Weddings. Every little girl dreams of them and every parent has nightmares about their escalating costs. How do you keep the finances under control without tipping the scales into tacky territory?

1.    If you cannot afford to feed 250 of your closets friends a four course dinner … don’t! If you love gourmet food, then edit your guest list way down. 75 people, that really are your nearest and dearest, can have a fabulous meal on a small budget. You can’t create elegant if you run out of food, plastic utensils or red Solo cups.

2.    If you, your fiancée, your parents, or whomever insists on each and every one of those 250 guests, then put a twist on your tradition. Invite them all for an early wedding ceremony followed by a lovely luncheon or even a brunch on a sunny morning. The food is much less expensive, the caterer and reception facility will cost less due to the early time and you can avoid the expensive of a full bar; beer, wine and mimosas would be perfect. Who ever said it had to be a Saturday night?