instead of hiring a DJ or band and have the MC play them for you. I WISH I had done this - I hired a DJ and it was a nightmare. He started the song I walked down the aisle to halfway through the song, played the live version of the song for my first dance, and played the song I wanted for my last dance during a dance for my dad and his mum (who is dying). Trust me - do it yourself!

6. Buy a consignment dress - try e-bay, or see if there is a consignment bridal store in your neighbourhood or online. Your fiance will be renting his outfit, so don't feel badly about borrowing yours!

7. Consider getting married in the morning or on a weekday evening - rates are usually almost half of the Saturday/Sunday fare. Mornings can be SPECTACULAR, and brunch meals are much cheaper than dinners. Plus, your guests won't drink as heavily in the late morning, early afternoon as they would in the evening!

8. The number one thing to keep your wedding outstanding, but not super expensive, is to limit your guest list. Keep it small and intimate, and feed less mouths!

But, remember that, even if everything goes wrong, if you both left with rings on your fingers, you accomplished what you set out to do!

Learn more about this author, Merri Sharp.
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