You don’t have to do what everyone else does: religious ceremony, formal reception, dinner, dancing, etc. All that costs a great deal and the money might be better spent in setting up your new home. Why not think outside the box when it comes to planning your wedding. Here are a few neat ideas we’ve come across:

Wedding in a park
When Bill and Janice were getting married, they knew they couldn’t afford the trimmings. They booked a large area of a park ($125) for their summer afternoon wedding. They then asked all their friends to bring pot luck food for the reception. “We got thinking about the food at church picnics – it always seemed to be the best because it was pot luck,” said Janice. “So we decided why not?” Bill’s sister Maggie coordinated tables on which the food was laid out. His brother Colin and his groomsmen put together an activity schedule including a soccer game, races and, of course, the bouquet toss. For the wedding itself, the pair wore shorts distinguished by a fancy veil for the bride and a top hat and bow tie for the groom. It wasn’t fancy but a great time was had by all.

Cocktail party
When Hamish and Tamara were planning their wedding, the guest list seemed to just keep growing. Both families have a wide circle of friends and it seemed impossible to accommodate everyone at a sit-down dinner and keep the price in line. So they decided to have a late afternoon wedding and a cocktail party.
Guests had time between the ceremony and reception to grab a bite but most came to the reception at a local night club ready to tuck into canapés and snacks. Drinks were free and the music so good, most people kept dancing.
Guests had to wear wrist bands to keep regular nightclub patrons from crashing the affair but that made it even more fun. Best of all, the pair said, “We were able to circulate easily and chat with guests without feeling confined to a head table.”

Afternoon tea
Margaret grew up in an English family where afternoon tea was an invariable part of Sundays together. She decided it might be fun – and very economical – to incorporate her family’s custom into her wedding. Margaret and Edward had calculated the various options and with a mortgage already looming, they decided this was the best alternative. “It cost less than half of a sit-down meal,” Margaret crowed. “And after all, no one remembers the food; they remember the setting and the fun they had.”
The pair booked the beautiful gardens of a grand hotel nearby. A tent was on standby in case of rain but it was a lovely day when the pair and their guests sat down to formal tiered stands of cucumber sandwiches, colourful fruit and delicate petit fours. Plates of scones accompanied by thick strawberry jam and rich Devon cream were placed on the tables.
A harpist played soft music. On each table, a magnificent trio of roses floated in a pretty bowl. The wedding cake formed the centerpiece of the décor but nothing could compare to the gorgeous blooms everywhere in the gardens around the happy group.

Barn dance
As venues go, a barn may seem an odd one for a wedding. But for Marcy and Mike, it had three things going for it: it was out in the country not far from town, it was a large space and it was cheap.
We knew we couldn’t afford the big reception in a hotel or banquet centre, so we did the next best thing,” said Mike. “We had a barbeque and a barn dance. It was a blast.”
Large barbeques were rented, as were tables and chairs. Decorations consisted of plenty of blue and white gingham and field flowers like daisies and black-eyed Susans.
Guests were encouraged to dress western style though the wedding party was dressed more traditionally.
A fiddle band supplied the down home music and everyone joined in the dancing. They even hired a caller for some contra dances – these allowed everyone to join in regardless of whether they had a partner. “Everyone said this wedding topped their list for fun,” said Marcy.