Weddings are special and one of the most important days of your life.  So, it is natural to want to include everything your heart desires in your wedding.  However, fulfilling your dream wedding may be quite a strain on your wallet.  Staying within budget and deciding what to cut can be stressful.  Some ideas that don’t exclude your favorites and cut where it is not noticeable is the key.

If you and your guests are not big drinkers or when alcohol is not part of your culture, the full bar is an easy place to cut back without it being a big loss.  Instead of a full bar, it will be nice to serve a signature drink like punch or share your favorite cocktail with all your guests.  Serve champagne for a toast only instead of pouring it all night.  Another way to go is to limit alcoholic beverages to wine and beer only and look out for sales on wines that you want for your wedding.  When they go on sale, make sure to buy in bulk.  Purchasing your own wine can be quite a saver even if you pay the caterer or hotel a corkage fee to pour it. 

Another big consideration to take into account is to the time and day of the wedding.  Most venues offer better rates for events during the day and on Friday, Sunday or the Weekdays.  Consider a wedding breakfast, brunch or an afternoon tea which are shorter and the fare are lighter for these meals.  This way you can save on the menu and location.  Also, guests tend to consume less alcohol during the day as well.  Celebrating off season can also be a saver as venues provide better rates during the winter rather than the summer or spring.

Another place to save is the cake.  Going with an outside baker is much less expensive than using the caterer or venue.  There will still be a cake cutting fee, but it is still a savings.  Also make sure that the cake provisions for only one slice per guest and fill in the rest of the tiers or décor with faux cake.  Also replace the desert course with the wedding cake and save there.  Serve the cake with coffee and tea at the end of the wedding meal. 

To save on wedding flowers, streamline your centerpieces.  Float a few flowers in shallow bowls or glass cylinders filled with water instead of large floral arrangements.  Another idea is to use fruit instead of flowers as centerpieces or mix your arrangements up with fruits.  Decorating with candles is also a cost saver.  A single pillar candle or a cluster of votives look lovely as wedding reception centerpieces. 

Other things to consider are such factors as the bridal party.  Downsizing the bridal party will save gifts and flowers.  Minimize the guest list by refraining from inviting children and coworkers.  To stay within your wedding budget it is important to know your priorities.  Prioritize aspects of the wedding that are most important to you. By compromising in some areas, you can afford to splurge on others.