So you and your honey have decided to get married. That’s really sweet and all, but how are you going to pay for the colossal extravaganza that your family and friends expect to ensue as a result? Weddings are inordinately expensive and the average person really cannot afford to be reckless with their money, especially with the current economic climate. That’s why I’ve compiled a list of fabulous ways to plan a cheap wedding without having to skimp on all that sweet sentimentality and romance you’ve been dreaming of since you were a child.

1. The wedding dress. As I’m sure you are well aware, wedding dresses are ridiculously expensive. You are only going to wear it once for Pete’s sake! So you really don’t need to spend $5000 on the perfect dress. It’s all just a scam, so don’t buy into the hype. Check out department stores, rather than bridal shops that offer one-of-a-kind, handmade dresses. If you can’t find what you’re looking for there, another great way to find a beautiful and cheap dress is to check out second-hand wedding dresses. In most cases, it’s only been worn once and you’ll only have to pay around half of what the previous owner did. And finally, think about renting gorgeous dress for the big day. Yes you can rent a wedding dress.

2. The reception. Another big expense is of course the reception. The average wedding has about 190 attendees and you can be certain that most of them came for the free food and liquor. So if you really want to save big, then cut down your list of guests. Do you really need to invite a bunch of people you don’t even care about and haven’t seen in five years? Another great way to cut back on the reception expenses is to hold it in a restaurant or club, rather than a fancy hotel. All you need to do is throw in some great decorations and music, and it doesn’t really matter where you have it.

3. Photography. Yes you will of course need a bunch of contrived poses and arrangements with all of the groomsmen and bridesmaids so that your future kids can flip through the big wedding album you’ll store under your bed. You’ll probably want to leave these up to a professional. Shop around for the best prices, but consider only hiring him or her for the ceremony and enlist the help of a trusted friend or family member to get all of the drunken snapshots at the reception.

I’ve covered all of the biggest expenses, but there are certainly plenty of other things that can really add to the total bill. So just be smart about it. You don’t need to spend thousands dollars on fancy stationary or rare imported flowers. Trust me, you can find absolutely breath-taking wedding items at fair prices if you’re willing to shop around and be creative. The wedding shouldn’t be about how much you spend. It’s supposed to be a celebration of your deep, eternally committed love right?