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Our real bride discovers that there are ways to pull off a great wedding, even during these tough economic times.

Planning the wedding of your dreams in this economic climate is definitely not an easy feat. With people getting laid off left and right, companies shutting down and the national unemployment rate rising at an alarming pace, it almost seems silly to spend insane amounts of money on the perfect centerpieces or that gorgeous muti-layered cake. But, fear not—here are a few insider secrets to help you out—from one Recessionista Bride to another!

Make use of the people you know.
Chances are that most of your family and friends have some skill or talent that can be useful for your wedding. If a friend sells a wedding service, ask him if he is willing to charge you cost price. For example, my DJ is a friend of my fiance’s cousin. He is charging me half of what he charges his regular clients and he happens to be a very popular wedding DJ! Of course, free is even better. I’m putting my sister’s great makeup skills to use by having her do mine for a few of my wedding events. Just don’t be afraid to ask—even friends of friends might be willing to help!

Outsource.
I’m lucky that I constantly have relatives coming back and forth from Bangladesh, so I was able to get my wedding invitations made there for a fraction of the price for a superior quality. Search the web for invitations printed outside of the U.S. and you might be able to save quite a bit of money just because of the currency exchange.

Check out some of my favorites:
http://www.indianweddingcard.com/
http://www.lcipaper.com/II.html

Trade up.
I learned that I had to let go of something that didn’t really matter to me as much as something else in order to splurge on that more important item that would truly make my wedding memorable. So, I decided to skip out on wedding favors and spend the money I saved to have the photographer of my dreams. It might be unorthodox and I’m sure a few of my guests are going to "tsk, tsk" me, but that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make. Figure out what you’re willing to forfeit. Oh—and if favors are important to you—there are great ways to save on beautiful favors.

Check out these two articles:
http://www.bridalguide.com/community/blogs/bridal-buzz/trend-report-favors/
http://www.bridalguide.com/wedding-planning/article.cfm?aID=532

Flex those creative muscles.
Your wedding should reflect your personality and your unique sense of style, so figure out how you can be frugal yet imaginative at the same time. For example, instead of wedding favors, I’ll be having a raffle! Each guest will be assigned a number and will be entered in a raffle draw for a few great gifts. It’s creative, fun and a lot cheaper than buying favors for everyone.

Use what you already have.
I wanted a horse and carriage; my fiancé wanted a stretch limousine. But, we settled on making an entrance to our wedding in separate shiny brand-new cars owned by each of our families. Why pay when you could settle for something just as great—for free?

Get full quotes on everything.
Taxes and gratuity are a not-so-pleasant surprise, so make sure you ask each of your vendors the full price for their services—including these two often hidden fees. Don’t let any of your vendors get away with adding on a hefty tax and/or tip, instead—try to negotiate it all at once.

DIY, DIY, DIY!
If you’re lucky enough to be great at arts and crafts, put it to use! A friend of mine made her wedding favors, centerpieces, bouquets and even cake by herself! Not all of us are that creative—but you might have a bridesmaid or family member, like I do, who is.

Although, I’m playing it financially safe, I wasn’t always this way. When I first got engaged, I had visions of wedding grandeur dancing around inside my head—something my fiancé quickly shut down. We had quite a tiff over this and many other issues while planning the wedding of my dreams. Look out for a tell-all memoir in the next installation!