We were just engaged a week and a half ago and want to plan a wedding for THIS December. Any useful tips on how to go about planning a small, very cheap wedding? We want to have around 80 guests or less, affordable catering, and the entire even to be held in the church (wedding and reception). We are not having a dance or anything like that, just food and non-alcoholic drinks for the reception. Does anybody have good ideas for inexpensive centerpieces, dresses, and everything else we'll be needing to pull this off? Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Buy a lot of everything online. It's amazing how cheap wedding supplies are online.

If you are really pushing and have a budget, I would suggest possibly going with a non-traditional wedding dress. Just find a simple, elegant, white dress from a department store.

For centerpieces, buy a bunch of cheap glass bowls/vases from Walmart and fill them with colorful candy. If you buy the candy in bulk, it will be very affordable and then your guests get the option of munching on some sugar.

Consider making your own invitations, that way you don't have to wait on a printing service. There are so many programs nowadays that allow you to make cards, you don't need to be overly creative to do it.

Check around with any family or friends to see if they know anyone who does wedding cakes. You might be surprised to see how many people have dabbled cake decorating. Also, contact any local colleges that might have a cooking degree or hospitality program…you might be able to find an aspiring chef/baker who would absolutely love the experience of making your food or cake for a very reasonable price.

Since you are getting married in December, maybe you could do a winter theme…or even a Christmas theme (if that is your religion). Buy cheap holiday decorations at a craft store and use these as your decor. Also, another centerpiece idea could be gift wrapped boxes placed on the table.

Hope this helps…and good luck!

It really isn't too hard to plan a wedding in such a short amount of time…me and my husband did it in three months and spent very little money and it was absolutely fabulous! You just need to not get caught up in all of the advertising and marketizing of weddings.

Its for my wedding and I will be staying their! Any tips on other affordable places to get it done?

i'm getting married at the Paris as well in July so Ive looked on their website to see about makeup and hair….I think it was around $100 to get an updo, but I think it depends on your hair and what you actually want…..id go on their website and call them!

Anyone know any great wedding websites?
Looking for one with great tips on planning a wedding or how to make things affordable.

OffBeat Bride - http://offbeatbride.com/
It's so cool

We were just engaged a week and a half ago and want to plan a wedding for THIS December. Any useful tips on how to go about planning a small, very cheap wedding? We want to have around 80 guests or less, affordable catering, and the entire even to be held in the church (wedding and reception). We are not having a dance or anything like that, just food and non-alcoholic drinks for the reception. Does anybody have good ideas for inexpensive centerpieces, dresses, and everything else we'll be needing to pull this off? Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

I (many years ago) got engaged in June, wanted a December wedding and did not want to wait a year and a half, so I had about 6 months total. I got my bridesmaids dresses on a clearance rack at JC Penney (all the major department stores have formal-wear now and usually Macy's has a great sale) If you're near a (i.e) JC Penney Outlet store…. cheap, cheap, cheap!; centerpieces can be as simple as pretty little vases with colored sand and candles in them, they can be taller vases filled with real or silk flowers (from the craft store), mirror tiles with something pretty on them… I'm just throwing out ideas to get you started. None of these are by any means complete thoughts.

I have noticed that a lot of the dollar stores have some wedding decoration supplies.

If you can find a copy, you may want to look at a book called "The Ultimate Weedding & Ceremony Workbook for the Planning Impaired" (ISBN 0-9664992-3-9)

Good luck, and congrats!

A place to get a beautiful yet affordable wedding ring, any stores or websites, or tips, any suggestions would be nice.

www.bluenile.com or if your canadain .ca

My fiance bought my beautiful ring there. He shopped around and it was the best place with the best prices. I have to say I LOVE the dimond in it as well.

I am looking for an outdoor venue for a fall-themed wedding in September/October that is possibly indoor/outdoor and affordable. Any ideas or tips??

Afordable doesnt usually go hand in hand with California but I went to a wedding in Laguna Beach at the beach and it was just beautiful. Good luck!

I've been a licensed cosmotologist for 6 years and am great at wedding, prom and pagent up-do's, but wan't to start doing make-up to. What make-up line can I use that is affordable and good quality? Any tips for learning make-up or books or videos that are helpful?

Right up my alley. I just graduated from college in December 2007, studying Makeup Artistry. I do professional Makeup for weddings (amoung others), and am going back to school in September to study Hairstyling so I can do both, professionally.

Do you have a college near you? I know they have a lot of night classes around here for Makeup Artistry. Even one class would be good to take, as it's nice to have some type of experience regarding makeup and practice makes perfect.

As for cosmetic lines, to START out practicing on friends and family, there is this new line I found, E.L.F. cosmetics (eyeslipsface.com). Their makeup is $1.00 each, and honestly for the price, they are great quality. I use them to practice because I figure I can get 20 items for 20 dollars, and not feel like I am wasting my professional Makeup.

If you're into drugstore makeup, I like L'Oreal, or you can go to private brands which is what I use (Industry Cosmetics).

Makeup tips and books..100% I recommend Kevyn Aucoin's (R.I.P.) books, Making Faces and Face Forward. Incredibly talented celebrity Makeup Artist. He was inspiring and half of the reason why I chose my career path. I guarentee you wouldn't be disappointed if you picked them up. They show step by step and products as well as finished looks.

I became engaged to my girl friend and now need to plan on a wedding. She wants to have all the traditional elements. Especially things like a dress, cake, hundreds of guests, a church, a reception, and pretty much everything else that is the norm. Is there any way to get these things for free or at little cost? I want this to be the happiest day of her life and it is so difficult to tell her we cannot do all the things she wants. Neither of us have a whole lot of money and I have a fairly expensive house payment that keeps me from being able to blow my entire savings and going into debt. Any tips and advice are really needed.

#1: consider getting married during the week. this will cut the cost of your church and reception site in half even at the most posh locales. getting married on friday or saturday is so requested, that vendors offer discounts to couples willing to marry during the week. we got married on a thursday at 10 am. it was lovely, intimate (50 guests), and half price!!

#2: have your girl consider getting a dress from the evening gown section of a department store rather than a bridal shop. or consider getting an evening gown from the bridal shop. it will be a lot cheaper than a dress that is labeled as a wedding gown, even though the material/style/color are the same.

#3: consider getting married in a church, friend's landscaped yard, conservatory, or botanical garden. the church will have a very small fee to rent it. the outdoor locations will allow you to cut back on a florist since a landscaped yard/park will already be lush with flowers.

#4: let your fiance know that every nickel you spend on the wedding is subtracting the amount of money you will have to LIVE on later. so, are 150 random acquaintances as opposed to 50 close friends & family worth giving up a nice honeymoon or furniture for the house? basically, is a one-day celebration worth putting your lives in a strained financial situation?

the smaller the ceremony, the better. also, consider not having a typical/lavish reception. i know your fiance is thrilled to have a huge shindig, but try to help her get some perspective. consider a cost/benefit analysis. compare how much the wedding of her dreams would cost, and then make a column listing the different things you could buy/save for with that same amt of money.

Im looking for a website that will help me make my own centre pieces and decorations and give me other great tips on saving money. Anyone know of one??? Or anyone have great budget saving tips?

Your Wedding Budget: 41 Ways to Save
By Rebecca Miller French

You've been walking on cloud nine since your engagement day. But after the first few weeks of wedding-planning research, reality sets in: You recognize that a budget must be made. Even so, if you're like most other to-be-weds, you realize that no wedding budget is ever big enough. Just remember, everything is a compromise — but it's not as daunting as it seems. Yes, this is the big day but it's only one day, and with careful planning it's bound to be a success.

More from The Knot
How to deal with problem bridesmaids
Find out what wedding guests complain about
Plan the perfect summer wedding

First, the two of you must set your top three priorities and decide what you can live without. Then you can begin to trim. Things to keep in mind: 1) more expensive does not necessarily mean better; 2) everything is negotiable; 3) use the Internet to do preliminary research and shop around for prices; and 4) compromise is a reality, and good practice for a blissfully long marriage. So buckle down and create a budget — and use our top tips to penny-pinch with style.

PLAN AHEAD
1. Time Is Money
The most important money-saving issue is time. And the less time you have, the more likely you are to make rash decisions and thus compromise your finances. Give yourselves enough time to shop around for the best vendor prices.

GUEST LIST
2. Cut Your Guest List
It's the dreaded dirty deed, but it must be done: Your guest list is the first thing to trim. Never assume a certain percentage of invitees won't attend. Remember, cutting just 10 guests at $100 a head saves you $1,000.

3. No, Really Cut It
Eliminating kids, colleagues, and dates of guests is a quick, across-the-board way to cut your guest list. Keep in mind, though, that serious partners and spouses should always be included.

INVITATIONS & STATIONERY
4. Engraving Savings
Instead of having invitations engraved, use thermography, a less-expensive process that produces similar results.

5. Minimize the Mailing
Skip the envelope for the reply card by using a reply postcard, or simply have guests reply on their own stationery. Better yet, ask guests to email their RSVPs.

6. Designing Invites
Invitation design fees can add up, so keep your concept simple to cut back on costs. Though it won't have that professional quality, you can have a friend do the design work and then have the invitations printed

7. Save on Save-the-Dates
Forgo professionally designed and printed save-the-date cards and buy a stack of beautiful note cards or postcards instead.

RECEPTION LOCALE
8. All-in-One
Hold the ceremony and reception at one site. You'll save on flowers, decorations, site fees, transportation, and more.

9. Cold-Weather Deals
Fewer people get married during the winter, so you'll generally find better deals on locales during these months.

10. Kitchen Commitment
Choose a location with a kitchen, as booking an inexpensive outdoor garden that requires tents and kitchen equipment rentals can be pricier in the long run.

FOOD & DRINK
11. Hold the Hard Liquor
Set up your bar to serve only house beer, wine, and soft drinks. Most guests won't notice what's not there.

12. Wine Is Fine
Instead of serving champagne, why not toast with a white wine? After all, guests are there to raise a glass to you, no matter what's inside.

13. Trim the Menu
Cut one item from the menu. Replace an oyster appetizer with a consomme, and you could save more than $3 per person (times 200 guests equals $600)!

14. Recessed Reception
Consider a wedding brunch or late afternoon jazz reception. You'll not only save money on food and labor, but people also drink less early in the day.

15. Cut Down on Waitstaff
Replace passed hors d'oeuvres with tables of hearty treats. Crudites, cheese and crackers, olives, breads, and miniature tea sandwiches cost less than complicated creations — and require fewer waitstaff.

WEDDING CAKE
16. Don't Serve Dessert
Many caterers include dessert on the menu; let yours know you want to serve only the wedding cake for dessert and you may get a discount.

17. Sweet Savings
Get a smaller version of your dream cake to cut during the reception, and supplement it with a sheet cake of the same flavor that's cut in the kitchen for guests.

18. Consume Cupcakes
Replace a traditional wedding cake with beautifully decorated cupcakes, which are significantly cheaper.

WEDDING-DAY ATTIRE
19. Attire at a Discount
Search out sales for discounted gowns and tuxes. But don't wait too long — if you can't find your dream gown or suit within six months of your wedding date, consider other alternatives.

20. Borrow a Gown
Wear your mother's, sister's, or grandmother's wedding gown. You can have it altered, embellished, or nearly remade at a fraction of the cost of a new dress. Or maybe you can borrow a friend's.

21. Bridesmaid White
Instead of going for a traditional gown, consider buying a bridesmaid dress in white or ivory. There are plenty of beautiful dresses on the market that can do double-duty.

22. Rent the Tux
Unless there is a whirlwind of black-tie affairs in your future, the groom doesn't need to buy a tux — renting is definitely cheaper.

FLOWERS & DECOR
23. Forgo the Big Bouquet
Consider carrying one single-stem flower down the aisle, and use that same type of flower in bud vases as simple but elegant centerpieces.

24. Find Seasonal Flowers
Lily of the valley, for example, may be easier to come by, and thus far less expensive, in May than in November.

25. Plant for Rent
Borrow or rent plants from your local florist instead of splurging on costly cut centerpiece bouquets.

26. Keep it Simple
Forgo the personalized accents; napkins and matchbooks alone can cost several hundred dollars.

27. Mood Lighting
Create centerpieces and light the room with candlelight, since candles are much cheaper than flowers. Buy votives from a restaurant supplier; buying these is usually cheaper than renting, and you can use them again.

28. Dismiss the Details
Details count, but don't let them kill your passion for planning. Guests will notice thoughtful touches, but they won't miss ribbons tied around guest soaps in the bathroom.

MUSIC
29. Star Search
Though you might not get the on-key assurance of hiring a professional, you can cut costs by asking a talented friend or relative to sing or play an instrument during the ceremony. They'll be touched (and so will you).

This is the above article so you can read the rest of the tips:

http://lifestyle.msn.com/Relationships/CouplesandMarriage/Articletkt.aspx?cp-documentid=460074

Tips for planning a small low budget wedding
http://www.weddingvendors.com/planning/articles/small-low-budget-wedding-ideas/

Saving money on your wedding
http://www.weddingchannel.com/ui/buildArticle.action?assetUID=42705&c=5207&s=610292908&t=93&p=1485&l=137268

Saving money on your wedding dress:
http://www.mahalo.com/How_to_Save_Money_on_a_Wedding_Dress

Saving on the Ceremony
http://www.weddingchannel.com/ui/buildArticle.action?assetUID=88157&c=5966&s=610292908&t=93&p=1485&l=144098

Saving money on invitations
http://www.weddingchannel.com/ui/buildArticle.action?assetUID=2856&c=5967&s=610292908&t=93&p=1485&l=157246

Saving on Flowers
http://www.weddingchannel.com/flowers/buildArticle.action?assetUID=2720&c=5965&s=610292908&t=93&p=1485&l=144081

Saving on photography:
http://www.weddingchannel.com/photo/buildArticle.action?assetUID=3268&c=5962&s=610292908&t=93&p=1485&l=30568

Fitting a wedding video in your budget
http://www.weddingchannel.com/photo/buildArticle.action?assetUID=42688&c=5963&s=610292908&t=93&p=1485&l=144095

Saving money on favors
http://www.weddingchannel.com/favors/buildArticle.action?assetUID=88423&c=5964&s=610292908&t=93&p=1485&l=150387

Wedding insurance
http://www.weddingchannel.com/ui/buildArticle.action?assetUID=90663&c=6087&s=610292908&t=93&p=1485&l=142813

Options for finanicing your wedding:
http://www.weddingchannel.com/ui/buildArticle.action?assetUID=88612&c=8083&s=610292908&t=93&p=1485&l=14266

Saving money on the reception:
http://weddingservicesreceptions.suite101.com/article.cfm/save_on_your_wedding_reception

Budgeting your honeymoon:
http://www.theknot.com/ch_article.html?Object=AI980914204222

http://honeymoons.about.com/od/honeymoons101/tp/save_money.htm

Have fun planning your wedding!!

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