Thanks to the good folks at Brides.com for this great article!

What’s a party without guests? One of the hardest (but most important) parts of planning your wedding is creating the guest list. It’s a little more complicated, though, than simply making a list of everyone you’d like to celebrate with. There are people you’ll have to invite, others you really want to skip, and those who may or may not make the cut, depending on your venue’s capacity. So how do you decide who does—and doesn’t—get an invitation to your wedding? Here are six guidelines to help you and your families figure it out.

1. Make a preliminary list with just your partner.
Before you involve your families, sit down with your partner to start the guest list. Begin with your immediate families, then add those close family members you really want to have there. Next, move on to your closest friends—the ones you simply can’t imagine getting married without. This probably won’t be your entire guest list, but it’s a good place to start, and should cover those must-haves your parents will be looking for. But don’t involve your families just yet—you’ll want to get this starting point ironed out first so you can make sure everyone is equally represented down the line.

2. Decide where you’ll cut off family invitations—and stick to it.
Extended family invitations are tricky. Who even knows the difference between second cousins and first cousins, once removed, anyway? The general rule of thumb is that, if one uncle gets an invitation, all of your aunts and uncles need to get an invitation—the same goes for cousins or second cousins, too. This isn’t much of an issue for small families, but with a large extended family, this can take up the bulk of your guest list. Start with your closest relatives first, then work your way out until you reach a level you’re comfortable with, one that (hopefully!) leaves room for a few friends, too!

3. Give both families the same number of extra guests.
After your families have been invited, determine how many extra spots you have left and divide it evenly between both of your families. Let your parents use these seats however they’d like—and make it clear that there are no more seats available. This way your mom can invite her best friend, while your father-in-law can include his business partners (you know, the same ones who invited him to their son’s wedding last year).

4. Make the call about children.
It’s entirely up to the bride and groom whether or not children are invited to the wedding. Decide whether you want little ones there or would prefer an adults-only celebration, and then put your foot down. That means no exceptions! Not sure what counts as a “kid”? Most caterers consider children guests under 12, so you can definitely skip your cousin’s teenaged kids but still include your college bestie’s toddler—just make sure you’re applying that age rule across the board. And if someone calls to ask if they can bring their kids along, let them know what you’ve decided, and stick to your guns!

5. Return the favor.
This one’s tricky. If a friend invited you to her wedding five years ago, there’s no need to invite her to yours—even if you were a bridesmaid. However, if you attended a wedding in the past 18 months (and especially if you or your partner was in the wedding party!), that couple should be on your guest list, as well.

6. Follow modern “plus one” protocol.
You’re not obligated to offer every one of your guests a “plus one” to your wedding, but if they’re in a serious relationship of any sort (dating, living together, engaged, etc.), their partner should be included. Buh-bye, “no ring, no bring” rule!

Originally posted by De Elizabeth on Sep 19, 2016 in “Engagement, It’s Wedding Season”

When it comes to planning a wedding, the very first thing you have to decide, literally before anything else, is the date. And before you pick the specific date on the calendar, you probably have a good idea as to which season you prefer. While all seasons have their benefits, many factors come together to make autumn truly the best. Objectively speaking, there are many reasons why fall is the ideal time of year to tie the knot. Here are nine of them, all of which will add up to an insanely memorable wedding.

1. You truly cannot ask for better weather.
If Mother Nature behaves herself and the weather plays according to the rules, chances are, you’ll end up with a perfectly crisp day. This will come in handy when you spend several hours crammed into a small room with your bridesmaids while getting ready. There’s literally nothing worse than sweating – or freezing – your ass off at a ceremony.

2. The colors.
There are so many options when it comes to color schemes. You could go orange and red, or blue, or gold, or navy. Almost anything looks amazing against the changing leaves. Which brings me to….

3. The scenery.
If your ceremony is outdoors, you will barely need to decorate at all. The turning leaves will do the job for you. The orange and red trees will look amazing as a backdrop to your nuptials, and there’s something so romantic about falling leaves (not to mention crunchy ones).

4. Think of all the ‘grams.
The colors and symbols of fall are endlessly Instagrammable. And, okay, they’ll look great in your professional photos too.

5. Pumpkin and apple everything.
If you’re a fan of Pumpkin Spice, this is a perfect excuse to make all of your appetizers autumnal themed. Think: pumpkin soup, or apple sausage, or a pumpkin dip. At one wedding, the couple had an apple cider mimosa as the signature drink and guests told them it was pretty much the best thing they’d ever tasted.

6. So many decor options.
Between pumpkins, gourds, wheat, and candles, there are endless options for fall decorations. The best part about this is that you can craft centerpieces from these items without paying extra for flowers. Which results in saving money. Yes, please.

7. Your guests will likely be available.
With summer weddings, you run the risk of choosing a date that interferes with an annual family vacation, or, just as likely, another wedding. People are generally more free during the autumn months, and you won’t have to compete with seventeen billion other June weddings.

8. Think of all the bouquet options.
With an autumn wedding, you can go the unconventional route with your bouquet (which also results in less money.) Your bouquet can be composed of peach and orange roses, but it could also have wheat and berries in it, and be wrapped with burlap!

9. It’s just undeniably romantic.
Think of that quote – “Life starts over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” Maybe it’s the routine of starting school in the fall, or feeling like the autumn is equated with “new,” but there’s something so quintessentially hopeful about the beginning of autumn. And what better beginning than the words, “I do.”

This terrific article was written by Neal Frankle. Neal is a Certified Financial Planner in Los Angeles, and founder of the blog, Wealth Pilgrim.com. This post originated on Wealth Pilgrim.

As the father of three daughters, when you ask, “How much should a wedding cost?” my answer is simple: Less. A lot less.

Fortunately, there are dozens of ideas that will slash the cost of even the most ambitious wedding. It goes without saying that you should take it easy on engagement ring prices. But after you take care of that, keep on the money saving track.

The following tactics will deliver a world-class experience you and your guests will never forget – and keep you out of the poor house at the same time. Here are eight top cost-saving tactics you should consider using that can save you as much as $28,000.

The easiest way to realize significant cost savings is to erase some people from the invite list. Think about it. If you are paying $100 a plate, merely cutting out a dozen guests will save you $1,200. This step is cool because it doesn’t mean you have to change anything about the overall experience.

2. Shuffle Your Big Day: Savings $3,500

Most people wed on Saturday night. Mistake. It’s the most expensive day to tie the knot. Don’t do it. Think outside the box and get married on any other day. This alone will save you 10%.

If you strategically make it inconvenient, fewer people show up and that reduces your expense too. So if you’re wedding is going to be a $35,000, you can put $3,500 back in the kitty.

3. Beat the Clock: Savings $6,000

Again, by having your ceremony in the morning or afternoon, you’ll save a ton more. The food, venue and entertainment will be much less expensive. Also, most people tend to booze it up a little less during daylight. One caterer I spoke with told me that he charges 40% less because during the day, people normally don’t have appetizers.  So, if you figure 150 people are coming at $100 a plate, that’s a cool $6,000 you save.

4. Stonewall Your Caterer

Your caterer is a salesperson. Her goal is to put as much distance between you and your money as possible. Play hardball. Just because other people spend big bucks on food nobody is going to eat doesn’t mean you have to.

Simplify your hors d’oeuvres (or drop them completely) and main course. Drop the soup. Use the wedding cake for it’s intended purpose – dessert. You don’t need more than that.

Your caterer will try to shame you into spending as much money as possible. Don’t fall for it. You don’t have to do anything just because “that’s how it’s done.” Think about every dollar you spend and make sure it’s meaningful.

5. Let Them Eat (Less) Cake: $1,750

If you don’t go for the idea of using the cake as the dessert, get a small cake. Since nobody is going to eat it anyway, you might as well save the money. Don’t worry about the guests complaining. They won’t.

You can serve the guests “wedding cake” from a sheet cake in the back. That way you have a beautiful (small) cake for the ceremony and you’ll still have plenty of cake to go around. The caterer I spoke with told me that the average cost of a plated dessert is $15 a head. If instead you get a cake for $500, that’s another $1750 that stays in your purse.

6. Close The Bar: $2,200

Remember, you’re not staging the Mardi Gras. And you don’t need to liquor everyone up. You can offer just beer or wine. Or if you serve more, you can offer a choice between two cocktails on top of the beer and wine. These two moves will significantly save you serious cash.

My caterer pal told me this is where serious dollars are saved. Most places will charge you $20 a head at least for alcohol. Find a venue that will allow you to bring in your own booze and it will cost you a ton less. I just had a party for 150 people and used this little maneuver. I spent a total of $800 on beer, wine, cola, water and hard alcohol. Nobody went home thirsty and I saved $2200. I’ll drink to that!

7. Allergic To Flowers: $9,000

Choose flowers carefully. If you get married in a garden setting (preferably on an afternoon) you might be able to forgo the entire need for flowers. You can also select less-expensive flowers. Use a colorful theme to cut down the need to use flowers to add color.

You could spend $50,000 on flowers alone but please don’t. The average is about $10,000 and unless you absolutely demand it, cut it down to less than $1,000 for some well placed roses. Savings – $9,000 at least.

8. The Wedding Dress: Savings $4,500

Wedding dresses can empty your wallet – unless you are clever. Buy clothes that have been tried on before. You can snatch these up at huge discounts. Bridal gowns are often on sale in late spring and early winter.

You can also save a bundle by renting clothes and shoes instead of buying. A wedding dress could easily run $5,000. That’s plain crazy.  You’ll have no problem renting one for under $500. This will save you $4,500.

The total comes to a cool $28,150 savings.  This assumes you’re spending $100 a plate and inviting 150 guests. This is not extravagant in Los Angeles (where I live) but it might be in other parts of the country. But that’s not the main point.

There is no one step that will save you the big bucks, but as you see, little steps can add up to huge bucks that stay in your bank account. If you are paying for your own wedding (and especially if you are still struggling with college or credit card debt) does it really make sense to have a large wedding at all?

(Reprinted with sincere thanks to Casey Slide. (Originally posted in MoneyCrashers. ) Whether it’s in a big, elegant church, or a rustic, old garden, or at a white, sandy beach, the backdrop and decorations of a wedding ceremony can really make a lasting impression. And luckily, a pretty ceremony doesn’t have to cost a fortune. When it comes to ceremony decorating, less tends to be more. Additionally, you can save some money by being creative and keeping it simple. Here are some great ideas for cheap wedding decorations that will help you stick to your budget.

Saving Money on Ceremony Decorations at a Church

1. Use Your Venue’s Decorations
   If you’re getting married in a church, see what decorations they have for you to use. Many have candelabras which can add sophistication to your ceremony. Also, you may not have to decorate at all if you plan to get married during Christmas or Easter time when churches are already adorned with flowers and greenery.
2. Use Candles Instead of Flowers
   Candles are a lot cheaper than wedding flower arrangements, and can often be more romantic. Use them at the altar, to line the aisle (make sure they’re in fireproof bags or enclosed in glass to prevent fire hazards), or even in place of bouquets.
3. Get Some Potted Plants
   In the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, they lined the aisle of the beautiful Westminster Abbey with big, potted trees creating an English garden atmosphere. You can do something similar by bringing some potted plants from home or borrowing a few from a friend.
4. Buy Lots of Tulle
   There are so many fun things that you can do with tulle to decorate, but here are two of my favorites. The first thing you can do is create a canopy effect with the tulle. Have a few friends hang some from the center of the ceiling and then drape it down to the corners of the altar or stage. To complement the tulle canopy, use tulle to make bows to put on the pews or rows of chairs.
5. Decorate the Altar Only
   If you have a beautiful wedding venue already, there is no need to go overboard with your decorations. Perhaps all you need is a simple arrangement at the altar.
6. Decorate Your Own Unity Candle
   This is a fun and easy project that can be done in less than one hour. Go to a craft store and buy a plain, white candle that is at least two inches in diameter. You will also need to buy a ribbon (at least two inches wide) and some sequins. To assemble your own unity candle, glue the ribbon around the bottom of the candle and then glue the sequins on the front of the candle so that they spell the first letter of the groom’s last name.
7. Go Shelling
   My parents live near the beach down in Florida, and my mom’s favorite activity is to go shelling. She goes at least once a week to look for beautiful and unique shells. It wasn’t long before my mom had collected thousands of shells, so many, in fact, that she didn’t know what to do with them all. If you have access to free shells, put them in clear vases or hurricanes to be used as wedding decorations. Although shells would be a great addition to a wedding near the ocean, they would also be a beautiful added surprise to a landlocked wedding as well.
8. Throw Down Some Flower Petals
   Even if you do not have a flower girl, you can still throw down some flower petals along the aisle. This can be done as part of the decorating process before the guests arrive. Flower petals are inexpensive to buy compared to actual flower arrangements, so if you really want flowers but don’t want to spend the money, this is a great way to add them into the decoration of your ceremony.

Saving Money on Ceremony Decorations Outdoors

9. Pick a Naturally Beautiful Setting
   Outdoor garden, beach, or mountain weddings are already decorated for you. For example, if you’re getting married at a farm, throw down some hay bales for seating and you’ve got a rustic, but romantic aisle to walk down. If you want a garden wedding, make sure you get married in the spring when all the flowers are in full bloom.
10. Have a Focal Point
    There needs to be some sort of focal point that you and your spouse-to-be meet at to be wedded. The focal point will act as a frame around the event. Some of the most common options are arches and gazebos. First check to see if you will have one provided to you by your venue. If not, you can buy one, rent one, or make one. Unless you are a carpenter or a handyman, you should probably opt to rent one. I suggest renting an arch since they are typically cheaper than gazebos and look just as nice.
11. Hang Some Christmas Lights
    If you are getting wed in the evening, white Christmas lights are a must. And if you’re renting an archway, it would be the perfect place for the lights. Also consider hanging lights in some of the trees if you will be in an outdoor setting.
12. Mow the Lawn
    This may seem obvious, but if you are getting married in a backyard, start working on the lawn early to ensure that it will be ready in time for the big day. If the yard is kept up with regularly, it will look better for the wedding. Also, start early to plan out what flowers and plants you want to feature. Planting bulbs months in advance will save you from buying more expensive flowers to plant the week before the wedding.
13. Use a Theme to Guide You
    I went to a wedding not too long ago that had an amazing “Zen” theme throughout. Some of the decorations included paper parasols, lanterns, and bonsai trees. They even had rock gardens as the wedding reception centerpieces to complete the theme. What’s great about using a theme is that you only need a few elements to make a big impact on the overall impression of the ceremony.
14. Light It Up
    In addition to white Christmas lights or candles, other ways to light up your evening are to use luminaries, torches, and lanterns. Use what is most appropriate given your particular wedding venue. Also, keep in mind whether or not children will be at your wedding and if it would cause any issues to have open flames.
15. Blow Bubbles
    Although this may sound childish, bubbles can actually add an elegant touch if done correctly. If you’re going to use a bubble machine, make sure that the machine is out of sight and that the bubbles are not coming out too quickly or too slowly. Also make sure that the bubble machine is not too noisy.

The Last Word

The key to successful wedding ceremony decor is simplicity. Clean, elegant flower arrangements, a few strategically placed candles or some potted plants to add a little greenery are all you need to create a romantic and memorable ceremony. Less is more – which ultimately means more money for the honeymoon!