• Trim the guest list. Invite only the people you feel close to. “You really don’t need to invite everyone you know or have a party of 20 bridesmaids,” says Maria McBride, an editor at Brides magazine.

• Do-it-yourself invitations. “Paper is cheap and most people have a computer, word processing software and a decent printer already at home, which makes invitations an easy way to save some cash and be creative,” says the owner of DIYBride.com.

• Be your own DJ.Creating your own iPod playlist for the evening saves cash and makes sure you won’t hear the “Funky Chicken” for the third time.

• Make it a brunch or a cocktail party. If you want a cheaper menu, switch up the time of day or stick to finger food. (Note that a buffet isn’t always cheaper than a sit-down meal.)

   

   

• Raise the bar. An open bar is a big expense, even though most guests will stick to champagne and wine. Instead, create a specialty cocktail or two and choose a mid-level wine. Try to work out a deal to return any wine your guests don’t drink.

   

   

• Use simple flowers. Maria McBride, author of “Party Basics for New Nesters,” suggests spreading an affordable flower like daisies or babies breath everywhere, creating foliage-only centerpieces, or putting small plants into an affordable clay or glazed pot. Or make your own vase out of recycled tin cans or wine bottles.

   

   

• Create your own centerpieces. Candles or fruit can save money and look pretty in batches. “Mass out votives everywhere, cluster them in groups of 10 — it enhances the mood and it offers the most affordable bang for the buck,” McBride says.

   

   

• Think rustic. Decor that looks cheap in a hotel ballroom can be charming in a backyard, farm or vineyard. Just pick a spot that specializes in special events, or you’ll be saddled with unfortunate extras, like port-a-potties.

   

   

• Forget the favors. It may seem like a small expense, but even cheap trinkets add up when you have a lot of guests. Odds are, there will be no complaints if you skip the favor entirely. Who needs another place-card picture frame or heart-shaped soaps? (If you still want a favor, try something edible like homemade cookies baked by your bridesmaids!)
  

“I was watching the news the other day,” says cmamy, “And they were doing a story on weddings and their costs. It seems the national average for a wedding is $28,000 and they were featuring a couple who had trimmed the costs and had managed to have a wedding for only $14,000.  To me, this is still high.” No kidding, especially since this couple managed to tie the knot for under $200!

OK, so maybe most brides want something a bit more elaborate on their wedding day than champagne and cake for two. But the fact is that spending thousands of dollars on a wedding is something that is less appealing than ever to couples marrying today. Even brides who can afford to splurge are realizing that money can be more wisely spent.

Fro example one message board bride says that she and her husband sometimes watch “platinum weddings” and think, “For that amount of money I could get a new house, fix this one up to rent, replace our cars, and sock away some for later in the golden years!”

“Money doesn’t always buy wedding happiness,” and weddings don’t have to be expensive to be beautiful and memorable. Less is the new more.

Jo Ann Woodward of Schwartz & Woodward Event Planning (Houstan Chronicle) thinks that brides are learning to create a realistic budget and manage their money better. “They are picking and choosing and prioritizing what is really important to them.”  Although some brides are reluctant to “cut corners,” the most common thing brides are cutting is the size of the guest list.

Other couples are choosing to give charity rather than wasting money on themselves. When Lisa Jones look back, she says she gets sick just thinking about all that money spent on one day. “I tried to calm myself down by remembering that the memories will last a lifetime, but it was still overwhelming, given how many people are suffering in the world. So I decided I had to use my wedding for greater good.”

One idea is to cut the wedding favors and make a charitable donation instead. You can leave a placard at each table saying, “In lieu of wedding favors, the bride and groom have made a donation to (charity name).”

Other ideas include sending left-over meals to a soup kitchen, and donating your flowers to a hospital or nursing home. Knowing that your hard earned money is going to a worthy cause will make you feel better than the poshest of wedding can ever do.

Saving your sanity and planning for the future is a worthy cause too. “If you spend less money, it’s less stress,” says new bride Mairi Cox. “When you’re in the mind-set already and you’re counting gas and everything, you just realize how everything adds up. You kind of realize well, if we don’t have 100 bouquets of flowers it will be fine. It just puts it in perspective.”

About.com provides this list of DIY wedding tasks:

• Wedding Favors
• Simple Floral and Candle Centerpieces
• Cupcakes (instead of a wedding cake)
• Ring Pillow
• Flower Girl Basket
• Using an Ipod instead of an MP3 player. (Enlist a tech-savvy friend to make sure your first dance song, entrance music, cake cutting music etc. is playing at the right time)
• Bridal Hair and Makeup
• Save the Date Cards, Programs, and Seating Cards
• A decorated guest book, card box, photo album, or other keepsake

Not every DIY project will be as successful or as inexpensive as hiring someone else to do it. You’ll be surprised to find that some projects are cheaper for the experts to do, and others can be extremely affordable, depending on the materials you use.

It is also recommend that the bride limit the amount of projects she decides to take on. One project per month is a good way to pace yourself, and make sure you are done with all projects at least a couple weeks before the wedding. You don’t want to be stressed out over unfinished projects the week before you wedding!

Here are some things that are best left to the pros:

• Large Flower Arrangements and Centerpieces
• Your Wedding Dress
• A Wedding Cake
• Catering
• Photography

There are endless wedding sites and blogs that can offer creative DIY ideas. Here are a few sites to get you started:

Dream Weddings on a Budget

DIY Bride

Save on Crafts

DIY Network

DIY Weddings