Pick up any bridal magazine and on average there is approximately ten pages of written information in amongst all the pages. In fact, no other industry has been able to sustain the amount of magazines that the bridal industry has. It is estimated that the total global market value of weddings is approximately $85 billion - US Dollars that is. That figure does not include the honeymoon so it could be even higher!

The wedding industry in general is designed for brides to be in an emotional state which generally leads to BIG money being spent on weddings. As a professional wedding planner I have seen it all so many times, couples who are struggling to save for a home spending $5000 on a wedding dress because the bride simply fell in love with the dress. Just because you are getting married does not mean you need to break the budget or start your married life with 'wedding debt.'

Why does this happen? Two reasons generally, most couples getting married have never planned a wedding before and they unintentionally get caught up in the marketing hype. In my personal experience, I have even seen professional financial planners justify why they spent substantially more on their wedding than originally planned.

The second reason most couples spend more than they should on their wedding is because they simply don't know what to ask for, what to look out for or avoid and how simple tips could slash their wedding budget. Given that nature of the industry this sort of information would generally be hard to come by.

Don't get me wrong, I am a firm believer that in most cases you get what you pay for, but that does not mean you need to spend unnecessarily or fall prey to all the scams. There are many simple ways that you can dramatically slash your wedding budget without compromising on your special day. If this sounds like a relief but you are somewhat skeptical, don't be. Saving money on your wedding does not mean you need to ask a friend to take the photographs or bake your own wedding cake.

For example if it is the $5000 designer wedding dress you absolutely have to have, did you know there are other options available to you to obtain that dress, and at a fraction of the cost?

When it comes to planning a wedding, for most brides every cent matters. If you can save ten percent on very element of your wedding, which sometimes is as easy as asking for it, it will make a big difference to the end figure.

Weddings have evolved dramatically in the last decade. These days anything goes for weddings, it is all about infusing the couples individual style and personality into their day. By being level headed about what you want, what you really need and educating yourself as to where you can be creative, you will avoid falling into the 'bride-brain' mentality and save yourself thousands of dollars.