Weddings are (hopefully) a once-in-a-lifetime experience and you want to do everything you can to make the day a memorable one. When the economy was racing along, spending on weddings got out of control.

The good news is that it is possible to have a wonderful day without breaking the bank.

Here are some suggestions to help you keep costs down:

1. Go Back to Basics

When you get down to it, all you really need for your wedding is your beloved and yourself, a couple of rings, someone to officiate at the ceremony, and two witnesses. Anything else is really just window dressing. Do you really need to have a full formal wedding with a large wedding party? Make a list of the things that you “must” have and be flexible about the parts of the day that would be “nice to have.”

2. Think Out of Season Dates

The prime wedding season runs from Easter to September. If you are prepared to be flexible about the date, you can make your wedding budget go further if you decide to get married in the fall or winter. (The slowest time for weddings is January, by the way, and holding the ceremony then is one way to get your New Year off to a great start.)

3. Keep the Guest List Small

If you haven’t seen or heard from someone in five years or more, then don’t think that you are obligated to invite them to your wedding. The same rule applies to your boss, your co-workers, and the bowling team. You get the idea here. Invite only your nearest and dearest to share your wedding day with you; it will help to keep costs down.

4. Rethink the Formal Reception Idea

While your dream wedding may include a reception at a hotel for a few hundred guests and a multi-course sit-down dinner, that may not be in your budget. No problem; you just need to be a bit creative. When you are looking at possible wedding reception locations, ask to see a range of options for the meal. A buffet may be less expensive than a sit-down dinner, or you may choose to have an evening wedding with a cocktail reception afterward.

You may want to re-think the idea of an open bar all evening, too. One option is to have an open bar before dinner and serve a wine of your choosing with the meal. You could choose to serve beer and wine only if the alcohol will be on your tab to keep costs reasonable.

A wedding reception doesn’t necessarily have to take place in the evening. You can also choose to have the ceremony earlier in the day with a brunch or luncheon following. Menu prices will be lower with this option.

5. Avoid the Words “Wedding Cake”

Here’s a way to save on the cost of the cake for your wedding. If you plan to serve the cake at the reception, buy a sheet cake instead of a formal “wedding cake.” Those two words tend to drive up the price. If you want a cake “for show” and will be serving a different dessert at the reception, then order a small one or ask about the cost of having one or more layers being “fake.”

There are many ways that you can save money but still have a lovely wedding. With a little creativity, you can have a wonderful celebration and keep some green in your pocket.

How would your family react if you suggested no toys, no lattes, no gadgets, and no luxuries, for a whole month?

Personally, I prefer working to a budget rather than going cold-turkey, but if you have a serious case of materialism-addiction, perhaps a complete spending detox could be just the thing …

Check out this report where a family did just that, in A Month of No Spending

I realize many people live like this all the time, by necessity, not by choice, and I anticipate letters saying, “Boo hoo! You had to give up your decaf Frappuccino.” But this wasn’t an exercise in “playing poor.” Our month of no spending was a financial wake-up call, a chance to recalibrate our relationship with money at a time when everyone I know has money on the brain.

As I say in the introduction, this idea could be very very tough, especially on the younger members of your family if they are old enough to “I want I need” but too young to understand the value and cost of things. Having said that, most kids appreciate some quality parental attention more than the latest Hannah Montana gizmo, it could be a great tonic for family life.

At a loss over what to get Mom for Mother’s Day? Had enough of the same old flowers or earrings? Here’s a few Mother’s Day suggestions for the Mom who has everything….and trust me, she’s worth it.

1. Give mom the gift of good oral hygiene with the $1750 water fountain toothbrush. Well, the prototype is $1750, eventually this puppy’ll cost $3 – which makes one wonder why one wouldn’t want to wait until the cheaper model comes out? Why so special? Because the toothbrush directs water into your mouth for rinsing.

2. Is Mom into a little social networking or computer gaming? Then she’ll surely want this 18K White Gold computer mouse. Retailing for a mere $24,180, this mouse contains 59 brilliant cut diamonds personalized in the pattern of your choice.

3. Sparkly mice not your thing? Maybe Mom is more about accessories and this one doesn’t disappoint. How about a $20,000 Hermes Birken Bagi It looks like an ordinary bag for sure, but the Hermes people pretend they’re very hard to obtain so all the bored rich people have to have one.

4. Won’t Mom enjoy tooling around town in this the Porsche Speedster replica covered with Swaorvsky  crystals? She’ll be the envy of the early bird buffet crowd when she pulls up in this puppy.

5. Perhaps Mom is a fan of the fragrance?  If so, you”ll just have to buy her a bottle of this $230,000 perfume.  The perfume, 500ml of Clive Christian’s No.1 Imperial Majesty perfume, comes in a bottle featuring a 5 Carat diamond and a solid gold collar.

6. If mom truly does have everything, why not buy a present for her favorite pet? This Amour Amour dog collar contains 1600 hand set diamonds including a 7 carat diamond centerpiece can be bought for a mere $1.8 mil.

7. At $250 this Swavorski Crystal bra is a more affordable option. How special will mom feel wearing this on Bingo night?

8. Keep in touch with my by giving her this diamond encrusted cell phone. Choose from white or yellow gold or platinum. But hurry, these $88,000 beauties are made to order.

Looking for things to do on the weekend or vacation time that won’t set you back a lot of money?

You don’t need to be a millionaire or even slightly well-to-do to enjoy the finer things in life. Consider this list of…

60 Fun Things to Do for Little or No Money:

1. Enjoy a concert in the park – Spring and summer begin free things to do in the park season. Concerts and movies are just the beginning.
2. Go camping – Still one of the cheapest vacations one can take, especially through the US National Parks system.
3. Go for a hike in the woods.
4. Go for a swim – Many lakes and oceans are free for swimmers, others require a small fee. It’s still a good, affordable way to spend a day. Better yet, find yourself a good, old fashioned swimming hole.
5. Go fishing.
6. Have a picnic.
7. Take the kids to the park.
8. Visit a museum -There are lots of free museums and many others take a donation.
9. Work on an arts and craft projects
10. Play board games.
11. Dig for fossils or gems. Find out where to dig in your area.
12. Build sandcastles
13. Have a barbecue.
14. Run through your garden sprinkler.
15. Play a pickup basketball or volleyball game in the park.
16. Visit the library. Take out books, movies, music or take advantage of some of their great programs.
17. Take a free online class.
18. Find a fireworks display.
19. Go canoeing or kayaking.
20. Do some birdwatching.
21. Make a kite and take it for a ride.
22. Go for a bike ride.
23. roller blade.
24. Ride your scooter.
25. Visit the zoo. Most zoos are affordable and if you get a summer zoo pass you can visit as often as you like for one price.
26. Read
27. Sell lemonade
28. Watch a play at a local theater
29. Visit a vineyard – some tours are free while others are affordable.
30. Visit a street fair. Food is cheap, plus craft displays, flea market finds and entertainment abound.
31. Tour a college campus
32. Lounge on a hammock
33. Adopt a pet – Actually adoption fees aren’t as cheap as they used to be but it’s well worth the cost.
34. Tour a fire house or police station
35. Bowling  – A night out for the family really doesn’t cost much, especially if you bring your own snacks.
36. Tour a brewery
37. Bake
38. Make a chalk mural in your driveway.
39. Tour a television or radio station
40. Attend a tv show taping
41. Shakespeare in the Park – If your area has it
42. Make a birdhouse
43. Stroll through a public garden
44. Work on your own garden
45. Visit the state or county fair.
46. Join a book club at the library, Borders or Barnes & Noble
47. Browse the flea markets.
48. Find a drive in movie theater in your area.
49. Take advantage of local cultural events.
50. Visit a dairy farm.
51. Visit historic battlefields.
52. Take a day trip to Washington DC where most of the museums are free.
53. Volunteer at a soup kitchen or another place that feeds meals to the homeless.
54. Have a scavenger hunt.
55. Teach yourself a new language using online tutorials and materials from the library.
56. Start a scrapbook and fill it with items found outdoors.
57. Jigsaw puzzles!
58. Make a working volcano
59. Have a campfire in your backyard, roast marshmallow and tell ghost stories.
60. Clean out your house and have a garage sale.

Add to the list. What are some great things you can do with little or no money?

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