MANKATO — After you happily agree to marry that special someone, you’ll soon learn it costs women an average of $27,000 to add Mrs. to the front of their names.

Yes, weddings can be costly. But there are ways to cut corners and still have a beautiful and memorable celebration.

Before you plunge into the planning, Linda Miller, owner of Paper Service Plus in Mankato, recommends preparing a budget.

“When asked, I will always encourage brides to sit with all parties involved at the onset and plan a budget,” Miller said. “Although it may be uncomfortable originally, knowing what you can spend and who is willing to provide money for this

special occasion will release a ton of tension.”

Miller recommends looking for other family or friends who may be willing to help with financial planning. Grandparents, Godparents, extended family and friends might be willing to help.

It helps to know people

Emma Baumann, 22-year-old communications specialist at Bethany Lutheran College, said she has no idea how much her July wedding will cost, but she is estimating it will be between $6,000 and $8,000.

“So far we have only spent about $1,500, which was mostly used for the vendor deposits and for my wedding dress,” she said.

While Baumann opted not to hire a wedding planner for her 200-guest wedding, she is using a decorator to take care of getting all the decorations set up at the reception site at Country Inn & Suites in Mankato.

“Having unique decorations and favors at the reception site is important to me,” she said. “I want something that the guests have never seen before and won’t forget.”

Others who hope to trim costs even further on decorations should think about alternatives to buying them, such as making them. Renting also is an option.

“Your guests will not know whether you purchased your decor or rented it,” Miller said. “Do not make the mistake of thinking that your guest will want to take them home. Rarely do guests have an interest in your centerpiece, leaving them for you to deal with.”

Baumann has cut a lot of cost by using a photographer and DJ a friend recommended who weren’t as well known, so they were less expensive. Her aunt, a florist, will provide the flowers, and her uncle, a baker, will make her wedding cake. And by mak-ing her own “save the date” cards, Baumann cut additional costs.

But not everyone has a florist or baker in the family who can provide services at little or no cost. Professionals know this and most are happy to work within a bride’s budget.

“We can work with any budget — just tell us,” said Mary Smith, owner of Mary’s Flowers in St. Peter. “We know what to do if we had to. We can use ribbon and use less expensive flowers.”

Lots of flower options

Smith said flowers for an average wedding are about $1,000. The most expensive flowers are calla lilies, hydrangea, peonies and orchids. Roses are the least expensive (about $3 per flower, compared to $12 to $20 for the others) and come in a variety of colors. Other less expensive flowers include daisies for a spring wedding.

Some tricks of the trade include requesting open roses instead of closed ones. Smith also said a hand-tied bouquet, rather than one arranged in a foam holder, can save brides money.

Bridesmaid bouquets can also double as centerpieces at the reception, and flower arrangements from the ceremony can be reused at the reception.

Another way to save money, and an alternative to real flowers, are wooden ones, which come in 50 colors. Sheila Porter, owner of Everlasting Rose in lower North Mankato, said wooden flowers are half the price or less than real flowers. Plus, they last forever.

She came up with the concept when planning her own wedding when she couldn’t find affordable flowers. With wooden flowers, Porter spent $450 for a 21-person wedding party compared to $2,500 she estimated for real flowers.

“We have everything from lilies to tulips to daisies — exotic flowers and three different styles of roses,” Porter said.

With so many weddings happening in spring and summer, brides also might consider sharing wedding necessities. Fairmont bride Jennifer Schleininger is. She plans on sharing her centerpieces with another bride who is getting married two weeks before her this fall.

Like Baumann, cost is an important factor for Schleininger, too.

“We’re not going cheap with the wedding, but we are saving money on many things and cutting costs where we can,” Baumann said. “Compared to a lot of weddings, I think ours would be considered very affordable.”