1. Dream Big: “Blue Sky” your wedding dreams first as though there is no budget. This will give you a base of inspiration that can be distilled into affordable reality.

2. Stick to your important “must have” but be willing to compromise on some of the details that will make mothers, fathers and in-laws-to-be feel included.

3. Think outside of the box. If you don’t like wedding cake (or can’t afford it), don’t serve it.

4. Make sure your food and dress are spectacular. These are the two things that people will remember after the event is over.

5. If you don’t have a lot of money to spend on flowers, stick to one type of flower, preferably a white one.

6. If you want to attend wedding shows, create a new email account in advance. You can use it to enter all the draws and giveaways at these shows, then cancel the account after your wedding – no more wedding-related emails to deal with.

7. If a church wedding isn’t you thing, don’t fret – your wedding can happen anywhere you imagine. Museums, art galleries, theatres, historical buildings, even barns are all creative locations for tying the knot – just pick a place that suits your style.

8. If the idea of your wedding favours gathering dust on someone’s mantle doesn’t sit well with you, forgo the idea all together and make a donation to your favourite charity on behalf of your guests.

9. Consider having your wedding off-season or on a day other than Saturday, as vendors are eager for business in their downtime and you may get better rates.

10. Contrary to what you might think, fewer attendants often means less stress and more support.