cutting back costs...

I think that you are making a good desicion.... I have been cutting back on a lot I met with my florist and DJ and cut both by $1000 so a total of $2000, I shopped around for officiants, we are cutting ceremony programs, my b-pics even though it was so hard but I think that I might will still do them after the wedding.... We are also going cheaper on cake cutting sets and toasting flutes.... GL!

Brit, I'm also cutting my bpics for now.  Maybe I'll have them done for our first wedding anniversary.  :(  As for other cutbacks, I'm in DIY hell right now.  I have a ton of stuff that I had bought early on so now I'm trying to figure out creative ways to incorporate them into my projects.  Also, I've been looking around the office at stuff that may be thrown out for inspiration.  The other day my coworker walked up to my desk with a pile of cardboard that was being tossed.  She said she didn't know what she was going to do with it but it was perfectly good and would find something to do with it.  She asked me if I needed any for wedding stuff so I took quite a few.  Today I just realized I can cut them in half, wrap the cardboard in fabric I already had purchased, glue some cardstock on top and voila...our menus are done!  My best advice is be creative!  Look around your home, your office, your friend's home, anything! 

we used live orchid plants as centerpeices, and if you go to the orchid farm and tell them you would like to buy in bulks, it will be even more cheaper.

We have been DIY ing a lot

INvites are a big deal... we went from $30 per invite to 10 through DIY

We are also doing our own florals because it really is one of the more simple tasks that we pay so much for!

Um Other than that we are pretty good.

So far we have 200 plus guests for UNDER 20k

My Mom found great deals on table linens and chair covers on ebay and craigslist. She bought them cheaper than it would be to rent them. And after my wedding, she can sell them to recoup some of the cost. It takes patience and a little time searching around, but it's worth it.