Are you getting married soon, and are afraid of going bankrupt from the wedding expenses alone? It’s time to be practical nowadays, given the state of the economy. Gone are the days when you can spend tens of thousands of dollars on a designer wedding dress without feeling a twinge of conscience.

There are many ways to cut costs on your wedding. Here are some tips that you may be able to use:

Limit the number of guests by giving the invitations only to close family members. While this sounds so simple, it seldom happens. Wedding and funerals are great occasions for relatives to congregate, so if you don’t want hundreds of cousins and cousins-twice-removed to attend your wedding, you had better keep the news of your wedding to your immediate family alone. Make it clear that if the invitation says it’s good for one person, then it is offered only to one person.

Ditch the wedding giveaway. Yes, those small bride and groom statuettes are cute, but do people really appreciate them? Once back at home, they’ll just be relegated to a corner cabinet, gathering dust until such time that it will be thrown into a box in the attic and forgotten. Ditching the giveaways can save you hundreds of dollars; you can help save the environment too, by not producing more trash. If you want guests to have a memento of your wedding day, you can send them group pictures later.

Find cheap bridal gowns for you to wear. Cheap doesn’t mean low quality. A lot of discounted wedding dresses are unused or used only once, and they are usually sold at a fraction of their costs. These bridal gowns can be found in lots of places too, from rental stores to outlet shops, in thrift stores, and even in online stores. Like with everything else, you just need to persevere in looking for one that would fit you and would look good in you.

When you look through cheap bridal gowns, keep in mind that you can still have them altered, repaired, or accessorized with other materials. What’s important is that you have a base from which you can work. You can add color, for example, by using a colored veil or sash. The options are endless—you can definitely find a quality and discounted wedding dress and make it your own.

Brides are becoming more and more practical nowadays. Follow these tips—including finding good but cheap bridal gowns—and you will have a good financial start for your future.