Cut the Cost of Your Dream Wedding: Tips to Save Money on Your Big Day

The wedding industry is reportedly estimated to be an over $25 billion business, and is it really any surprise? Weddings are expensive, but the wedding budget isn't always as flexible. For couples looking to get married, it can be a real strain and potentially put them into debt as a couple right away. For most people, it's almost necessary to start looking for ways to shave off the costs of the wedding so that it doesn't make as big of a dent in your bank account.

Let's start with something that can really set a bride-to-be back: the wedding dress. Wedding dresses are expensive and while you may think it's worth the cost, odds are you're only going to wear it once. There are so many options for this. You don't even have to buy an actual wedding dress! A white or ivory evening gown or bridesmaid's dress can work just as well. But if you have to have a wedding dress (because let's face it girls - sometimes the runner-up isn't going to work like the real thing), consider looking into second-hand wedding dresses. You can actually find these in specialty shops or even online. Many of these dresses will have only been worn once (though sometimes, the dress won't have been worn at all!), and this option gives you a chance to purchase a dress that you never would have been able to afford full-price!

Invitations are another way to save a little money. While it might be appealling to go for the embossed, engraved, or otherwise embellished invitations, if you're at all computer-savvy, you might want to print out your own invitations. Stationery stores sell printer-ready paper and envelopes, and some online stores offer the use of their printing program so that you can print your own invitations directly from your home computer. You can also purchase your own software or use software you already own.

Flowers can actually be bought wholesale, or even fake! Some would argue that fake flowers in a wedding symbolize a fake marriage, but in the end, your budget and your personal preference is the real deciding factor. Nothing should dictate how your marriage will turn out but yourselves!