How have you cut/save costs for the big day?

1. made our own std magnets
2. making our own invites, menus, table signs, and place cards.
3. Having the wedding on a tuesday, the day before a holiday.
4.got creative with the centerpiece that won't need to use a lot of flowers
5. only having one photographer and making our albums ourselves.
6. tons of diy's
7. ordering my dress online

-Having it an off month, February
-Having an afternoon wedding
-Bargaining with vendors
-Hall extras like included centerpieces helped save us money
-Using family and friends as my musicians for my Mass, saved money there but upped the sentimentality
-Vendors willing to work with me because we're off season
-Not going crazy for just one day: no VH, chocolate fountain, signature drinks, horse and carriage, etc. for me!
-DIY save the dates and possibly invites or invites ordered on-line

Having my wedding in an off month (February) saved me lots of money, and I got to do a Saturday night. Now, I just hope we don't have a blizzard.....

Also my vendors gave me great deals.

-FH negotiates like a medieval horse trader! He's good, real good we were able to get a Sat. night in May price for the same as a Sat night in Feb and lots of extras.
-Creating my own place cards, table cards, menus and STD's

That's about it so far.

-- Having it on a sunday
-- Attempting DIY STDs and Invites (pcketfolds, anyone??? )
-- no florist....do it myself