THE WEDDING OF YOUR

dreams could all too easily become the outstanding debt of your nightmares.

The average couple will spend $28,704 on their wedding this year, according to market researcher The Wedding Report. Depending on where you live, however, you could pay even more. On average, New Yorkers shell out a jaw-dropping $63,516 on their nuptials.

With ample pressure from wedding vendors to splurge on their magical, one-of-a-kind big day, even couples on a tight budget find it's all too easy to overspend. "With a wedding, you don't want it to look like you did everything on the cheap," says Diane Forden, editor in chief of Bridal Guide magazine. "But often, it's the little things that add up and cost big bucks."

The good news: You can easily cut corners without making it obvious to the guests. Here are 10 ways to keep your wedding costs down.

1) Slim down the invites

The more you stuff into that wedding invitation envelope, the more you'll pay both in product costs and postage, cautions Summer Krecke, deputy editor of

. Streamline the contents by putting reception and ceremony information on the same card. Eliminate extras, like fancy liners and interior envelopes. And in lieu of including a map, send an email with a link to mapped-out directions or include the address of your wedding web site where guests can find the full details. At InvitationConsultants.com, for example, 150 of its middle-of-the-road "Simply Elegant" invitation sets including the invitation, envelope, reception card and response card costs $675. Cut out the reception cards, and save $68.

By lightening an invitation's total weight from two ounces to one (say, by eliminating the reception card, map insert and envelope liner), you'll save roughly 17 cents per invite in postage. Use response postcards instead of a card-and-envelope combination, and save another 15 cents apiece. For 150 mailed invitations, that's another $48 saved.

2) Hunt for ambiance

Seek out ceremony and reception spaces that will only need small accents instead of a total transformation in order to fit your colors and theme. That way, you're not spending a large part of your budget on decor, says Judy Allen, author of "Your Stress-Free Wedding Planner." Even if table linens and chair covers are provided, blank walls and basic furnishings require more in the way of flowers, lights and other accoutrements. On the other hand, building features like fireplaces, fountains, gardens and even crown molding can reduce or eliminate the need for decorations.

3) Rent a cake

At up to $15 per slice, haute couture cakes may be wow-worthy, but they often unnecessarily weigh on a couple's budget. You don't have to spend a small fortune to get that elaborate confection of handcrafted sugar-paste flowers and lacey cutout fondant icing. Instead, fake it with an icing-covered foam cake from a rental company, advises Vanessa Wakeman, owner of Indulgence Events, a New York-based event-planning service. You'll get the look you want for photos (there's a real layer for the cutting ceremony). To make sure you satisfy your guests' sweet tooth, purchase a sheet cake from a local bakery that can be cut up in the kitchen. Aurora, N.Y.-based bakery

offers a three-tier cake for as little as $60, including delivery and setup. The real cake layer costs $1.75 to $2.95 per serving.

4) Dress-shop online

Warnings on major designers' web sites caution brides not to buy their gowns online, because there's no guarantee the dress is authentic. "That really puts people off, but buying online is actually a great way to shop around and save," says Christa Terry, author of "iDo: Planning Your Wedding with Nothing but 'Net." Bridal boutiques often practice so-called "tag ripping," removing all identifiers from the dress so brides can't take the style number to price compare elsewhere. Terry suggests starting online to find dress designers and styles you love. Then work backward to find out where you can try on the dresses locally, and the prices you might pay.

5) Go local

With the national average for regular unleaded gas topping $4 a gallon, the less traveling your wedding purchases need to do, the better. "Go for anything that is local and in season," says Wakeman. Food and flowers that need to be specially ordered or travel a long distance are bound to come at a premium prices. Peonies, for example, are widely available in the spring for $4 to $6 a stem, but must be imported from Europe or New Zealand at double the price for fall and winter weddings.

Lock in prices

Ask the vendors you're working with for guaranteed prices on food, cake and liquor, especially if you're signing a contract far in advance of the big day, cautions Allen. Flour prices, for example, are up 21% since May 2007, while eggs are up 18%, according to the latest Consumer Price Index. That makes for a much pricier wedding cake. Asking for a fixed price now ensures you won't get hit harder at delivery. "You don't want to be facing a 25% surcharge [at the wedding] to cover higher costs," Allen says.

7) Schedule off-peak

"Your peak season, Saturday night sit-down dinner is going to be the most expensive wedding," says Forden. Even a small switch like Friday night dinner or a Saturday morning brunch can add up to substantial savings. Popular wedding reception hall

in Wrentham, Mass., discounts food prices by 10% on Friday nights, and on Saturdays before 5 p.m.

Also, schedule the wedding during off-peak months. (May and June are busiest nationwide; other peak times vary by region.) The Hazelhurst House in McDonough, Ga., offers 10% off its wedding packages and waives the 20% service charge for weddings in January, February, March, July, August and November. That's a discount of about $2,670 on its Magnolia Wedding Package, which includes four hours of time, two deejays, food, flowers and cake, among other things. The package typically costs $9,200 for 100 guests.

8) Haggle

"Don't be afraid to negotiate with the vendor," says Wakeman. It's the rare bride who doesn't have a budget to stick to, and most vendors understand that. As you're shopping around, make it clear what your bottom line is and what other business have quoted (as long as the quote is competitive). "Ask, 'What can we do to meet this price?'" she says. Another savings trick: ask to order the same flowers and food that other clients' have already ordered for events on or near your wedding date, suggests Allen. Vendors often get bulk discounts amounting to 10% to 15% that they may be willing to pass along in exchange for making their ordering easier.

9) Limit liquor

Not the consumption of it, but the selection, says Krecke. Instead of an open bar with 15 different liquors, offer one signature cocktail and beer and wine. "Your guests have some variety, and you're cutting costs," she says. Guests are apt to drink more when there's unlimited selection, which can greatly increase costs if you're paying for opened and empty bottles. At

in Tucson, Ariz., house-brand liquors, wine and beer at an open bar will set you back a flat rate of $12 per guest for the first hour and $5 per guest per hour thereafter (roughly $2,700 for a 100-guest, four-hour reception). Add in specialty cordials and Scotch, and you'll pay an additional $8 to $9 per drink.

10) Borrow from other brides

The "something borrowed" part of traditional bridal attire is supposed to lend good fortune from an already happily married couple. So why stop at a borrowed pair of earrings or shoes? Talk to other recent brides about leftovers from their weddings, suggests Forden. Purchases like the ring bearer's pillow and reception wishing well (to stash cash gifts) are rarely reused and often linger in storage. Broaden your options by posting through a local

group, which encourages members to give away unwanted items. And if you feel comfortable doing so, speak with the bride that's using the ceremony or reception site right before or after you. You may be able to share decorations or other items and split the cost.

Also See:

• The Wedding Gift Etiquette Guide

• Registering for Rewards

• 6 Destinations to See Soon