Consider an off-peak time. Everyone wants to get married on a Saturday night in June. If you pick a time with less competition, you can often negotiate better rental rates. Many sites have stated discounts for Friday or Sunday weddings. In other cases, you may be able to negotiate a lower rental rate for less-popular months of the year.

Have a reception lunch or brunch instead of dinner. The biggest expense of most receptions is catering, and the most expensive meal to serve is dinner. Wedding lunches or brunches often are much more affordable. What's the cheapest time of day to tie the knot? Two o'clock -- guests will already have eaten lunch and are not expecting dinner. Hence, a reception with cake, punch and light hors d'oeuvres is all that's needed ... and 40 to 60 percent less expensive than a full dinner.

Consider your ceremony site. Many houses of worship have attached reception halls. In fact, almost one-fourth of all receptions occur at churches or temples. Perhaps that is because rental rates are particularly affordable.