1. If your heart is set on an evening celebration, consider hosting your wedding on a weeknight instead of a Friday or Saturday. You’ll be able to negotiate a better rate with all your service providers, from your caterer to the florist to the band; the venue will also be prepared to negotiate their venue hire fee.

2. Make use of the services of a DJ instead of a band; be sure to ask the DJ to come equipped with appropriate background music for dining, as well as dance music for the party.

3. Hold a daytime wedding instead of an evening reception – consider a luncheon or brunch, with a dance party later that same evening or perhaps a few weeks later when you return from your honeymoon.

4. Offer a signature cocktail instead of an open bar, it will surprise you how often you’ll hear your friends say “I’d love one of those, it’s been ages since I’ve had one…!”

5. If you are set on serving oysters there’s no need to set up an oyster bar for guests to help themselves; serve what I call cosmetic oysters – either an oyster shot with chilli salsa, or on a bed of cucumber ribbons served with a capsicum and cilantro shot.

6. You are not obligated to serve costly champagne; try a sparkling wine cocktail, such as a Kir Royale or Bellini. If you’re a purist and serving champagne cocktail isn’t to your taste then save the chilled bubbly for your speeches only.

7. There is no need to lay on a fancy meal, opt for a juicy, succulent chicken dish rather than the more expensive veal, beef or lamb. No-one will be offended, in fact most of your guests will thoroughly enjoy tucking into scrumptious chicken served with crisp potatoes when correctly prepared and beautifully presented.

8. A traditional wedding reception with a sit-down dinner and three course meal can become costly. Instead, host a chicly elegant black tie cocktail party – great drinks, tasty tray-passed foods and a cake cutting will delight your friends, hire a DJ and have a great party. Thoughtfully done your wedding reception can easily become that much discussed favorite night out on the town.

9. Rather than working with an expensive invitation company print your own invitations at home. Take some extra time to personalise them, beautify each one with a colored semi-precious stone or store-bought crystal. For a country wedding add a sprig of lavender to the invitation or place a layer of gorgeous tissue, cut to measure, inside the envelope.

10. There are no hard-and-fast rules when it comes to the form your celebration takes: instead of a seated dinner, hold a Sunday brunch with Champagne Bellini’s – omelettes made to order, fresh fruit and chilled white wine will certainly do the trick. Be careful though of serving alcohol before the meal or you’ll have everyone smashed before the food is served … and be extra careful if it’s a hot day and you’re outdoors, it’s amazing how a little alcohol goes straight to the head on an empty stomach.

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