As anyone who's been part of one can confirm, weddings can be expensive propositions. And frequently, as the person planning or paying for the wedding gets well into the process, they realize they have to start cutting costs. So what can you cut? And what must stay? When I'm advising people on the subject, I always break expenses down into two areas: wedding supplies and wedding accessories.

Wedding supplies are those items that are normally considered most essential. They are the basics. For instance, unless your ceremony is before the Justice of the Peace, you're going to want to have things such as a wedding cake, the decorations for the ceremony (candles, special lighting, ropes to reserve seating for special persons such as parents of the bride, and so forth. Invitations are essential supplies as are some nice dishware for the reception. Also covered under wedding supplies are clothing items. It's simply not a wedding without a nice wedding gown for the bride, so obviously this is not an area to start cutting or even bargain-hunting. Likewise, your bridesmaids will need to look consistent and need to wear like or similar dresses. The groom and groomsmen will wear an appropriately matching outfit, normally a tuxedo. Because wedding supplies are considered basic to any wedding ceremony, this should be the last place for your cost-cutting efforts. Most of these items will have to stay, and only when you've cut as much out of other areas should you look to the wedding supplies--and then, only to find a better deal, not to cut it out completely.

Wedding accessories are those items you buy to enhance the wedding, to make it more special--but which are not absolutely essential, and are not always included for every ceremony. To give you an idea of what we're talking about, here's a list I made off the top of my head of some wedding accessories I've seen used at weddings recently: special guest book frames and pens, elegant champagne glasses, bridal tiaras, bridal purses and handbags, floral handkerchiefs (for bridesmaids), personalized handkerchiefs (for groomsmen), crystal flowers, wedding planners, wedding scrapbooks, and of course, much more.

Some items blur the distinction between wedding supplies and wedding accessories. For instance, special garters might be considered wedding accessories, because not everyone needs to use the garter ceremony, and certainly not everyone needs the specially-decorated ones. However, other people consider this such an essential part of the wedding that it might rightly be considered a supply.

So what does this have to do with cost-cutting? Obviously it's easier to cut certain wedding accessories without too much impacting the wedding itself than it is to begin cutting wedding supplies. The pattern to follow goes like this: First, cut out any wedding accessories that you think are completely unnecessary. Then evaluate your wedding supplies. Due to the unusual nature of your wedding, is there anything that is normally considered essential that might not apply to your wedding? If so, you can cut it. Now move back to the accessories: Decide if there are items still on your list that need to stay, but where you can save money by buying a cheaper one or getting fewer of it. And finally, if you still need to cut a few more dollars out of your expenses, do the same with wedding supplies: See if you can get a cheaper version of something.

Don't let this fool you: The wedding will probably still be an expensive event. But at least it won't be as expensive as it otherwise would have been. And hey, weddings are (hopefully) once-in-a-lifetime events--right?