My wife and I eloped 20 years ago - my daughter is getting married in two months and she wants a more traditional wedding but doesn't have a lot of money either. Some examples of ways to save money: have the wedding/reception held at a location that doesn't cost money to rent (ie a backyard), ask the attendants to wear nice clothing so it will not cost extra, dress and suit can be either rented or purchased used. Even used dresses are usually only worn once in addition to fitting. Ask friends to bring food to share at the reception. Don't ever incur debt for a wedding - it will start the marriage off on the wrong foot. Above all do not use any kind of professional wedding service. Find a friend that is good at photography or videos and ask them to take pictures or video instead of a wedding gift.