When looking for a wedding dress, don't forget ebay. When I remarried in 2004, we wanted to be married in Church but nothing elaborate. I found a full length off-white new dress for $60 (which included shipping) which fit like it was just made for me. (The lady who sold it to me said that if the dress didn't fit, I could send it back with it only costing me postage to return.)
I made our invitations on the computer. We rented the gun club's party room ($50), had keg beer, soft drinks and byob and about 100 people showed up. A friend did our cake for $100. Another friend catered the sandwiches/snacks for $125. The DJ cost $125 (brother of another friend.) One of the guys I worked with took pictures (which he did as a 2nd job) -- I can't remember for sure but I'm thinking $200 which included an album and then he gave me all the proofs for nothing. A friend did my hair, nails and makeup as my wedding gift (She also sang before the wedding.) I went to a "party" store and bought plastic everything for the tables at the reception including disposable cameras (now some of those were fun pictures). A friend of my daughter's made my bouquet for what it cost her.
And the most expensive thing? My husband had to have a new suit, shirt, tie, socks and shoes -- set him back over $500 :shock: (And now he can't get the suit on -- we would have been better off renting him a tux!) But the wedding was very beautiful and the reception was fun and we still had money left to go to Gatlinburg, TN for a week!