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Valentine's Day comes around but you'd never know it from the celebrities taking to the red carpet lately in little red cocktail dresses and red gowns With both of our daughters getting married within a year of each other — one in May 2009 and the other in May 2010 — sweetheart bridal dresses lots of folks have been asking me for wedding advice.And while I do not claim to be an expert on cheap weddings, I did learn a few little things that might help you and yours as you approach your (or your children's) weddings. Here are my top 10 tips for keeping a wedding's costs under control. Make a realistic budget. The bride and groom must be willing to prioritize what they want the most and be able to let some other things slide. You have to understand from the get-go that you can’t have everything, so if you want a big dance band at the reception, then maybe you need to go with a cheaper menu or fewer flowers. Be decisive . I was horrified to hear a story of a bride who bought three different wedding dresses wedding dresses because she kept seeing other dresses she liked better than what she had already bought.Of course, most bridal shops have a “ custom made bridesmaid dresses custom made bridesmaid dresses; big bridesmaid dresses big bridesmaid dressesno return” policy. Ugh. Make your selection and love it and stick with it. Be creative . This is a broad category, but the more creative you can be in all facets, the more you can really save. For example, a morning wedding or a Sunday night ceremony can be a good money saver. Or having cupcakes instead of a wedding cake. Or sharing the cost of rentals with another wedding party at the same location. Be a borrower . This can pay off, and I don’t mean borrowing money. (Under no circumstances is it smart to borrow money to pay for a wedding.) But borrow things. Wear your mother’s dress or a sister’s dress, or a friend’s veil, for example. Plus, you need something borrowed, anyway. DIY when you can . Or let friends help. A DIY wedding is a lot of work and can be stressful, but there is no question that catering it yourself or doing your own flowers can save you a bundle.But also be sure to factor in all of the extras that caterers typically include that you might not think about having to do or pay for pregnancy bridesmaid dresses , such as tables, chairs and portable bathrooms. Tweak the menu . Whether you do it yourself or hire someone, this can make a big difference. Caterers typically have set menus, but if you can find one who is willing to work with you and change a few things around to cut the price per person, you can definitely whittle down the cost of the food. Go over the guest list . Obviously, the number of guests controls a lot of the expenses beautiful wedding dresses , so make sure your guest list really reflects the people you truly want. And be sure that your RSVP count is realistic. For lots of weddings, guests will come to the service and then stop by the reception for a few minutes but not eat — cheap bridesmaid dresses cheap bridesmaid dresses; but you are paying for their meal because they RSVP’ ladies evening dresses ladies evening dresses;d in the affirmative. Vet the venue . Your choice for the wedding and the reception is a crucial piece of the wedding puzzle, bridesmaid dresses 2011 winter and prices can be all over the place. Definitely shop around. Typically you are going to do better price-wise to have the ceremony and reception at one location. Also, a venue that will let you bring in your own caterer and bar can save you a lot of money.But there are package deals at some venues that give you an attractive fixed cost and fewer vendors to deal with. Spend the time shopping around for your place to be sure you are getting the best arrangement. Buy instead of rent . Compare the cost of buying as opposed to renting some things. One friend bought napkins online and used them for all of the showers, the rehearsal dinner and the wedding dinner and will have them for their next daughter’s wedding. Another bride bought all of her plates and wine glasses at a thrift store and planned a garage sale later to recoup some of her expenses. Get some expert opinions. Talk to at least 10 recent brides/couples to see what they learned and what they would or wouldn’t do again.Stay cheap! empire waist plus size wedding dresses