As a money-savvy person looking forward to getting married in the near future, the following statistic may cause your heart to flutter a bit — and not just from love: The average cost of a wedding in the United States is nearly $25,000.

Here’s some encouraging news, though: While this figure is the average, it certainly doesn’t mean you have to spend anywhere near that amount of money. After all, you know that officially being wed is important, regardless of what your wedding ceremony and reception entail.

Fortunately, there are several ways to save money on your wedding while still hosting a fun and memorable ceremony and reception. Check out the following budget-friendly ideas:

1. Choose Any Day But Saturday

According to Nerd Wallet, Saturday isn’t only the most popular day for weddings; it also means you’ll be paying far higher prices than you would otherwise during the week. Knowing this, if friends and family are flying in for your big day anyway and/or taking the day off, your wedding could easily be on a day of the week when venues tend to charge less; for instance, Sunday or even a weekday afternoon or evening.

2. Don’t Overspend on Lingerie

Brides-to-be who want to treat themselves to some gorgeous bridal lingerie may be tempted to head to a pricey retailer. However, to save some money and still find sexy pieces you and your spouse will adore, consider online shopping instead. For instance, Yandy is a great site for lingerie, as the online retailer offers a large selection of beautiful pieces that are budget-friendly and will suit various styles and needs.

3. Consider a Non-Traditional Location

For couples who don’t want to hold their wedding in a church, which typically charges little to no money for a wedding, there are other affordable options. Say you and your spouse-to-be love a certain restaurant. Oh, and perhaps it’s the spot where you had your first date. If that’s the case, inquire about whether it can accommodate your reception — and even the ceremony itself. Other options include city parks, the beach, a vacation home, a local recreation center, an art museum, or a winery.

4. Be Careful with the Plus-Ones

You may have long dreamed of having a large wedding with several hundred people in attendance — and that’s totally understandable. But if you can pare down your guest list, even a little bit, you’ll wind up saving big bucks on reception costs. In fact, trimming your list by 10 to 20 people can save you as much as $1,000 on food, alcohol and rentals. 

One effective way to do this is by eliminating as many “plus-one” options as possible. Moreover, if you allow every guest age 18 and older the opportunity to bring a guest, prices will quickly add up. Either try to keep your guest list to couples-only or be honest and upfront with your single friends about trying to save money. 

If it seems too awkward to not let your bestie bring her boyfriend along, then look for other ways to trim the proverbial fat. For instance, those dozens of cousins you haven’t seen in decades or acquaintances from work could be easily removed from your guest list.

Congratulations on Your Wedding and Your Financial Smarts

Regardless of what other couples choose, know that you don’t need to save up nearly $25,000 for your wedding or ask your folks to chip in. By selecting a day other than Saturday for your nuptials, shopping online for bridal lingerie, skipping the expensive wedding venues, and paring down the number of guests as much as you can, you’ll still have a beautiful and meaningful wedding that looks opulent, but which is much more budget-friendly in nature.