Some brides and grooms feel that planning a wedding on a budget means cutting a lot of corners. But using budget wedding sites and finding a great deal on a unique wedding ring set are just a couple of the ways that smart couples find room in their budget to splurge on the things that really matter to them. It can also be less expensive and more special to deviate a bit from the typical American wedding (and the expensive mainstream wedding industry) to bring in cultural traditions from other parts of the world.

1. Japanese Weddings

After traditional Japanese weddings, the bride and groom trade their formal kimonos for pants and shirts in order to sing karaoke, act out skits, and play games with their wedding guests. These kinds of activities are a fun and inexpensive way to spend time with out-of-town guests, even if you are planning a wedding on a budget.

2. South African Weddings

After the wedding, the bride’s family brings fire from their own home to light a fire in the fireplace of the newlyweds in their new home. This could be a nice ceremony to incorporate into your wedding celebration if you are saving money by having a wedding reception in your home.

3. Filipino Weddings

In the Philippines, the newly married couple dances together as the bride’s family and friends race the groom’s family and friends to see who can pin more dollar bills onto the clothing of the bride and groom. The newlyweds get to take this money home with them after the reception. This contest is helpful to anyone who is planning a wedding on a budget because it brings in a little extra cash for you to start your life together as a married couple. Several other cultures also have a variation of this dollar dance at the wedding reception.

4. Dutch Weddings

In the Netherlands, family and friends of the bride and groom plant lily-of-the-valley bulbs all around the couple’s home to help the couple celebrate the renewal of their love each year when the flowers bloom. If you and your spouse-to-be have chosen a home with an outdoor area that can accommodate a garden, take advantage of this tradition and let your loved ones help with the planting.

5. Mexican Weddings

Traditional food at Mexican weddings includes such staples as rice, beans, and tortillas. Choosing to have a Mexican-themed reception could be significantly less expensive than trying to feed steak or salmon to your wedding guests. Mexican wedding cookies or cakes can also be inexpensive to make yourself.

Photo: Mark Sebastian