How to Plan a Budget-Friendly Disney Wedding

I'm sure you've heard it (or thought it) a million times: "I want a Cinderella wedding." Maybe you've always believed in Disney magic. Maybe you want that "Happily Ever After" fairy tale ending. It isn't just about Cinderella anymore. Brides are taking inspiration from all the Disney princesses, including the latest: Tangled's Rapunzel.

But with the utterance of that one phrase, parents and fiances alike will be seeing dollar signs. That doesn't have to be the case. You can have your dream Disney wedding without breaking the bank.

Start your wedding off right with Disney-inspired invitations. If you're crafty, consider a DIY session to save money and add a personal touch. I love this idea: use Disney postcards as RSVP cards. For the less ambitious, here aretemplates to get you started. If, like me, you're not crafty at all, have personalized invitations made. There are plenty of surprisingly affordable options, all of which you can make your own. Just view some of the selections at right.

If you haven't started looking for a dress yet, there's a good possibility your bridal shop knowledge is based purely on shows like Say Yes to the Dress. If that's the case, you might be wondering how you'll ever find the perfect "Cinderella" dress without blowing your entire wedding budget. The truth is there are plenty of options out there for a bride who is trying to be more budget-conscious. Especially in this economy, many brides are starting to realize that they'd rather put a down payment on a house than have a platinum wedding and bridal shops are starting to notice. Many designers are branching out to make their gowns more affordable to the average person, providing them with a larger customer base.

David's Bridal has long had a stigma for cheap, low quality dresses and poor customer service; however, I've seen plenty of brides more than happy with their dresses. And guess what: you couldn't even tell they didn't come with a hefty price tag. To top it all off, David's Bridal's recent collaboration with Vera Wang brings high fashion within reach. Her dresses start at $500 and top out at $1,500. Yes, that includes quite a few ball gown options. If you were to go to a high end boutique they would scoff at your request for a $1,500 ball gown and try to pawn off A-line or trumpet as passable.

If you really want the "true" Disney princess dress, you'll have to go to Alfred Angelo. They've designed a dress for each princess that aren't just exact replicas. While they give you that princess feeling, your guests won't be asking if you're wearing a costume. You can choose from Ariel, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Rapunzel, Aurora, Snow White, and Tiana. They also have gorgeous veils to complete your fairy tale look. For your ladies-in-waiting (in layman's terms = bridesmaids) they also have a collection of nine dresses, each of which are available in sixty different colors. Your little "blossom", a.k.a. flower girl, also gets a chance to wear her favorite princess's dress. If I weren't going to choose a bridal gown from this collection, I at least think it would be fun to let my niece choose her dress from this collection. I'm comfortable with that because they're all adorable!

Another great, but somewhat riskier idea, is to purchase a dress pre-owned online. Sure you can check out your local thrift or consignment shop, but many brides aren't willing to part with their dresses for what these stores offer as compensation, which varies from nothing to 50% of the selling price. Preownedweddingdresses.com offers a large variety of dresses with a great search engine. Some gowns are up to 80% off, giving you the opportunity to purchase a designer gown at a quarter of the price.

This is where you can get really creative. From the traditional cake topper to the fondant designer cake, your only limit is your imagination. Of course purchasing a cake topper and putting it on a classic tiered cake is going to be the option most friendly to your budget, but if you're willing to splurge in this area, bakers are willing to do whatever you can dream up. Check out this cake blog for some great ideas.

Another great option for the quirkier wedding couples are the figure sets available at toy stores, particularly the Disney Store. The figure sets give you plenty of options. I've seen Toy Story weddings with Buzz and Jessie and Cars weddings with Lightning and Sally. This also gives you princess figures that you can incorporate into your cake.

If you really want those little touches to be taken care of in Disney fashion, you might want to consider purchasing a "lot". These include the cake topper decked out with your favorite Disney couple and matching champagne flutes. To cut the cake, an engraved server and knife are included to match the topper and glasses. You will also receive a guest book and feather pen to make sure you can keep track of your guests. To top it all off, the set is completed with a lace garter.

Remember, your fairy tale day isn't about the invitations, the dress, or the cake. Like any fairy tale, it's about love. A wedding is only the start of a marriage, a promise to spend the rest of your life together. Instead of worrying if your day is picture perfect, you should just enjoy the magic of it.