If you can, you might do better to allow for casual wear for the bridesmaids so that they can wear less expensive dresses or skirts. This is particularly good if you are planning an outdoor or beach wedding.

 

The less formal the ceremony, the less money that you are required to spend. Perhaps that is why outdoor ceremonies are getting more and more popular these days.

         

You can also save money on the ladies dresses by purchasing them off season from a bridal store. You can always shop for out of season or discontinued dresses as a means of getting great discounts on gorgeous dresses. If you really want to, you can ask that your bridesmaids forget about the wedding shower gifts in favor of buying their dresses. That is a common compromise that is made these days.

         

If the cost of the dresses is really going to be a matter of stress for you, just reduce the bridesmaids to just having a maid/matron of honor and a best man only for the groom.

 

Many couples opt to forego the extras all together and simply do not have anyone standing up with them at all. After all, there is no law that states that you have to have a maid of honor or best man present during the ceremony.

         

When it comes to the tuxedos for the male participants and the groom, you can often find good deals when renting if you just shop around. It helps is you limit the number of participants if you must in order to reduce costs or if the men involved have their own tuxedos already.

 

Either way, research and comparison shopping really is the best chance.

         

You can also choose to rent the ladies gowns as well as the tuxedos. Not everyone wants to spend hundreds of dollars on a dress that they will wear once. Or spend that much money on many dresses that you will never be worn more than once.