Name Change List

Here is a link to a list of places to change your name once you are married. Make sure that you don´t forget to change your name on any online places that you are registered at. http://www.todays-weddings.com/articles/name_change.html

Centerpieces

Go to http://www.adigitalromance.com/weddcrafts11.html to see an idea for making centerpieces, which I did at my wedding.

Online Honeymoon Booking

I would really only suggest this if one of you is a frequent traveler and will know everything that is involved in planning this event, or if you´re not traveling far away. If you´re going somewhere far away, or a place that you´ve never been to, at least talk to a travel agent about it, or research it heavily, before you purchase the travel arrangements.

Borrow a Gown

If it doesn´t matter if you have your own gown, why not wear your mother´s or your friend´s, or one of your other relative´s gowns? This way all that you´re paying for is the alterations (if needed).

Open Bar

Open bars are becoming a thing of the past, with rising wedding costs and cost of living increases. It is not mandatory to have an open bar for any length of time at a reception. These days you´ll see it less and less, if at all.

Make-Up

If you´re planning on wearing make-up for your wedding day, you could save some money by either applying it yourself, or having a family member or friend do it for you. If you´ve got the jitters, and you´re really shaky, you´d be better off having a family member or a friend do it. It´s just one less thing to worry about the day of the wedding.

Share, Share, Share Your Decorations

If you have a big family and/or group of friends that will all be getting married within a few years of each other, why not share wedding decorations. For instance, one person could buy a wishing well and lend it to the others in the group when they need it. You can do this with many wedding decorations. Try to get something that won´t be out of style next week either.

Make Your Own

Look through bridal magazines to try to find favors and decorations that you like, that you also feel you could make. If you´re not crafty, maybe you could get a friend or a relative to do it for you.

Article - Weddings on a Budget

For an article about weddings on a budget, go to http://www.weddingzone.net/px-pl010.htm to get some good suggestions.

Article on Low-Cost Catering

Check out this link for an in-depth article, with tons of ideas, on low-cost catering ideas. http://www.weddingzone.net/px-pl016.htm

Do You Need a Professional?

One thing that you both need to decide is whether you want to have a professional photographer take the pictures at your wedding. If you decide not to, then you need to start planning on who will do it, which photos you want taken, and so on. If you decide to hire a professional, you can still save money by limiting the number of pictures that he/she takes, as well as the number of locations that the pictures are taken at. For instance, it will cost more for the photographer to take pictures at your mother´s, the church, a special location, the church and the reception.

Bridal Shower

The bridal shower is usually given by the Maid of Honor, so make sure that you speak with her about your shower. You don´t need to rent a hall and have it catered either. You could just have it at someone´s house or in their yard and still accomplish the same things.

Have a Semi-Professional Take Your Wedding Video

If you don´t want to pay the expense of a professional videographer, and you don´t want to have an acquaintance do it, have a semi-professional do it. Call a vocational school or college in the area to see if they would be willing to do this for you. Most would jump at the opportunity to get such a job, and to be able to add to their "portfolio".

Name Changing Options

Go to http://www.wam.umd.edu/~sek/wedding/names.html to read an article about name changing options. Some of these options are very different!

Hair

If you or someone you know could do your hair for you, that would save you some money, by not having a professional do it. Simple styles are in, and a lot of those styles don´t require a professional.

Don´t Get a Limo

If you want to hire a professional to handle the transportation, but you still want to save money, don´t get a limo. Instead, you could get a nice, old car or a sedan or whatever else your provider might have. These days you see more and more different modes of transportation to and from weddings, so get creative and save money.

Have an Acquaintance Take the Photos

Do you know someone that is good at taking pictures, that you feel confident that he/she would do a good job? If so, ask him/her to do it for you. Depending on your relationship with this individual, you might not even have to pay for the services. Make sure that before the day of the wedding that you sit down with him/her to discuss which photos are the most important for them to take. If you´ll be doing something out-of-the-ordinary during the ceremony or the reception, and want it photographed, make sure that you fill in the person so that he/she will be ready.

Sit Down, Buffet, or Something In-Between

So, do you have your typical sit down dinner, a buffet, or something in the middle? This will be a big factor in how much you save. Sit down meals cost more because they require X amount of wait staff per X amount of guests or tables - and that´s where it gets expensive. You want a buffet, but you´re not sure if it will go over well? Then try something in between. Plan carefully, because the catering is one of the biggest wedding expenses.

Should You Get a Travel Agent?

If you´ve never really traveled before, you may want to consider going through a travel agent - especially if you will be going out of the country. If you´re going to a resort like Sandals or Beaches, you might want to go to one of their certified travel agents. The certified travel agents are able to tell you all sorts of things about a resort that you won´t find in a brochure, because they´ve been there before. So, you´ll want to weigh your options to help you make this decision.

New Bride Name Change Kit

Getting your name changed from your maiden name to your married name is a very time-consu