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I think a big one is deciding early-on the areas that are important to you and you want to do right...then cut corners and scrimp on the rest. Our photog costs 5 times what our videog does, but we want GREAT pictures, and while we want a video, it doesn't need to be the best around, just someone to capture the ceremony and some candid moments.
My fiance and I found a cake we really love - but since we are having almost 300 people attend, the price tag was fairly high. We decided to have a smaller version of the cake made and have two large sheet cakes decorated to look like the bottom layer. While we are cutting the actually (but smaller) wedding cake, our servers will be cutting the sheet cake and have it on plates ready to hand out to our guests. It cut our cake cost significantly and we won't need to worry about people standing in line for cake!
We also chose not to have a limo for our transportation - our big tickets were our photographer and reception (number of people).
Hope that helps!
I went with DIY invitations - I think our total stationary costs came to under $250 (STDs, invites and thank you notes for 190).
And I went with a less expensive baker - cake is just as delicious, just not as many flavor choices as our other pick.
And I found a dress that I don't have to buy special undergarments for - a regular strapless bra will work (yippee!).
Posting your jobs on photography and music schools' websites. We saved a TON of money using recent photography school grads ($1500 for two photogs for 7 hours) and found really inexpensive musicians as well. All were very talented, just trying to build their portfolios.
PS - @Goldilocks1107 i went with no bra at all! 
my dress was supportive enough on its own
- I 2nd the "decide what's important early" - pictures were important to us too, flowers - notsomuch. Pick your battles.
- We went with getting married on a holiday weekend. We chose a large chain hotel so our guests wouldn't have to travel a whole lot. Plus, guaranteeing about 100 rooms tends to be a bargaining tool when talking $$ about the reception.
- If you picked a good venue for food - skip the "wedding" menu and ask for the "event" menu. They don't serve the same foods at Bar/bat Mitzvahs or corp. parties that they do at weddings - it's a lot cheaper and still amazing food.
- NEVER get the "premium" bar. I've worked in bars and country clubs long enough to know that they fill the "top shelf" bottles with the generic stuff most of the time. When they tell you it's not… odds are - they're lying.
- Samples and used dresses can save LOADS & no one can tell the difference. It's gonna end up in your closet/parents attic anyway.
- Invites are like Christmas cards - yes, you have to send them but people keep them for a while then toss them. Don't spend a gazillion $$ on them.
- Let the little stuff go. We might skip programs, no biggie. Favors are cute but not really a big deal in my book. My Mom insists on having them - then she can pay for them. It's the teeny details that would be awesome but no one will really notice that will kill you - let it go.
- We're skipping the limos too & getting a party bus. It's cheaper and I would rather be having fun with our bridal party.
Oh & our venue includes the cake within the cost of the reception, but if they didn't - my mom was going to go to a couple local bakers & see how much they'd charge to rent a store-front cake & just get a sheet cake. It's cheaper than renting the cakes from a service or those online stores.
My table centerpieces. My florist wanted $700 for them! I did them myself for $150! I used vases and bowls from the Dollar Tree, bought my own roses at the grocery store and bought filler from ebay. Sooo much cheaper!
I would add these:
1. If your guests won't be hugely inconvenienced, get married on a Friday. We saved a LOT.
2. Skip (real) flowers. There are plenty of equally pretty options that are cheaper than traditional floral arangements.
3. Having one or two signature cocktails rather than a full bar cuts the price of alcohol significantly.
Last, but most importantly - read proposals carefully and don't be afraid to negotiate! If the vendor includes services you don't need, ask to have them remvoed and the fees adjusted accordingly.
Oh, I thought of a few more!
We're having our ceremony and reception at the same location - so no transportation costs.
And potted flowers for centerpieces (will cost about $15 per table or less!)
No programs - I figured, the ceremony is 15 minutes long, no readings and no music besides the processional and recessional, so there wasn't really anything to include.
No favors (but guests can take home the potted plants!)
We are going with a local flower farm for all our flowers. She will put together the bouquet. corsages and bouts and we are DIY centerpieces. Flowers are $350, center piece supplies $125. We are also getting a photography as a gift from my pro photographer uncle. The dress I fell in love with was on clearance and fit off the rack ($200). Invites, thank yous and replies will cost ~$150 from a local notecard artist.
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I'm looking for opinions from brides to be and newlyweds (posted this already in NW). What are you splurging on? And how are you staying in your budget?
I wanted to share some of my own that I see brides making the mistake of forgeting