How to Plan a Budget Friendly Wedding

The average wedding costs $20,000. When I heard this bit of information while planning my own wedding I panicked. After doing some careful research I found that if you really put some time into it you can plan a beautiful wedding on 1/10th of that! Or less if you're really crafty! Here's a few of the steps I took to planning a beautiful outdoor wedding for under $2,000.

Instructions

1. 1.) As with all wedding planning, begin with what you want your wedding to be. Formal or casual? Indoor or outdoor? Which colors do you want to incorporate into your wedding? Do you want a themed wedding? Start searching through wedding sites such as http://www.theknot.com to get ideas Save thoughts, ideas, and photos into documents on your computer or in a wedding planning book.

2. 2.) After you have a general vision for you special day, begin with the basics. Location. Budget friendly outdoor ideas would be local parks, lakes, or a backyard. For indoor weddings you could contact your local VFW, some colleges and universities have rooms you can rent as well as many hotels. For traditional weddings, you can always contact the church of your choice.

3. 3.) Attire: Always search clearance and outlet shops when searching for your wedding gown, bridesmaid and flower girl dresses. I recommend David's Bridal. They have stunning wedding dresses that will get marked down to $99.00 in their online outlet. Unless your hubby-to-be attends formal events frequently it would be better to rent a tux versus buying one. For all of your attire needs you can also check Craigslist, eBay and your local newspaper.

4. 4.) Favors, Florals and Decorations: For wedding favors or even just small decorations, I like http://www.favorwarehouse.com. Make sure you check out their closeout favors! If you're planning on having a larger wedding it's better to find wholesale sites. You'll pay much less if you buy in bulk. For candles, check out http://www.candles4less.com. You can also buy in bulk at http://www.dollartree.com. Everything is still one dollar per item, but you can buy multiples of the same item if they don't have enough in the store. For floral arrangements I would recommend doing it yourself. There are plenty of D.I.Y. sites you can check out to get guides for creating your own. If you decide to make your own, I would recommend using silk flowers. You'll have a lot of work ahead of you and it'd be a shame to either not get them done in time or get them done too soon and have your flowers die on you. Also, check out Craigslist and eBay. Many newlyweds end up taking their decorations home and sell them online.

5. 5.) Catering, Food, Drink and Cake: My favorite ideas are picnics, barbeques or potluck meals. They are especially great for outdoor weddings. For catering I would open up a phone book and do some research. Check out a few lesser known businesses who offer catering, they will probably be much cheaper in comparison to a caterer whom everyone in town uses. For drinks you can make large containers of ice tea, punch, or create your own coffee bar. For cocktails, go to a few liquor stores and get quotes. Don't be afraid to negotiate! For your wedding cake, try your local grocery store. Most have cakes that are the same quality as specialty bakeries.

Tips & Warnings

• Take you time, research carefully and thoroughly. You can have a dream wedding without the costly effects of one!

• Remember to have fun! You only get married once! Well, that's the idea at least!

• Be careful when buying off of Craigslist. Try to meet the seller in a public place and if you have to go to their residence bring someone along with you. Just a precautionary measure, you never know.