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Watch what you spend

The first thing you should absolutely do is to make lists.
Lists are good! They will tell you exactly what you want and what you need. They prevent you from going overboard and buying ten sets of expensive linen bedspreads when you haven`t even bought mattresses, let alone a bed!
Never, ever buy on impulse.
Also, make sure you scout around a little for the best rates so you don`t end up paying Rs.1000 for a Rs.100 lampshade.

Jewellery

`....and diamonds are a girl`s best friend.` We heartily endorse that statement - after all who can resist those beautiful baubles beyond compare. But before you fork out your hard earned money, here are a few insider tricks to get you bang for the buck.

Special Offers

Keep an eagle eye trained for special discounts and offers. This should allow you to buy more jewellery or at any rate, quality stuff at reasonable prices.

Borrow

Borrow jewellery that you particularly like but might not wear on any other occasion but your wedding. You might like your aunt`s hefty jomala - ask her for it. She`ll probably be only too happy to have the bride showcasing her jewellery.

Clothes

Wedding clothes are another major expense. We`re guessing you might not be the type who won`t bat an eyelid while parting with a couple of lakhs for an Azam Khan, Tarun Tahiliani, JJ Valaya.

Discounts

So, pull up your salwar and do your trousseau shopping when there are special sales and discounts on. There`s nothing like a discount to make your heart (and purse) sing!

Go to the source

If you don`t get much choice by way of wedding clothes in the city you live in, ask a kindly aunt who lives in the Big City to pick up your ideal wedding dress for you or invest in a round trip ticket. For example, if you live in Delhi, it might be worth your while to pick up a Kanjeevaram sari in Kanchipuram or even Madras. A Kanjeevaram will be prohibitively expensive in Delhi and there might not be much choice to boot.

Designer Dress

If you want custom designed outfits for your special day, then follow these words of wisdom. Scout around for upcoming designers whose designs you like. They might be willing to offer discounts (as opposed to the more established designers). They might also be open to more suggestions since they don`t have an `image` to live up to. But be sure to give them a specific budget to work within, so that they don`t overdo your dress and over extend your budget with costly add-ons (think pure gold zari, silver mukaish work, swarovski crystals) in their youthful enthusiasm.

Another thing you could do is buy a couple of bridal magazines and see what the latest designs are. Then either ask your young designer to replicate them with embellishments or better still ask the family darzi. Believe me, I speak from experience, when I say that your darzi will rise to the occasion!

With these little tips in mind, we guarantee you`ll have a stylish wedding that`s light on the purse and lovely on the eye.