[octothorp]

My wife and I had a smallish wedding, around 75 people at the Deane House in Inglewood. Not the cheapest location, but we did save money by having everything in one spot. I think the details that make the wedding memorable for you and your guests aren't the lavishness of the wedding, but the little details that make it personal. For example, after the ceremony, we had ice cream served in the garden and games of boche and croquet set up, so that guests could do that while we were off getting photos done, rather than waiting about awkwardly; and a friend of ours wrote a beautiful violin sonata for us. And while the dinner was good, it wasn't really what people remember (although people do remember dim-sum the next morning, which the whole extended family came out to... again, it was a cheap and memorable activity, especially for many of the older generation who had never tried anything like that). We didn't have a dance as such, but with an ipod and a dance floor, that doesn't need to be expensive either.

edit: oh yes, my wife also went with the bridesmaid dress approach (not really because of cost but because she found one that was the perfect style). My $1200 suit was somewhat less thrifty. Though I get a lot of use out of it. I'm wearing the jacket today, infact.