The two most important keys to planning a wedding on a budget are planning and organization. You can not save money if you start planning your wedding a month before the event!

I recommend that you get a 3 ring binder, some dividers, and paper. This will be your wedding “bible”. Make a section for EVERY aspect of your wedding. Every time you see something that you like or that will save you money, put it in the binder. You will use this for brainstorming. Review each section periodically and add ideas.

Using friends and relatives to help with various tasks can save a bundle. Just make sure that they are trustworthy and that you have a clear understanding about your expectations. Just because someone is nice and owns a camera, does not mean that they can photograph your wedding! If you make a bad call on this you could easily ruin your whole wedding day!

Do your research. There are many resources such as books and software programs that are inexpensive and easily accessible to help you. Planning a wedding on a budget has never been easier! Just make sure that you do your homework!

Now traditional wedding etiquette dictates that the bride’s father pay for the wedding. Of course that was back in the day when the father kept his daughter home. She did not work or go out. Her time was spent preparing to be a wife!

A daughter was given to a boy or man whom the father thought could take care of her. Since he was giving her away, he would pay for the wedding as his last gift and approval of the wedding.

Today, things are not set in stone. The daughter can still ask her parents to host the wedding. And if the parents of the groom have expressed an interest to help, they should be allowed to.

Since most couples today are both working, it would be perfectly acceptable, and is more common place, for them to either pay for the wedding or at least help. In this way they will have more control over the planning. They would not feel like they were putting undo pressure on someone else by inviting too many guests or having it at a nice place.

In my years in the business I have seen it done many different ways. Typically a couple will know their respective families financial situation, and whether or not to ask them to help.

Now I have said it before and I will say it again. Big, expensive weddings are nice. But they last for a day and then about the only thing left are the photos. It is not a wise plan to over spend and put undo pressure on anyone. If monies that are spent are borrowed, or have been saved for another purpose, such as a retirement or a college fund, you should really be careful with the expenses. There are many ways to cut costs. I have discussed a few and will be discussing some more.

The bottom line is that this is your biggest day. You want it to be as nice as possible. But you do not want someone remembering bad finances afterwards. So plan wisely!

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The days of the brides parents bearing the cost of the wedding are over. Seems like each situation is different. I have seen parents paying for it all, to the bride and groom paying for it all, and everything in between. So depending on your situation, you may be looking for ways to cut costs. Always think about the ones that are paying. It would be sad for someone to use money that had been set aside for retirement, or even worse, to borrow money for your wedding.First are the flowers. Flowers can cost around $800.00 and up. I know that they are beautiful, but this is an area where money can be saved. Scan through some bridal magazines and web sites to get some creative ideas.

Next is the photography. I would be very careful here. After your perfect wedding is over, the photos will be all that you have left. You do not have to have the most expensive, but you do not want the cheapest. Look for someone who is fairly new, but has a good amount of work to show you. They usually have lower prices to get themselves started.

Invitations are a big expense. You could design yours on your computer and print them out yourself or have someone with good handwriting do them by hand (it would have to be a really good friend)! I have seen some really impressive handmade invitations and thank you notes.

Music can be very expensive. Assuming that a live band is not in the budget, perhaps a good DJ will do. Like with the photographer, you may want to look for someone who is starting out and offering lower prices. The DJ can change the mood of the reception, so pick one with personality and one that is organized.

Settings for the wedding and reception can vary a lot. Anywhere fro doing them at a home to the most expensive places. Be creative and shop around.

You will need transportation from the wedding to the reception. Do you need a limo? Perhaps a good friend or family member would be just as nice. Or if you know someone with a unique or antique car, they may be willing to transport you!

The reception is one on the most expensive parts of the wedding. Your friends and family would probably be mosre than happy to help you out. Assign tasks to them such as food and decorating. There is a lot of money to be saved here.

Hopefully this has made you think of places that you can cut down on the cost of your perfect wedding. Of course there are plenty more. Look at every dollar that you are spending and try to think of ways to reduce the cost, while still having a perfect wedding. A wedding should not put anyone in debt or take funds that were meant for something else.