Find an Outdoor Wedding Dress to Impress... for Less

Planning an outdoor ceremony and afraid you'll be devastated if you get grass stains on your $3,000 dream gown? Consider buying a used wedding dress for your outdoor wedding at a Web site like PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com!

This site offers beautiful, worn-only-once gowns from designers like Vera Wang, Carolina Herrera and Monique Lhuillier, and most of them are priced under $1,000. At these discounted prices, you can afford to satisfy your finer tastes and still be prepared for whatever Mother Nature may have in mind for your big day... even if the post-wedding dry cleaning bill is steep! Dresses on the site generally run from size 2 to size 18, with styles spanning the gamut from strapless and simple to long-sleeved Renaissance-themed gowns. Make sure you pay attention to the terms of returning a gown, just in case you find a problem or run into fit issues. According to the site's FAQ section, gown sellers set their own return policies. With more than 5,000 gowns listed on the site, it's worth checking to see if the designer gown you've always wanted is available at comfortable price.

~Kasey Brooks

Your Perfect Outdoor Wedding Venue Might Be Waiting... on Craigslist!

So, you've combed every wedding book and magazine you can find and searched high and low online, and still, the perfect outdoor wedding location eludes you. Try checking a resource you may not have thought of right away: Craigslist.

Not only is Craigslist a potential source for finding second-hand gowns, limousine services and wedding photographers--sometimes at fantastic rates--if you live in the Dallas, Texas, area, you might stumble upon this quirky ad for an Outdoor Wedding Ceremony Venue priced at just $350.

"We are a new venue and excited to work with you!" says the dfw wedding room's posting. "Bring your wedding dress, wedding rings, marriage license [and] up to 50 guest and we will talk care of the rest."

If you need to get hitched in a hurry--and $350 sounds steep--this new Texas venue has an option for you, too. You can book the Drive-up I Do Wedding Package. This elopement package lets you drive "your car, bike or truck" to the portrait studio, where you can exchange vows without leaving the comfort of your vehicle! The package costs a measly $100 ($215 with cake and flowers) and comes with the guarantee that your outdoor ceremony will be as unforgettable as it is affordable.

~Kasey Brooks

Designer Wedding Gowns... Cheap

As you know, I advise outdoor brides not to overspend on wedding gowns. What's a girl to do, though, if she really wants a designer dress? Buy one cheap! Mark your calendar for the upcoming spring wedding dress sales at Filene's Basement stores: February 19 in Boston (actually at the Hynes Convention Center, since the flagship store is currently closed) and March 19 in Atlanta, Georgia. Before you participate in the "running of the brides," read my 10 tips for finding a bargain bridal gown at a Filene's Basement wedding dress sale.

Hold Your Wedding by the Maine Sea, Honeymoon in Greece for Free

Here's a terrific deal for any couple contemplating a coastal Maine wedding. Host your outdoor wedding celebration at Kennebunkport's Breakwater Inn & Spa, and you'll receive a free, four-night honeymoon package at your choice of two luxurious Greek hotels: Mykonos Grace or Santorini Grace. The package, which is valid for up to a year after your wedding date, includes airport transfers, champagne, strawberries, flowers and dinner with wine at the hotel. It does not include airfare. For details, call 207-967-5333.

_{Media photo courtesy of Breakwater Inn & Spa.}

Save $500 on a Dominica Outdoor Wedding

Book by August 31, 2009, and you can use a special coupon code to save $500 off an Escape Wedding & Honeymoon package at Jungle Bay on the Caribbean island of Dominica. This offer includes the services of a professional wedding planner, who will ensure your Dominica outdoor wedding is a one-of-a-kind celebration in a romantic, tropical island atmosphere. Package rates begin at $1,500, and you'll save $500 when you refer to coupon code: wedding09. For more information, email info@junglebaydominica.com or call 767-446-1789.

10 Tips for Planning an Outdoor Wedding in a Recession

Your wedding budget may be tighter than you'd hoped in this economy, but that doesn't mean you can't have a spectacular outdoor wedding day. In my new article, 10 Tips for Planning an Outdoor Wedding in a Recession, you'll find simple ways to save money by selecting cheaper alternatives or eliminating unnecessary expenses.

Have a recession-busting tip to share? Post it in the comments, and help other couples faced with wedding financial worries.

Colorado Church to Give Away Free Wedding Dresses

Calling all outdoor brides who live within travel distance of Colorado Springs, Colorado: On Saturday, May 31, Living Hope Covenant Church will give away 63 new wedding dresses valued at $1,200 to $1,500, plus 25 other formal gowns. Tickets for the gown giveaway are $30 in advance and $40 at the door, and each ticket holder will receive one dress. It's a good idea to arrive ahead of the 1 p.m. start time, as the free wedding dresses will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis.

According to the Colorado Springs Gazette, which has additional details, the gowns were donated to the church by a clothing store owner. Here's the part I love best: Not only will 63 brides be walking away with the deal of a lifetime, the proceeds from the sale will go toward the creation of an outdoor wedding sanctuary at Living Hope Covenant Church. To purchase your ticket, call the church at (719) 531-5101.