Planning a Cheap Wedding

A wedding day is the most exciting and happiest day in a person's life. Since your wedding has to be a day that you will cherish for rest of your life, it takes time and efforts to plan the wedding. But as the average cost of a wedding has risen to more than $20,000, couples are opting for unique and creative ways to spend their money wisely, and make their wedding enjoyable but not expensive. Whether it is the wedding dress, engagement ring, wedding decorations, or food, everything has to planned as per your budget, else they can cost you a fortune. Hence, to cut down these unnecessary wedding expenses, here are some cheap wedding plans or cheap wedding tips.

How to Plan a Cheap Wedding?
Following are some cheap wedding tips that will help you in planning a cheap wedding which is simple but beautiful, and will keep your spending in affordable range.

• Wedding Dress: Though every bride looks for a dress of her dreams which may cost a fortune, it is better to purchase a continued dress as it is less expensive and can be found at any dress shop and even at some consignment shops. Another way is to buy a used wedding gown or take a gown on rent. This will not only give you the contentment of wearing the dress of your dreams but will also save a lot of money.
• Wedding Catering: Food is the most expensive part of the wedding, and you can save money by keeping heavy appetizers or a sandwich style buffet. Opting for a cash bar or supplying your own wine can also be a good option. Asking a local grocer or a family friend to cater your wedding will help bear the cost of expensive food. Another way to cut down the cost of wedding catering is to serve a simple meal to your guests that may include cake, nuts, beverages, etc.
• Wedding Invitations: One of the best ways to reduce wedding expenses is to invite a small gathering of close family and friends. Instead of purchasing lavish invitation cards, it is better and cheaper to prepare them on your own. Though it might take more time and effort, it will also add a personal touch and will be valued by your loved ones.
• Wedding Flowers: Another very expensive wedding item is flower decorations. Try using flowers that are seasonal, easily available and inexpensive like carnations or snowball mums. Planning your wedding somewhere near Christmas or Easter will help reduce decoration expenses as the church will already be decorated. If you are planning the wedding outdoors or not at a church, see if any other brides have booked for the same day. If so, the two of you can coordinate the wedding flowers, divide the cost and save a lot of money.
• Wedding Music: To cut down the cost of paying for a vocalist or musician you can arrange for a DJ as it is less expensive, or you can play a wedding compilation CD. Don't worry, this wont detract the beauty of your wedding but will make your day even more special and romantic.
• Wedding Photography: Wedding photography is another big expense associated with weddings, so a cheap alternative is to ask your family or friends to bring a digital camera and make a copy of the photos for you. You can make one of your relative act as an official photographer and click some wonderful shots throughout your wedding.

Before planning a cheap wedding and implementing the above mentioned ideas, you should always have a wedding budget that you need stick to. Evaluate how much money you intend to spend on each item and try not to exceed your budget. By following these simple but effective ideas you will manage to not only plan a cheap wedding, but a memorial one as well.