Keep the frills without breaking the bank.

According to Bride's Magazine it can cost between $17,000 and $31,000 to turn your dream day into a reality. These figures include every detail of the wedding, from rings to honeymoon. If these figures pull too heavily upon your purse strings, don't be discouraged. You can plan a successful wedding event at a fraction of the cost. Your key strategy will come in the form of a budget. The most important factor in budgeting for your wedding is setting a realistic goal that you will be able to achieve.
No matter how carefully you plan your wedding, you will go over your budget. Just know that. However, you'll want to try to stick as closely to it as possible. By maximizing your financial and human resources, you can trim much of the fat out of your budget.

Take the time to sit down and carefully put together a wedding plan. You can create your own wedding planner or purchase one at a discount bookstore. Your wedding planner will contain several categories including Church fees, Announcements, Catering and food, Photography & video and Entertainment. Try to contrive every conceivable cost you can imagine, including any personal frills. You can scale back as you go along. Allocate the amount of money you'd like to spend for each category. There will be some areas where you will overspend, which will require you to cut the cost in other areas. Use your own discretion, as only you know what is most important to you. Remember to track your spending against your budget. Subtract the amount of money you spend for each item from the budget amount to determine the amount which you have gone over or under.

Deciding upon the appropriate wedding attire can be very stressful and time consuming. The least expensive way to purchase a bridal gown is to search the outlet stores. Try to keep it simple. The length, fabric and details of the gown all affect the price. When visiting bridal shops, ask what days of the week new shipments are delivered. Arrive early to take advantage of the best selections and prices. You also may want to consider renting a gown or borrowing one from a friend or relative.

The same consideration should be applied when shopping for bridesmaids dresses. Hidden costs such as underwear, slip, shoes and headpieces can really add up. Purchase only those items that you absolutely need.
 
It is easier to save money on the men. Compare tuxedo rental prices. They may choose to purchase their owns shoes that can be wore again. The ringbearer's tuxedo can be rented or he may wear his own dress suit.

Don't be ashamed of asking friends and family members to barter their "gifts and talents" in exchange for giving you a wedding gift. If Auntie has the gift of music, ask if she'd consider providing the musical entertainment for the wedding and/or reception. Friends and family members will be honored in knowing that they played a part in making your special day a memorable occasion.

Before you go out and spend over $1,000 on a videographer, do you know someone skilled at videotaping? Let's face it, who's really going to watch the video? Family, once perhaps; you and your spouse, every few anniversaries — maybe.
 
If you absolutely must have a professional wedding video, then make sure you get your money's worth. Ask to see an example of one of their wedding videos to ensure that the quality matches the cost. The same detail should be applied when choosing a photographer.

The largest wedding expense is usually the reception. It is most economical to have both the wedding and reception at the same location. When searching for the most appropriate site for the ceremony and reception, list every club or organization that you and your families are affiliated with to see if they may offer their site at a reduced cost. For example, most churches will charge their members less money to use their facilities.

A few locations you may wish to consider: anywhere outdoors, restaurant, community center, country club or a mansion.

Choose a reception location that allows you to bring in an outside caterer. Whether or not you have the food served is up to you. A buffet or self-serve style of meal may save on the expense for waiters and waitresses, but you may have to pay more for the food. People who serve themselves tend to take more food.
 
Once again, you may want to assign the catering responsibility to a skillful friend or family member.
 
The key to saving money on announcements and invitations is to keep them simple. Skip the elaborate colors and engravings. Avoid heavy paper stock, which requires more postage when mailed. Black script writing on white paper can be very elegant.

You can also make a very elegant and cost-effective program yourself. Establish the order of your program and begin typing it. Most word processing programs allow you to choose a template for formatting. If you don't have a laser or inkjet printer, borrow one. Check out your local office supply store should you need a paper cutter.

Rather than being whisked away in a limousine, ask a friend or family member who owns a luxury vehicle to serve as chauffeur.

Have your own pre-wedding party and invite friends and family members to help in making favors, flowers and decorations, rice bags, etc. Gather supplies and materials from a wholesaler.
 
You may decide to use only one or two of the above ideas or incorporate several suggestions into your wedding. The most important thing is for you to enjoy your special day without putting yourselves or your families into a mountain of debt.