Weddings on a Budget: A Must-Read for Every Bride-To-Be

To many couples, the sound of wedding bells ringing may as well be the sound of a telephone ringing. Why, you ask? Because for those of us who lack the financial means of Mr. Donald Trump, a beautiful wedding often means that the creditors will be calling. Sadly, being able to afford a nice wedding can be a major stressor on engaged couples, who should be focusing on how much they love one another and enjoying putting together a celebration of that love, rather than worrying about how on earth they are going to feed their guests and still be able to afford a honeymoon.

Fortunately, there are plenty of things that a couple can do to avoid spending their entire savings on a wedding. Although it is an important and special event, it is just one day, and it is certainly not worth entering into to mountains of divorce-causing debt. The key is to find a happy meeting place between elegance and affordability.

Before I make any specific suggestions, I would like to discuss some basic rules to keep in mind. First of all, establish a budget. You and your fiancée must know how much money you have to work with from the very beginning or you will likely end up spending way more than planned. Secondly, it is essential to decide what aspects of the wedding are most important to you. If a stunningly ornate dress is more important than a stunningly ornate cake, then be sure to properly allocate your wedding budget in order to reflect it. In other words, spend money on the things that are truly important to you, and you will feel like you have your dream wedding despite having to cut a few corners. Next, be willing to compromise. After you have decided what matters most in your wedding, begin looking at less expensive options on aspects that you feel less strongly about. For example, most people could care less about wiping their mouths on a monogrammed napkin. Last, but not least, be ready to roll up your sleeves and do a little work. The more you can do, the less you will pay someone else to do. You can also enlist the assistance and/or talent of close friends and family members. Just don't forget to show your appreciation for all their help!