While an elaborate fairy tale wedding is beautiful, it's not every bride's choice for her wedding day. Planning a simple wedding is a lot less work, and will save a great deal of money for the new couple. Many couples today choose a simple wedding to save themselves both time and money, or because they personally want a more informal celebration.

A destination wedding is as simple as it gets – the bride and groom, and friends and family if they choose – take off to another location for the wedding. Planning a destination wedding is very simple, as many hotels or resorts offer complete planning services. Catering, flowers, and wedding decor of your choice is all taken care of. This makes it easy for the couple to simply show up to their wedding destination and enjoy a romantic vacation without the stress of wedding planning.

Usually, planning a simple wedding means that the guest list is small. It's difficult to plan a simple reception with 250 guests, and you'll soon find that there's no way around it. Some couples avoid this by picking a rustic lodge or bed and breakfast for their wedding day. These establishments will be more than willing to help you with wedding arrangements, and you'll love the simplicity of this intimate style of wedding.

A wedding reception doesn't mean you have to choose a fancy sit-down dinner or buffet. You can plan a much simpler wedding by having a cocktail party with hors d'ouevres or a wedding brunch with fresh juices and delicious breakfast foods. This is a cost effective and creative way to have a much more informal style of wedding.

If you want to avoid hiring a decorator or florist, or don't have the money to order wedding favors, do as much as you can yourself. By talking to friends and family, you may find that somebody has a cousin who just got married and has bags full of wedding decorations, or that your church basement has a storage room filled with silk flowers from previous ceremonies.

If you live outside of the city, why not have your wedding party in somebody's backyard? A backyward wedding can still be extremely elegant – string patio lanterns or have candle centerpieces for the tables. You can rent beautiful outdoor tents to set up, or just enjoy the sunshine of a summer's day with tables and chairs set up around the yard.

For couples who love cowboy boots and horseback riding, a Western wedding is very simple. Guests can arrive in jeans, and the bride and groom can wear comfortable clothing. A Western wedding barbecue makes planning a wedding menu easy, and decor can be as simple as gingham ribbons tied on chairs, or bales of hay set up around the reception location.

For your wedding day, do whatever feels right – if you want to plan a simple wedding and have everyone arrive in Hawaiian shirts and flip-flops, do it! Or, have the elegance of a more expensive formal wedding for a fraction of the price by making your own decor and floral arrangements.