How To Get Married for Less Than $500

When I got married, my fiance and I were on a tight budget. We had to pay for the wedding ourselves; I had only just started a job, his job did not pay well. We were living with his parents and saving for our own place, but we wanted our wedding to be special. Here are some hints for you to make your day special on a tight budget.

1. Find a free place to get married.
There may be a local park that will let you use the property for free. Call around to see what you can find. If all else fails, drive around. My husband and I held our wedding in the pavilion of a local veterans' memorial park. It was free, and it was beautiful. Memorial parks are especially nice because they are often well-cared for and very clean.

2. Buy a second-hand dress, check thrift stores, or if you can sew, make your own.
You don't have to have the $2000 designer dress to be beautiful. When I got married, I knew what I wanted. A plain underdress, with a lace overlay. If I couldn't find it, I was going to make it. But while shopping at a thrift store I found exactly what I wanted, in my size, for $25.

3. Print your own invitations.
There are hundreds of specialty papers, including wedding invitations, available at party and office supply stores. You can buy actually invitation cards that when printed have the look of formally printed invitations, or you could go with fancy paper and print your invitations on those for a more casual look. We used rose 8x10 paper, and were able to save even more money by trifolding them, taping them closed, and using the blank side of the paper to write the address. No need for envelopes!

4. Cater your own wedding.
Come up with a simple menu, or even go with just cake and punch. Buy your supplies at a bulk warehouse (such as Sam's or Costco or Gordon Food Service) to save money. Go with simple, but popular, foods. Meatballs, vegetable and relish trays, salads, are easy to prepare and don't cost a lot.

5. Have a friend take pictures for you.
The cost for a professional photographer can run hundreds of dollars. With a decent digital or film camera, a friend with a steady hand can take wonderful pictures. You can also have a friend video tape the service for lasting memories as well.

6. Have a friend perform the wedding ceremony for you.
If it's not a necessity for you to have a specific minister perform your ceremony, consider having a friend get ordained to perform the ceremony for you. They can do this free through the Universal Life Church (http://www.ulc.org) This is a legal ordination in most states, but you will want to check with your local marriage authority to be sure that the wedding will be legal.

Your wedding day should be something special, but financial stress can make it a nightmare. Using some of these money saving tips can help you eliminate some of that stress and make your day as beautiful as it should be.