Wedding bliss for less: Tips keep pouring in

Dozens of people responded to my story last month about my efforts to save money on my 2007 wedding.

Like me, many were stunned to find out that the average price of a wedding now tops $28,000.

"Anyone who spends $28,000 for a wedding is either rich or nuts," Shirley Olson of Apex wrote. "There is better use for that kind of money."

I couldn't agree more.

People from all over the state sent their tips on making a wedding a true celebration instead of a budget-crippling nightmare.

Here's a summary of their tips.

Picking a place: Many readers said they saved big bucks by booking state, county and city facilities.

Michelle Scarbrough and her husband, Shannon, chose the N.C. State Arboretum, which charged just $650, including the rental, chairs, tables, the air conditioned reception room and an extra hour. And her mother baked her a cake that I swear could have been in a magazine.

Other people got deals by using church facilities. In most cases, you don't have to be a member of a church to use its facilities. Having her wedding in a Catholic church hall allowed Deidre Hartley of Apex to hire her own bartender and buy her own alcohol. She bought her wine during A Southern Season's annual sale and the beer at Sam's Club.

Becky Danninger of Cary found her deal at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Cary, where the facility has its own chef.

Finding food: Cori Pearl of Cary had her wedding at 11 a.m., which meant she could serve lunch rather than a full dinner. Going less formal was less costly.

Many people mentioned Sam's Club and Wal-Mart for cakes and food platters. Others enlisted talented friends or relatives to help prepare the meals.

Also, Clyde Cooper's barbecue in Raleigh got a few mentions as a budget-friendly option.

Fretting over favors: Robyn Schwartz of Winterville bought bags of pink, red and white Valentine's Day M&Ms during a clearance sale. She bought ribbon and other supplies at a craft store. Then she put together bags of M&Ms for guests to take home, with a message from the bride and groom. In all, it cost her less than $100 for 65 favors.

Requesting referrals: Belinda Chang of Cary had a great idea. She is in the midst of planning her 2009 wedding, and she's doing it long-distance, because the wedding will take place in Chicago.

Chang said she hired a planner, because flying to Chicago and back is time-consuming and pricey. Instead of simply asking for referrals, she asked about previous customers who had had a budget similar to hers.

"This allowed me to understand, one, what I was getting for my money from the consultant, and two, what would be possible with my price range."

Discount dresses: Some people laughed when I said I had found a coupon for my David's Bridal wedding dress at a wedding expo, but Jackie Lynch of Knightdale got a coupon for her dress, too. Her trick was that she registered at several local bridal shops.

"I first visited them," she said. "I did not find anything, but I filled out a registration card. Days later, I received a $50 coupon. Months later, I went back and found the dress and used the coupon."

Michelle Keenan of Durham got her dress on eBay for $140.

"I thought: If it didn't fit and alterations would cost more, then I'd just resell it and find another one," she said. "When it came, I tried it on, and voila, no alterations needed."

Skip some stuff: Bianca Bradford Howard of Cary offered an often overlooked idea: Skip stuff you don't want.

"Things we decided we could live without: a unity candle, chair covers and fancy wrapped bags of candies. Our wedding favors were CDs of favorite songs from bands we had seen together. We recycled plastic jewel cases from our own extensive CD collections," she wrote.

"We had the satisfaction of seeing all of the favors disappear, unlike the Jordan almonds or mints I've been offered at many a wedding, plus receiving comments from guests after the wedding who enjoyed groovin' to our favorite tunes."

A closing thought: Shirley Olson of Apex described her daughter's wedding, then offered: "The fate of the marriage is not tied to the fanciness of the wedding. Fifteen years later, the marriage is still flourishing, and my two beautiful grandchildren are the proof."