Trying to keep your wedding on budget can quickly become are some handy hints to help keep your wedding costs under control.

Dressing to impress

1. Intricate appliques, pleating and multiple layers require costly man-hours.  Choose a simple dress and decorate with an ornate brooch

2. Most designers have an annual sale to clear space and sell of samples and seconds. Call around and find out when the next sale is on.

3. If you’re considering buying off the rack, ask for an alteration quote first, as this can vary a lot

4. Reduce, simplify or eliminate beading and detailing.

5. Consider changing your fabric choice. Silk is a lot more expensive than satin, but can give a similar look.

6. If a designer veil isn’t important, pick up some tulle from (spotlight) and make your own

7. Why not borrow a friend’s dress?

8. You could buy second-hand – no one will know the difference

9. Not one for sentimentality? Hire a gown.

10. If traditional isn’t your thing buy a glam off the rack dress from a designer at half-yearly sales

11. Into vintage? Hit second-hand stores, eBay or your local classifieds for a gown.

12. Ask you designer if they have a cash upfront discount policy.

Something floral

13. Ask your church if they have a flower service.  They may not be design professionals, but they’ll have plenty of experience.

14. Call a floral design school to see if you can get a student.

15. If orchids are too pricey, as for similar, less expensive flowers such as gardenias. Or you could ditch a bouquet and carry feathers and pearls.

16. You’ll pay lots for out-of-season blooms

17. Don’t tell suppliers the flowers are fore a wedding.  Perhaps “Mum’s 50th” would suit?

18. Cruise flower markets and make your own bouquets and/or centrepieces

Let them eat cake

19. Top the cake with fresh non-toxic flowers instead of intricate, hand-made icing designs

20. Want a three-tier cake on a budget? Ask your cake make to incorporate a fake layer.

21. Forgo the dessert and serve wedding cake

22. Make your cake yourself, or ask a family member to

23. Have a small designer cake on display for the cake cutting, but keep a large, simpler one in the kitchen that’s ready to cut and serve

24. If you’re bringing your own cake, check the venue doesn’t charge a cake cutting fee

A grand reception

25. Make a guest list, check it twice, and cut cut cut. Question each person you’ve included, and if you can’t see them being part of your life in 10 years – chop them.

26. Rent a large house, you can have your ceremony outdoors and reception indoors.

27. Choose a venue that’s BYO

28. Keep alcohol costs down by avoiding an open bar. Serve only beer, wine and bubbly.

29. Having a brunch or lunch-time wedding dramatically cuts costs.

30. Buck the trend to marry on a Saturday in spring. Off-peak (May-Sep) is generally a less expensive option.

31. Know someone with a spacious garden? Hold you wedding there!

32. Historic council halls are charming and cheap to hire.

33. Having a cocktail or buffet reception? A community group could supply the food.

Friends in need

34. Give bridesmaids umbrellas or fans to carry instead of a bouquet.

35. Buy flower girls simple, white dresses from a dept store and jazz them up with ribbon at the waist.

36. Instead of a big bridal party have only a MOH and BM and have them wear the best outfit they own.

37. Ask your bridal party to buy their own outfits in lieu of a wedding gift.

38. If you like to buy the bridesmaids dresses, ask them to pay for accessories

39. GM can get away without suits.

The gift of giving

40. Make fudge and wrap it beautifully for favours

41. Buy a load of blank Cd’s and download your favourite wedding tracks as a thank you

42. Order favours such as bottle stoppers in bulk from wholesalers

43. Cook up some chutney or jam and put it in cute pots

44. You can always nix the idea of favours all together. Guests don’t expect them.

Visual feast

45. Curtain tassel from Spotlight make great pew wedding decorations

46. Buy fairy lights from Kmart and drape them where you see fit for a lovely ambiance

47. Take the flowers from the ceremony to the reception venue and reuse them

48. If there’s a wedding at the ceremony venue immediately before or after yours, speak to the other bride about sharing costs

49. Be creative with centrepieces. Fill vases with silver pine cones or shells or heap frosted fruit into a bowl.

Cruising along

50. Hire a sports car or classic Merc form a luxury car-hire store

51. If a friend has a nice car, ask to borrow it

52. If you’re not hung up on a traditional wedding car, jazz up a regular car or party bus

Where there’s a quill

53. Ask a graphic designer friend to make your invitations as a gift

54. Make invitations yourself

55. Send email invitations to o/s guests who you know already can’t make it.

Music to your ears

56. If your venue has a PA system, use your own laptop or iPod.

57. If you fancy live music, remember that one musician costs less than a group.  Try an acoustic guitarist or harpist.

58. Put ads in music schools to find a student

59. Want a live band? Scour newspapers or hit the pub circuit.

Beauty business

60. Have a pamper night with your BMs on the eve of your wedding, bring your best foot spas, treats and girlie movies

61. Book a pre-wedding spa treatment

62. Know a wedding makeup wizard? Ask her to do yours. Have a trial, then go out side with a camera and see how it looks

63. Call a local hair and beauty school.

Shoot to thrill

64. Hire a professional photographer for the ceremony and formalities only

65. Buy disposable cameras for guests

66. Have your ceremony and reception at the same place – this will cut a few hours off the photographers fee

67. Have a camera savvy friend video the wedding if you’re not keen on paying for a videographer.