1st let me introduce myself as a newlywed .  I noticed when talking to most of my recently engaged friends that they were all paying for their weddings on their own and really on a tight budget.  They kept asking me who paid for my wedding (I thought that they were joking).  When I told them my now husband and I did a little at a time from each of our paychecks by buying off e-bay, they went off the wall.  Everyone thought that my husband's parents paid for it b/c of how expensive they thought it was.  I told them that I threw my wedding on a budget of 1,500.00 and that included my dress and the food.  With looks of dismay and questions that ensued from that point afterward long into the deep dark night.  I realized that they were clueless about how to and what to skrimp on and where to even begin to save.  Well,  Lets see to fill in  everyone who doesn't know me, I had 13 bridesmaids and 13 groomsmen that's not counting my 2 flower girls and jr . bridesmaid and the ring barrer.  I'll start there...  The dress came from a discount Bridal shop (the cost was 250.00, if you don't have a discount shop near you then look here on E-bay)*since you already e-bay you are already ahead of the clueless brides out there plus one for you on the score card. *  The bridesmaids dresses came from a trunk sale in DE, the girls saved loads also b/c the original prices on those were like 300.00 and at the trunk sale they were 99.00.  The flower girls dresses were bought here on e-bay for 5.00 a piece.  So far my total costs are only 250.00 + another 50.00 for my hubby's tux rental so only 300.00.  Now for the flowers.. they were silk and made into boquets and boutineers by me.  The flowers were bought in a bulk lot on here for 1.00 with 2.50 shipping.    The bridemaid gifts from me were bought as a bulk lot of anklets from a seller on e-bay which offered free shipping and the winning bid was 1.00.  The groomsman gifts were lighters bought in a bulk lot on here for 3.00 with 2.50 s&h.  The invitations were made by me on my home computer with regular white card stock from a discount card outlet the cost was 5.00 for the card stock and 20.00 for the colored ink.  I made the return RSVP's into post cards so that it would save on stamps.  Total for shipping out invites and the return rsvp's was 35.00.  The ring barrer pillow, flower girl baskets, pew bows and other wedding  decorations were found in a bulk lot form on here for 1.00 with 5.00 s&h.  The parents gifts for the rehearsal were found here on e-bay  we got the dad 's pocket watches which we bought from the same seller and saved on shipping. winning bids were 3.00 a piece with 2.50 s&h and an extra 1.00 for the 2nd item. The mom's got anklets just like my bridesmaids.  The church fees were paid by my husband and I and were only 75.00.  The hall in which we had the reception was free b/c we are fireman.  We found table cloths, toasting glasses,  unity candle and thank you's for our guests on here from the same seller and saved on shipping.  all together for all of that the total cost with S&H was 50.50.  Now onto the most important part the wedding rings we found wonderful wedding rings on here from the same seller 2 different auctions.  Mine was a .01 and my hubby's was .07  with 5.00 s&H.  We completely cut the isle runner didn't need one got married in a wonderful rustic church with beautiful floors.  My wedding shoes came from e-bay for 13.00 total.   Then there was the food which we decided to make ourselves  we are both fire fighters so we went with a very simple buffet.  Ham, roast beef and baked chicken, with mashed or boiled potatoes and corn or broccli..  The food and drink was the majority of the rest of our money,500.00.  Then there was the DJ who was 300.00 and was found at the last minute like the night before the wedding b/c my other DJ dropped out.  We used the fire trucks instead of limos for our bridal party  (Friends newer cars would have worked here too).  Pictures were quite simple we had a friend who loved to photograph everything and we bought the film and he did our pics.  price of film and development...25.00.  The wedding cake was real cheap too we went to a budget bakery who did a wonderful job and we only paid 100.00. With just under  50.00 to spare we had what our friends say was one of the most beautiful weddings they have ever seen and we had complete control of what our wedding looked like every step of the way.  Good luck all you brides to be and happy shoppin on E-bay!