Deciding some tough financial questions during wedding planning process is unavoidable anyway. You have a modest wedding budget but still want to have a wished-for celebration which won’t look like low-price? Here are some proven money-saving tips.

The first and the most obvious way to shorten your expenses is to shorten your… wedding invitation list. Business associates, third cousins you haven’t seen for ages, sorority sisters you only contact on social networks…. Do you really have that great necessity to share your meaningful and moreover intimate day with that huge crowd of people? Only the closest family and friends may be invited. For sure you’ll enjoy that important day in a company of people with a great value for you.

The second step that you should take is to think carefully about your wedding gown. You can surf the Web in search of your perfect wedding dress or shoes (or anything!). That will save you a pretty good amount of cash. There’s plenty of sites and online services that offer beautiful gowns, designer ones as well, at a half-price or even lower. Secondhand stores and dressmakers can help a lot too. At last you can rent a gown. But be careful: if you make even a slightest damage to it, you will have to pay the full price of the dress.

As a third step decide your reception using some tweaks. Prefer Friday or Sunday to have your wedding – Saturday weddings are the most expensive. Prefer brunch, or champagne and cake, or cocktails and appetizers, over a dinner party. Prefer only in-season blooms and don’t mention that flowers are for the wedding when ordering it, say they’re just for the party to avoid the bumping of their price. Prefer photography but hire a professional, dismiss the wedding movie which you’ll watch once or twice in your life in contrast to photos which will visually keep your memories alive.

If money is an issue here is another tip: choosing between popular performers or local bands give the preference to your own playlist. This will save you hundreds of dollars and as a bonus you’ll get the exact music you want to hear as an accompaniment to every portion of your wedding. If you have some special songs that remind you of some memorable moments, having a playlist will only add sensuality and touchingness to your celebration. Sounds perfect, ha?

And the last suggestion. DIY everything that is possible. If you’re talented in something and/or have not less talented family members or friends, use it! Decoration process is not as difficult as it sounds. Handmade wedding invitation evokes much more nice emotions than printed. You can bake treats or make small gifts containing a card with a couple of kind words for each of your guests. One of the invited can make special announcements as an MC. This list can be limited only by your skills and desire.

Thus, having a low wedding budget doesn’t mean skipping on style of your meaningful event. Your imagination and creativity can make the wedding day unforgettable, gorgeous and fabulous, and save you money for spending it in your married life.