Where to cut costs and save some major coin?

If you aren't set on the cake idea then you could cut that out, 2nd hand pre-made center pieces, reduce guest list, 2nd hand dresses, see if anyone you know can do your alterations for the dresses for free or cheap.

Any one in your family in either side have a huge social network that may be able to help? We are doing and all inclusive type venue and we just learned we can get a cake and cupcakes for only 200 thank s to a family friend and we have a photographer willing to help for Free! Also wedding favours? Try something edible. We are literally going to Costco to buy a coffee we both love and put the beans in a little bag! DIY HELPS BIG! One tip my vendor said is they have basic items of decor that they include and to use any aisle decorations as center pieces so you don't up your floral budget! Hope this helps

We're doing free evites and online rsvps linked to our free website through JOY! Invitations can get crazy expensive (especially if you have a big wedding) and rhey just end up in the garbage (hopefully recycle) anyways! What a waste!

If you guys are supplying your own booze obviously watch for sales and I would also suggest getting your own wine made. That can save you a lot! Especially if you enlist family and friends to save their used wjne bottles that you can reuse! Just make sure they rinse them (NO SOAP!!) and let them dry upside down if you want to use them.

Good luck!!

I need on on this too! Lol keep the tips coming ladies. I just had a meeting with my planner and although I'm not as brave to post my budget let's just say it got out of control quickly and I have lots of deposits down. My fiancé never should have given me control! And I'm usually so good with money

I saved money on my invites.

I went through Vistaprint and waited for a 50% off sale. I also did e-mail RSVP's.

I wouldn't get down on the photography, that is something that stays with you forever.

Are you including your dress in that price?

Make your own music playlist and just run it through the venue's sound system instead of paying a DJ, do all the decor yourself, less people will also save you.

Ultimately, the more people you have the more money it will cost. What is your guest count? If you can eliminate several people that certainly helps, don't forget that not everyone will be able to attend, so that automatically cut costs. We lost about 50 guests so that was a huge relief on our overall budget.

I did wedding invites with Vistaprint (very cheap and quick) and did RSVPs online to eliminate all the extra stamps and paper I needed to get printed (RSVP cards, info cards etc...)

Small things start to add up, so seeing what you can eliminate would help cut costs.

I saved alot on venue because we opted for cash bar. That way we eliminate guests drinking too much and we don't worry about the cost afterwards. Our invitation we found a company that's reasonably price and we picked our invite that are on sale section. We didn't have to do the rsvp card as we are using the website here for that. So that cut the cost.
If you try and find vendors that has promotions or doesn't charge tax it'll save as well. Kijiji and facebook wedding group buy and sell is another great sources to find decors or even vendors.

Evites vs real invitations as the invitations themselves and stamps add up. Plus you have to wait for all the darn rsvp in the mail where we evites are instantaneous.
Buy as much decor as you can and resell through varagesale or fbook wedding groups.
Guest list , maybe just invite some people to the reception.
Research other venues ? Just an idea but I know that’s a hard one.
Change the menu to something less expensive?

Its so hard to give suggestions as every bride is different and my top five must haves will be different from yours. My advice is for you and your FH to sit down and chooses your top five most important things and focus money on those things and mane let the other stuff go a bit. Best of luck