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Are you worried that you'll have to choose between having an elegant wedding or a wedding you can afford? There's no reason to choose. There are absolutely elegant ways to throw a cheap wedding. With a bit of careful planning, you can have the wedding you always dreamed about at a price that you can afford.

They key to having an elegant wedding on a budget is to look at the things that often cost the most in a wedding and find ways to make them less expensive. In some cases, you will be able to cut the costs dramatically.

Here are some of the biggest wedding money-suckers:

Food or catering. This is usually the largest expense for most couples that are getting married, but you can certainly decrease the costs by making good choices. Have your wedding during the off-season (usually October through March) and caterers will offer a discount. Choose a buffet over a sit-down meal. Or time your wedding so that there is no meal at the reception-simply offer hors d'oeuvres or desserts.

Reception location ambiance. You may think that by holding your reception someplace cheap, like the local public hall, you can cut the costs dramatically. However, consider how much money you will have to spend to decorate the place to look "weddingy". Instead, you may want to choose a nice restaurant, which will already be decorated for you.

Church decorations. If you're having your wedding at a church, you can easily spend much money on the decorations. However, you can save money if you plan your wedding during a time that the church is already decorated, such as Easter or Christmas time. Alternately, you can hold your ceremony outdoors and rely on the beauty of nature to create the perfect scene.

The dress. Wedding dresses can cost thousands of dollars, but there are ways to save on dresses as well. Try to keep an open mind about dresses. If you have your heart set on one particular dress, you can end up paying a lot of money. Instead, shop around for a dress that fits your personality and your budget. You may also opt to have a seamstress recreate a dress that you know that you like if the original is too expensive.

Flowers. Flowers are another ridiculously huge expense that you can almost eliminate. Rather than use large arrangements, opt for a single flower. This looks elegant and does not cost a fortune.

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Source by Chelsea Wedore