The time to plan your wedding is here. You definitely want your big day to be the best that it can be. It’s easy to want perfection, but it’s not easy to pay for it. Is it possible to get what you desire on your budget? This article has some great tips to save money and have a great wedding.

Understand that religious faith will influence both what your wedding looks like and your relationship going forward. Make sure you understand everything about your fiance’s religion and what the expectations concerning religion will be in your marriage. Talk with the extended family as well.

Practice how you’re going to walk the aisle a lot before your wedding date arrives. Make sure that you do this at the actual site of the wedding, as you will want to test out the floor with the shoes you are going to wear. By doing this, you will not have any issues with obstructions in the floor or nervousness from those watching you during the big moment.

Bear in mind the cost of the alcohol that you will be serving at your wedding, and try to find one that is cost efficient. Open bars can be expensive and can be more so if they’re open a long time. Ask the venue you’ve chosen for the reception which options they have available to you, and what the cost would be for each.

You can make great use of big box stores, like Costco, when planning your own food service for your wedding day. Shopping wholesale renders significant savings for food. Think about asking friends to help you out with food costs.

Internet bridal shops have wedding dresses for bargain basement prices, but make sure to order well in advance so that you can get your dress altered before the big day. I spent $100 on the gown I purchased for my wedding, but spent another $200 for altering it. Make sure you consider this cost in your wedding budget.

Use the property of a relative or friend to hold your wedding. If someone you know owns a large piece of property, like a farm or a place with a large backyard, you can cut down a major cost. Your only expense should be paying someone to clean before and after the wedding.

When choosing a makeup artist, ask to see a sample book of makeup the artist has done. Do you like their style? It is critically important that you know they can meet your needs. You don’t want to be stuck with a bad makeup artist.

Don’t use an overabundance of flowers as table centerpieces for your reception. A lot of the time flowers in the middle of the table are an annoyance. Furthermore, one or two of your guests could be allergic to certain flowers. You might consider placing non-scented candles in the middle of the table for an understated, romantic look.

Practice before a mirror for your walk down the aisle. Find attractive flats if you find the walk difficult. It’s a pretty simple exchange there to ensure you’re not going to fall.

Try to have your reception during the middle portion of the day. Alcohol consumption will be less during a day reception, which could help to reduce costs. Also, dinner receptions tend to be more expensive than lunch receptions, and you’ll be able to spend your savings on something else.

If you want to discover local talent to assist with your wedding, try Craigslist. Be certain to take the time to meet them and interview them before making any agreements or giving them money.

If the happy couple have different backgrounds, both ought to be taken into consideration when planning for the wedding. This means having a ceremony that fits the groom and bride’s culture and at the reception, having decor, food and rituals from both backgrounds. This will give lots of contrast and make it memorable.

If you’re having an outdoor reception, tell your caterer. The food you serve will need to be kept at certain temperatures to be safe, or will need to be shielded from wind and flying debris. You could use covered chafing dishes, or keep the food inside a tent. You could even run an extension cord and plug in a bar fridge to keep beverages refreshingly cold.

Be considerate of your guests and their travel arrangements when planning a destination wedding. Remember that some of your guests may plan their vacations around your wedding, so make sure they have plenty of advance notice. About eight months before your wedding, send out invitations to allow ample time for travel arrangements.

Take care of all the legal arrangements for destination weddings. There may be red tape you need to address, such as fees or residency requirement, and you should get these ducks in a row before taking care of anything else.

If you don’t want to spend a small fortune on flower arrangements on the reception tables, have you considered a display of potted plants instead? You can dress up potted plants by using a variety of beautifully decorated containers. Once the wedding is over, the plants can be taken home as wedding favors by the guests, or they can be planted by the newlyweds in their yard.

If you are worried about planning your wedding within a budget, you are not alone. You want it all to be perfect, without have to declare bankruptcy when it is over. This article has offered many tips to help you plan your wedding and save money in the process. Apply these when planning your wedding to save on costs.