What are some practical tips for saving money on a wedding?

Other than considering what you really want/need for your banquet, some other tips if you really have to follow your in-laws or parents' wishes are:

• Get your wedding dress from Taobao/qoo10: I got mine for cheap online and no one could tell it was that price. No one remembers my wedding dress anyway 2 years on.
• Do you really need an expensive photoshoot? I got a freelance photographer (with good credentials of course) and freelance makeup artist and got the photoshoot that I want for keepsakes.
• If you really need to spend, check out credit cards with the best rewards most suitable for you and your partner. E.g. Rebates, Miles or voucher redemption.

Do you need big fanciful dinner? Do you need to have a wedding dinner for your parents? (let's face it, most of us have dinners for the sake of our parents. 40% of the wedding guests are relatives we seldom talk to or don't even know exists and 40% are parents' friends that we never seen in our lives)

I had quite an expensive and elaborate wedding. Photoshoots in Las Vegas (with a honeymoney that happens before the marriage), a great gatecrashing ceremony (with great friends), limousine services, great wedding ceremony etc etc.

I remember everything on the day... EXCEPT the dinner. lol

I can't remember what we ate, what we did and how "enjoyable" it was....

the whole dinner was.... totally non memorable.

Oh yah, now that I am typing this I do remember eating the fish that was served in our hotel room after the dinner ended. Most of the time, the wedding couple has no time to eat during the dinner.... so the service staff will keep the food and push to your room when the dinner is over.

IF your parents allow, I say keep the dinner simple, small and cosy.

(of course, if your parents need it to be large, it's no longer a practical tip)