Top 5 ways to Save Money on your Wedding

For Lacey,
The author of Saving for a Wedding asked me to add a link for her. Done.

Fast Facts
The average age of a bride is 26
The average age of a groom is 27
The average cost of a wedding in 2006 $28,736
Amount of money spent on the wedding industry last year $2.1 billion dollars.

How to save money on your wedding

1. Elope - most resort locations will give you a free ceremony and other perks, or just walk down to the local courthouse. Have the after party at your house.
   
2. Be your own DJ - Setup a playlist on your iPod plug it in to some nice speakers and get your groove on.
   
3. Don't invite everyone you know, make it more intimate, cut the guest list down to those people you truly care about, forget your long lost cousin twice removed
   
4. Buffets are much more affordable than paying for meals by the plate, have your mom make spagetti, pasta is cheap, easy, and filling
   
5. BYOB or cash bar, don't pay for your friends and family to get sloshed

Call in friends and family to help - call in favors, if someone has a nice digital camera ask them to be the photographer, if someone has a nice flower garden ask them to help with the flowers, you get the idea. There are many ways to save money on the wedding these are just a few suggestions. It doesn't have to cost a lot to be a wonderful, beautiful event.

Take home message: Don't turn your BIG DAY into a BIG DEBT!