Wedding season is in full swing, and thanks to the great recession, many brides are looking for ways to save money while still creating a day to remember.
It's easy to get caught up in the fun of wedding planning and watch your budget spiral out of control.
But there are some small adjustments that can save you thousands.
Amy Eisinger and her fiancee set up a budget in the beginning and then looked for creative ways to cut cost on everything from the ring to the save the date cards.
"It's a postcard - which did save us a little bit of money on postage," says Amy Eisinger.
Even with budgeting brides the wedding industry itself hasn't suffered too much. According to TheKnot.com the average couple spent $28,000 on their big day in 2009. That is just a $1,000 less than the average spent in 2008.
Still, Rebecca Dolgin from TheKnot.com says there are noticeable changes in the way couples pay for weddings.
"Forty-one percent of the actual wedding is paid for by the brides family. But the truth is that couples are a little bit older and they are fronting the costs themselves," says Dolgin.
Experts also say you can cut cost by simply changing the wedding date. Have it on a Thursday or Sunday instead of Saturday can save you up to 50 percent.
Bride-to-be Amy found some other unique ways to save money.
Amy says instead of boutineers and flowers, she is using $1 vintage handkerchiefs. A great flea market find. she also downloaded free templates for escort cards and printed them up on her computer. Another thing Amy is doing to cut costs is having the rehearsal dinner in the afternoon. Hosting her party before the bar opens is cheaper than shutting down the bar on a Friday night.
Amy says making these small adjustments has saved her close to $20,000.
