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Smart Budget Submitted by: M. P. of Raleigh, North Carolina I am getting married in just one week and have realized in the long process what the most important parts will be. From my perspective, your dress and your flowers are both integral parts of the wedding planning process. They will both be kept in pictures forever. Also, the music is something very memorable. Money-wise, we are cutting back on food and reception costs by having a garden reception at a relative's home which will provide a much more relaxed atmosphere. That way we can spend the money on the most memorable moments. I've hired a string quartet - something I've always dreamed about.

Recruit Talented Friends Submitted by: J. S. of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota Recruit your talented friends to help save money! One friend is a seamstress and will help me make my dress, another is a DJ and will do our reception at a great price, and his wife is a great baker, etc.

Saving Money and Consultants Submitted by: R. B. of Houston, Texas Try to save for your wedding at least 15 months in advance. This is the happiest day of your life so splurge on yourselves! You MUST have a Bridal Consultant. He/She is so important to have around. Bridal Consultants are prepared to handle EVERYTHING! I have several friends who chose to "plan" their own weddings and by the time the day arrived, they were still running all over town for "items forgotten". The Bride should be as relaxed as possible. Stress can make a Bride "not so attractive". Pamper yourself, you deserve it! God bless...

Bring Your Own Liquor Submitted by: E. W. Columbus, Ohio Rather than waiting for the unknown bar bill at the end of the reception, choose a place where you can bring in your own liquor. We were able to buy bottles of beer, liquor and pop at the local Sam's Club at a much cheaper price. We hired our own bartender and got to take home the leftovers. We were afraid of being stuck with a huge bill at the end of the night on our way to the honeymoon. This way, everything was paid for in advance, we saved money and our guests were satisfied by having an open bar.

"Save Money" Submitted by: L. F. of Fort Mill, South Carolina To save money for your reception, have friends and family members help make hors d'oeuvres and borrow punch bowls. It saves a lot of money and you know exactly what is being served.

"Make Your Own Invitations" Submitted by: Autumn of Mendocino To cut costs on our invitations we made our own with the computer. Most print or copy shops sell paper and matching envelopes in a variety of sizes and colors.

Keep Guest List Small Submitted by: Susan of Schaumburg, Illinois The best way to keep your budget down is to keep your guest list small. The cost of wining, dining and entertaining 150, 200 or 300 people is staggering. By keeping the guest list down, you also have the freedom to plan a wedding at a "different" sort of location, such as a bed and breakfast, historic home, art gallery, elegant restaurant, or other location that might not be able to handle a huge group. Think about it — do you really need to invite your dad's second cousin whom you haven't seen in 10 years, or your mother-in-law's 15 co-workers? Do you really need to invite everybody in your office, or would you prefer to just invite your five closest office pals? Invite only people you personally know and are fond of. A smaller amount of guests (under 100) is more intimate anyway.

Surf the Internet Submitted by: Amiera of Zion Use the internet to cut the cost of your wedding. There are tons of free stuff out there if you just know where to look. Start six month ahead and save 50%, start a year in advance and do it all for free!! I did it!!! I even had two weddings and receptions. One in California and one in Chicago. I did it all for $6,379 - including round trip airfare for two in December, 1 week honeymoon, 2 weddings in a church, 2 receptions, (1 on a hall, 1 in a restaurant), rental car for 2 weeks, flowers (lots of them), the wedding Dress, etc. If you want to save big too, just E-me back. amiera@iols.net Good Luck and have Fun The New Mrs. Good AKA Amiera

Evening Wedding Submitted by: Kassandra of Montreal, Quebec Canada My fiancé & I decided to go against the typical weddings we have witnessed by having an evening wedding at 7:30PM and an hors d'oeuvres reception to defray costs. We decided to spend money on the venue — a Biosphere. It's a water museum and upon arrival the guests will be given a private guided tour as the museum will be closed to the public. There is always a way to be creative while saving $$$. N.B. The best decision we ever made was to hire a professional wedding coordinator!!! She helped us to save us more money with suppliers than we would have been able to do ourselves.

Wedding at Dawn Submitted by: Mia S. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA I went to wedding a few years ago that was truly unusual, but totally unforgettable. The couple had one medium sized wedding (about 150) at 6:00 am in the morning on a Saturday in the summertime. Because of their busy schedules, someone jokingly suggested they get married at the crack of dawn, since that seemed the only way they could make the time for it. The couple loved the idea and ran with it. They were married in a rented garden with a gazebo. They had lanterns and lit candles everywhere. It was so romantic. By the end of the ceremony, the sun was up and they had a catered breakfast reception ($5.00 a person!). It was beautiful and the food was delicious. The bride confided to me that the whole affair had cost her less than $5,000 including her dress and their rings! Apparently because of the off-time of the wedding, they rented the space for 6 hours for $500!

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