Planning a Budget Wedding Without Compromising Your Dreams

It starts with the engagement...you are elated that your loved one has proposed. All you can think about at that moment is how wonderful your lives will be together, and how magical your big day will be. But for many, once the reality sets in that a wedding is extremely expensive for basically a big party, it can be almost heartbreaking.

If you are like me, planning a wedding on a budget, or know someone that is, there are many ways in which you can cut the cost of your wedding and still have a wonderful time with friends and family.

1) Re-work your guest list

Most caterers and reception locations charge per person. The best way to save money is to look at your guest list and start narrowing it down. This doesn't mean that your closest friends will not be there for your special day. It is more about having only those there that have played key roles in your lives. Unless you have an endless budget, there is no need to have anyone at your wedding that neither the bride nor the groom know personally. There are several websites that offer tools to help organize your guest list. My personal favorites are The Knot and Our Wedding Day.

2) Research, Research, Research

Although you may love the first or second place you looked at for your wedding/reception, keep looking. Most cities have hundreds of locations to get married at from Golf Courses to Museums to Hotels. Depending on the size of your city, there is most likely no way that you will ever see everything. Call and look online and find the places that are within your budget and go check them out. Research can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars. Quick tip: look into your local parks or community centers, they usually are kept up well, look nice, and usually there is just a site fee, and you will have the freedom to hire your favorite caterer rather than be forced to use the onsite caterer.

3) Timing