I read a report on Motley Fool today on how bad an idea it is to spend a ton of money on weddings. I have to agree. My husband and I had a wonderful wedding, yet spent under a third of the average on it.

The report on Motley Fool notes that if you take the average $28,000 that people spend on weddings and invest it, in 40 years it could be worth over $1 million, if well invested. Not a bad deal.

Saving money on a wedding can be tough, but it can be done. I started out with a $250 dress, which is much less than most people spend. My favorite was $600, but I couldn’t justify more than doubling my cost for a one-use dress just because I liked the more expensive one a tiny bit more.

Decisions like that are challenging if you’re stuck in the idea that your wedding day should be utterly spectacular. But is it really worth going into debt for, whether you’re paying for it yourself or having your parents go into debt over it?

Some expenses are harder than others to control. Wedding cakes are generally just outrageously priced. Locations may charge you for every little thing, from food servers to corkage fees for wine and champagne to slicing the wedding cake. You really have to pay attention to what all is included.

The location can be expensive, and sometimes you have limited options. Some faiths, for example, only allow you to get married in the church building itself, rather than allowing you to choose a location more freely. On the plus side, many churches are quite affordable, even if you use their reception hall.

Cutting the costs is not easy, but you can do it. Simplify your decorations. We had simple bowls with floating candles for centerpieces, and rose petals scattered on the tables, and these cost less than we could have rented centerpieces for. Considering how often centerpieces go home with guests, I’ve often thought renting centerpieces was a risky decision.

A great way to cut costs is to involve your friends and family. You may well know someone who would be delighted to do your wedding video or photography as their gift to you. Someone else may be good with flowers or decorations.

A beautiful wedding doesn’t have to mean years of debt. You can have a wonderful, memorable celebration of your wedding without overspending.

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