• How to Plan a Wedding on a Budget
• Couples Often Face Difficult Financial Decisions
• Professional Advice: Wedding Day Hairdos and Don'ts

How to Plan a Wedding on a Budget
From ice sculptures to fancy stretch limos to a wedding dress that costs more than your mortgage payment -- with all these wedding temptations, how can you possibly stay on budget and still have the wedding of your dreams?

Wedding experts offer the following tips to keep your budget in-check:
Borrow what you can. Know a friend, neighbor or family member who recently got married? Ask to borrow their cake server, wedding slip, veil, headpiece, centerpiece items or even wedding dress.

Become centerpiece savvy. Use candles to spice up centerpieces, such as using votives on top of a mirror with small accents of flowers or balloons. Have bridesmaids use their bouquets as reception centerpieces, and your wedding ceremony flowers can pull double-duty, too. Or pile nicely wrapped favors in a bowl or basket at the center of each table.

Factor in the season, day and time. Avoid the busy summer wedding months or the holidays, when prices can be 10 percent higher. Winter weddings -- January through March -- tend to provide the best deals. Consider planning your wedding on a day other than Saturday to save money, too: Fridays evenings and Sunday afternoons are popular alternatives. Receptions earlier in the day tend to be cheaper than a dinner buffet or a five-course sit-down dinner, so consider an afternoon tea, cocktail reception, lunch or brunch.

Shop the bargains. Many Web sites, such as eBay, offer discounted new and used party favors, ring-bearer pillows, guestbooks, etc. Attend bridal shows to collect special savings coupons for bargains on wedding vendors and rentals. Some stores may offer discounts for multiple purchases -- such as discounts on your bridesmaid dresses, veil and shoes when you buy your wedding dress there, also.

Look to cheaper alternatives for invitations. Thermography typeset is less expensive than engraved invitations. Also be sure to watch the weight of your invitations -- from the size of the paper to all of your enclosures -- so you don't have to double up on stamps. Consider designing and printing invitations and programs yourself to cut costs. You might opt for cheaper, plain-style wedding invitations and then embellish them by adding ribbon, lace or silk, or dried flowers, say experts.

Get gown savvy. Watch the sales, and buy off the rack. Scout sample sales where you can nab dresses for 25 to 95 percent off regular prices.

Flower power. Consider using silk flowers, which often can be cheaper than real ones and can even be reused to decorate your home. Mix in berries, fruit or greenery fillers to create large centerpieces or bouquets at lower costs, and use flowers that are in-season. Try a grocery store's flower department, which might offer better deals than regular florists. Another way to spruce up your locale: Borrow plants or trees from friends, or rent them from a florist.

Affordable photography. Find a photographer who will let you keep your negatives. That way you can avoid paying high prices for reprints or enlargements. Hire a capable photography college student, but evaluate the quality of the student's work first.

Fancying food. Instead of serving lobster and shrimp, make less expensive foods fancier. Ask the caterer what other affairs' menus they are preparing on the same day and if you can serve the same items. Caterers might be able to order and charge for the food at discounted bulk rates.

Couples Often Face Difficult Financial Decisions
Once all the decision making with regards to their big day has been put to rest, couples taking the plunge often must make financial decisions before or shortly after walking down the aisle. After deciding on everything from the guest list to music to menus, couples may not be in the mood to do any more planning once everything has been put in place for their wedding day. But financial planning is best done as soon as possible.

Perhaps the best place for you to start when discussing finances is your respective thoughts toward money. Discussing your resources and your financial goals is imperative to establishing a relationship where each of you becomes more responsible or more flexible with your finances. It's also a good thing to discuss if you'd like to combine bank accounts, or if you'd just like to continue on with your own personal accounts. Joint accounts can give you both easy access to funds, while also increasing the likelihood that you'll avoid fees, as your joint account will boast a higher balance and earn more interest on the combined savings.

Keeping your own personal accounts can be beneficial, too. Along with continuing what has become a comfort level with respect to your own personal finances, by keeping your own accounts, you're also maintaining some level of independence as well.

For those couples who have already walked down the aisle, it is important to consider the tax ramifications of marriage. While the standard deduction for married couples filing jointly in 2004 ($9,700) was equal to the combined deductions of two people filing separately, filing jointly and itemizing your tax returns could be a great option for newlyweds, as two people are likely to have more deductions than just one person filing alone. Keep track of any deductible expenses, including anything from charitable contributions to state and local taxes. And if you're among the legions of newlyweds who have purchased a first home together shortly after getting married, you can also deduct certain mortgage expenses and your mortgage interest.

It might not be a bad idea, either, to adjust your W-4 form at work to withhold more from your paycheck each week. By increasing the amount of money withheld from your paycheck, you can avoid the pitfall of a big tax bill come April 15.

Health insurance is also a decision most newlyweds have to make once they've officially tied the knot. Since most people are covered by employer-sponsored plans, combining policies can often be a less expensive way to go without sacrificing any health benefits. Typically, one policy that adds a spouse as a dependent is less expensive than two separate policies with no dependents. For instance, those who are self-employed and paying for their own policy will most assuredly find it cheaper to join their spouse's employer-sponsored plan.

While health insurance is a chief concern, newlyweds also need to consider whether or not life insurance is an avenue they want to travel down. Particularly for newlyweds who have recently purchased a house together, life insurance could be a necessity to ensure that one spouse can still afford to make the mortgage payments should the other pass away. If you already have children, life insurance is a necessity. Also, if either spouse has any pre-existing policies, they should be updated as soon as possible after the wedding to list the spouse as a beneficiary.
Examining the things you own is also something couples need to consider, particularly if you already own a home. If you have expensive jewelry, for instance, increase your homeowner's insurance to add extra protection. Also, with respect to auto insurance, oftentimes combining policies is the most cost-effective way to go. Typically, insurance companies lower premiums with each car added onto the policy. Many auto insurance companies also view married couples as safer drivers, which also leads to lower premiums.

Finally, the last and perhaps most difficult financial decision to make is whether or not to get a prenuptial agreement. For many couples, pre-nups are irrelevant. But for couples who already have substantial assets or children from a previous marriage, a prenup can be the best way to protect their children and money should they pass away prematurely or end up divorced.

Professional Advice: Wedding Day Hairdos and Don'ts
When couples go over their list of priorities for wedding planning, their appearance probably ranks very highly among other items such as booking the ceremony, finding a reception site and picking out wedding bands. While attire that fits your frame and personality can enhance your best assets, also keep in mind that the right wedding-day hairstyle is key to completing the look.

For help finding the right style, consult a professional stylist who has years of experience creating beautiful wedding-day looks. To get you started, here is some advice from Damian Carney, international artistic director of hair-product manufacturer Joico, who offers these dos and don'ts for wedding day style.

DO consider the entire picture, which includes a style that fits the theme of your wedding and is cohesive with the rest of your look. When you've come up with a theme -- i.e. classic, contemporary, casual, etc.-- discuss your plans with your stylist. He or she can suggest hairstyles that will complement the theme you'd like to achieve.

DON'T feel you have to emulate everything you see in bridal magazines. If the look of the moment is free-flowing tresses, but you prefer a sleek, tight bun, go with what you like. Your stylist can offer variations, such as escaped tendrils or pins and other accessories to add distinct appeal.

DO highlight your personality. Although you want to look radiant and special on your wedding day, don't wear a hairstyle that isn't "you." In other words, if you're known for your pixie cut, don't feel the need to grow out your locks just because you'll have more style possibilities. Similarly, don't fight what nature gave you. Embrace your ringlet curls, rather than trying to flatten them out for your wedding. Understandably, you will want to look special on your wedding day, but take care to ensure that you are recognizable when you walk down the aisle.

DON'T compete with your gown. The lines and flow of your gown should be paralleled with the lines of your hairstyle. A simple, sheath gown works well with a tailored upswept chignon, while a princess gown with lots of tulle may work better with long, cascading waves.

DO practice your look prior to your wedding. Set up a rehearsal with your stylist and finalize your style. Take a photo so that he or she will have it for reference. This is your big day, so don't be afraid to voice your opinion and say what works for you and what doesn't. Ultimately, styling decisions are up to you, so don't feel pressured to go the way your stylist suggests.

DON'T leave your wedding day hairdo to chance. The right products, like those from Joico, can help keep your style looking beautiful throughout the day, with minimal retouching. To give hair a volume boost, texture and shine, consider AMPLIFIER(R) Volumizing Mousse that holds without weighing down hair. For dramatic looks and shine, Gripper Spray Wax allows you to create hair artistry. And to tame flyaways and frizz while imparting a lustrous shine to hair, rely on Silk Result Instant Smoother.

DO make sure the groom-to-be takes grooming and haircare seriously as well. A haircut and style schedule a few weeks prior to the wedding will ensure his hair is in prime shape for wedding photo opportunities.