Personal finance bloggers and gurus recommend you spend less money on your wedding than the average wedding. After all, spending almost $30,000 on your wedding is a lot of money! When planning a wedding remember that less is more. It’s possible to save money on your wedding by planning a fabulous and frugal wedding!

If you’re planning a wedding and want to save money on your wedding, keep reading for some useful tips!

Save money on your wedding: Rent or buy a used wedding gown.

You can rent a wedding dress from some companies now. Since you are only using it for a few hours on one day anyway, this is a great way to save money. You can also buy a used or vintage wedding gown for your wedding to save hundreds to thousands of dollars on your bridal outfit.

You can find used or vintage wedding dresses for $200 or less at secondhand, vintage, and consignment shops. You can also look online at Ebay or Etsy for a larger pools. Also check Facebook for groups where brides in your area might be listing and reselling dresses. You can sometimes even get dresses that haven’t been worn this way.

Once you find a dress that works, simply take it to a tailor to get it fitted to you perfectly.

Save money on your wedding: Host an intimate wedding.

Your wedding guest list will raise costs on your wedding faster than anything else. Find an intimate wedding venue that will cost you less overall and then lower your wedding guest list to fit the venue.

Brides on a budget can save a lot of money by hosting an intimate wedding. You can find these intimate venues in your city by looking for options at restaurants, small halls, and city parks. These less expensive, more intimate venues will help you cut down on costs.

Save money on your wedding: Make your centerpieces.

You can make affordable centerpieces for your wedding that look great but don’t cost much at all. Hit up your local craft store to get all the supplies you need – with a coupon of course! You can use candles or tea lights for a dramatic but affordable statement. Low cost mirrors are another good way to create visual impact without much cost.

To save money on flowers in centerpieces you can use fake flowers that look realistic or try out paper flowers. You can also talk to a local florist to find the cheapest flowers for that time of year or ask for flowers that are a bit old and at half price.

Save money on your wedding: Choose a cost effective dinner.

Deciding what to feed your guests is a huge decision for their enjoyment and your wedding budget. Planning for a lot of guests can get expensive quickly in this area when many caterers charge $50 per person or more.

You can opt for less expensive dinner options like a BBQ or mexican food option. Or you can opt for a morning brunch theme and serve waffles or pancakes with eggs. Another inexpensive option would to simple serve hors d’oeuvres to cut down on cost.

Save money on your wedding: Choose your vendors wisely.

Paying your wedding vendors will give cost you a lot of money on your wedding day. You’ll want to choose your vendors wisely and pay attention to extra fees and the fine print in the contract. Make sure you know what is negotiable and what services and products you get for your money. Be cautious and smart when hiring people to work on your wedding.

Most weddings today cost over $20,000 so definitely follow these tips to save money on your wedding and still have a beautiful day!