We know that it’s not really traditional to talk about budgeting and weddings in the same sentence, but this year, money is becoming a bigger factor in wedding planning than in the past. It may not be easy to pull off your dream wedding for less, but with some homework and a lot of determination, you can have a $25,000 wedding for a fourth of the price. Brides all over the United States are pulling off this feat. Here are some tips from frugal brides everywhere.

Essence.com found the “Ultimate Bride on a Budget” from 2008. Her name is Tavon, and she planned what should have been a $25,000 wedding for $6,000. She not only jumped on sales, but made connections and reached out to her network—her wedding day makeup was a gift from a friend and the caterer was a friend of the groom and cooked and served the food for free. Tavon bought her dress secondhand and rented a fake cake with an edible layer at the bottom. She served her guests from a sheet cake. She bought her flowers from Costco and her invitations from Party City. Her bridal party helped her make her bouquet and the decorations for the reception (a fun bachelorette party idea, perhaps?). In the end, her wedding was truly a dream wedding, but also one she could afford.

Silk Flowers

Other brides have suggested using silk flowers, especially for winter weddings. Not only are these often cheaper, but they keep forever and can be sold to another bride after the wedding or used to decorate at another event you may put on.

Do Your Homework

The biggest money-saving advice for any couple is to plan ahead. Discuss your goals for the wedding and reception far in advance, set goals, and resolve to stick to them. You and your fiancé need to sit down well in advance and answer questions like “How much money are we willing to spend on a wedding? What aspects of the wedding are we willing to spend a little more money on and which are not as important to us?” The answers to these questions can help you save money as well as your sanity and the relationship.

Bridal Shows

As you enter into the planning stages, take the time to visit bridal shows. There are tons of prizes and giveaways at these events. You and your sweetheart could walk away with a fully paid for honeymoon to Hawaii or free catering. Bridal Shows also offer couples the opportunity to compare prices and discover what they really like. You don’t need to hire a wedding planner with all the resources out there to help you plan your own wedding.

Research Online

Purchasing dresses, flowers, jewelry, etc., can best be done online. Often, you can buy bridesmaid dresses wholesale for a fraction of the cost of in-store prices. When buying something in a store, don’t be hesitant to negotiate. Many vendors will offer bargains based on quantity and some will try to top other vendor’s prices.

Tradition is often the biggest reason people spend more than they want to on a wedding. So in order to cut down your costs, you might have to do away with certain traditions and make your own. Don’t send engagement announcements or save-the-date trinkets. Instead, send an email. Make a Facebook group. Most of your friends and family can get invites electronically, and for those few who can’t or don’t want to, you can send something by mail.

The wedding venue can often be the greatest cost a couple will face as they plan their wedding, but there are ways to avoid spending $15,000 on a ballroom. If you attend church, you may be able to use the building for both the ceremony and the reception. Most churches have a multi-function room in addition to a chapel and having the entire wedding in one venue can save a lot of money.

And the most important way to save money on your wedding is to use your network. Like Tavon, ask for wedding gifts that fulfill your wedding needs. Of course, make sure the people you ask to do your wedding are experienced. And if you’re particular about how a certain aspect of the wedding turns out, it might be worth paying to have it done the way you want. This goes back to setting your priorities for what’s important.