So you have decided to tie the knot. Brave move, I should say. As Oscar Wilde quaintly puts it, "Marriage is a triumph of imagination over intelligence." I'm kidding of course. Seriously now, many couples take tying knots to the extreme and end up with jammed financial knots!

If you don't want to spend your honeymoon worrying about financial problems - worse, spend your whole married life untying debt knots, then, take full control of your financial destiny before taking the big step. In case you are that naïve, let me tell you that financial troubles account for many divorces and divorce is one of the main culprits for bankruptcy.

So there you have it! Now let's take the first move - saving on marriage costs.

A quick search on the internet will yield many tips on how to cut on costs, where to hunt for the best bargains, how to get the best deals and tons of advice for inexpensive, yet elegant weddings. Yet, all these suggestions would never work in the absence of three very important ingredients:

1. Knowing what you really want:

What is it that you really want? Do you want a lavish wedding that would deplete your lifetime savings or a modest wedding that leaves you enough to pay the down payment for a house and buy a car?

2. Understanding of basic economics:

Economics simply means you can't have your cake and eat it too. Understand that the true cost of something is the alternative you have to give up. "Something's gotta give," so to speak.

3. Self control:

Here's the greatest power that you can hold over yourself - self control. As the Great Teacher said, "Real power is, knowing you can but you don't." Whenever you are tempted to overspend, remember what it is that you really want and consider what you have to give up. If you can't keep yourself from draining your pocket before you are married, how can you manage you and your spouse's financial future together?

The first thing you have to do is set up a budget and stick to it. Saving doesn't mean sacrificing the essence and meaning or the style, sophistication and sentimentality of the ceremony. All you need are lots of imagination and a little help from your friends and family!

So here are sure-fire ways to guarantee big savings on your big day:

1. Find out if any of your family's side are willing to make contributions to your wedding fund. Your loved ones are always willing to help, so don't hesitate to discuss it with them. If you find it awkward to bring up the subject, employ the help of a charismatic family member or friend to help initiate the subject, supposedly behind your back.
2. Hunt for sample sales - you might just find great designer dresses at rock-bottom prices. You can also check the web for used wedding dresses. Try e-bay, craigslist, Etsy But renting a wedding dress is the best way for you to save much. Bear in mind, your wedding gown won't go around announcing its tag price so resist the urge to go for the more expensive ones. Believe me, it matters more how good you look with it, so focus rather on the fit.
3. Drop the Saturday fever and the June bride craze. If your wedding is scheduled on a less busy day and month, you can get better prices from vendors. You can save as much as 15% on off-season rates.
4. Engage the help of your family and friends to help you with homemade touches such as invitations, centerpieces, and wedding programs. One fabulous wedding I attended used homemade invitations made of special paper with handwritten scripts on them - done by different friends!
5. Your circle of friends could be a gold mine - artists, singers, flower arrangers, musicians, - they would be happy to offer their talents as gifts for your wedding.
6. Scour the web for best bargains. Let your fingers do the walking for you.
7. Choose a venue that offers extras such as free flower arrangements; wedding coordinator; or an on-site ceremony location. This can save you a considerable amount.
8. Ask for advice from friends or friends of friends who just got married. You can save much by learning from their mistakes and benefiting from their wise moves.
9. Build a free site and share your wedding details online. Great way to save on postage, printing, paper and time.
10. When it comes to flowers, buy in season and choose the bigger buds - they cost less by filling the room easily. Also, you can save with more greens. If you skip the middleman and buy from the source, you'll get bottom-rock prices! Search the net for growers.
11. Save on your bridesmaids bouquets by opting for fashionable corsage.
12. When it comes to photographers, choose those who have not yet made a name but has a good quality of work to show.
13. Consider throwing a breakfast instead of a dinner. Thus, the emphasis will not be on the food and drinks but on the affair.
14. Don't be afraid to borrow jewelries, cars, and other items from friends and family, and cut a lot on expenses. They will be all too happy to help you with your very special day!

And last but not the least, bear in mind, it's not the celebration that would last but the love that you share. From your wedding day on, strive to keep the love alive, so that when someone asks any of you the classic question, "Are you happy or married?" you can confidently answer, "Both". One way to achieve this is to carve a bright conjugal financial future even before you have begun.