Join the Navy. Just kidding. But do you have any relatives or friends who are active-duty or retired military? If so, you may have access to a wide range of possible reception sites at military bases. One bride in Cape May, N.J., found that she could rent the officer's club of the local Coast Guard base since her father was a retired naval officer. The cost? A mere $25 an hour.

Check nearby small towns. A bride in Lexington, Ky., emailed us this tip. She found a reception site in nearby Paris (a 15-minute drive) that was 40 percent cheaper than in-town options. ''The historic building offered the outdoor intimate garden we were looking for,'' she said. Another tip for historic sites: barter. If you have any skills, offer the caretaker of these sites a trade. One groom offered to fix some broken doors and shutters on a historic site and received a reduced rental rate.