Author gives advice for a wedding on the cheap.(Oregon Life)

Byline: Randi Bjornstad The Register-Guard

With marriage season about to begin and a recession already here, what could be more appropriate than a book about throwing a wedding for little or no money?

In fact, Kristin Meador, a job developer at Goodwill Industries of Lane County, has been interested in economical weddings for a long time.

Five years ago, she published a book, "How to Have a Wedding Without Spending a Dime (Or at Least Very Little)."

It's not that she's ever been married, "but I've helped a lot of other people, including my sister and friends, with their weddings," 28-year-old Meador said. "With all the weddings I've helped on, my whole thing was saving money."

Traditionally, the parents of the bride and groom split the responsibilities and paid for the young couple's entire wedding, but times and family configurations have changed, along with common sense, Meador said.

"Many couples now pay for their own weddings, and they don't want to spend all their money - or go into debt - for a wedding that's over in a day," she said. "If you think about it, it makes a lot more sense to save all the money you would spend on a fancy wedding and put it toward a down payment on a house."

From the very beginning, Meador's 155-page book is sprinkled throughout with little "bride" diagrams holding signs that read "free," "cheap" and very occasionally, "a bit more."

Take the invitations chapter, for example. Through the magic of the Internet, it's now possible to design a free online invitation, fill out the guest list, attach a map and send the invitations out, all at no cost.

Some programs even keep track of who has RSVP'd and who hasn't, or who hasn't even opened the file yet to read the invitation.

Or, in the cheap category, consider making invitations or collecting samples from a variety of catalogs until you have enough. At that point, postage is about the only expense.

The all-important wedding dress is another great place to save, Meador says. Wear your mother's, if it's still around, or see what other relatives might have one stashed away. Even a future mother-in-law with no daughters might be pleased to have her son's bride giving her dress another ride.

Secondhand stores are a treasure trove for discarded wedding finery at bargain-basement prices, Meador points out, and fancy dresses can even be rented.

Or, she said, consider a "nonwedding" dress, which can be just as fancy but far less expensive because it doesn't have the automatic markup attached.

In her book, Meador takes you down the entire primrose path, through rings, gifts for attendants, flowers and centerpieces, photography, music, putting up the guests and the rehearsal dinner.

When it comes to a place for the ceremony, check out parks, friends' gardens or even local plant nurseries, which sometimes are happy to accommodate wedding parties that help dress up their business.

Getting down to the level of "accessories," Meador suggests that instead of renting an aisle runner, line the designated walkway with flowers, sprinkle it with rose petals or use stones or candles to mark the way.

And don't throw rice on the happy couple, she advises, because it's not good for the local birds.

Casting a bit of birdseed - or even blowing bubbles - are good alternatives.

"The ultimate savings is just to have everyone shout and holler when (the newly married couple) come out," she said. "It is free, and everyone will get his or her blood rising."

All of that, of course, just scratches the surface of free-or-cheap wedding planning.

Meador, in a new and promising relationship of her own, confides that she "knew almost immediately" that this man is special.

"But it's still so new, I don't want to rush into anything," she said.

But if it comes to a wedding, she definitely plans to take her own advice.

WEDDING BOOK

Kristin Meador's how-to book of inexpensive weddings is available online or through the author:

Directly from Meador at a special discount of $15.99, at www.realestatebykristin.com

Online at www.amazon.com or www.barnesandnoble.com

For more information: Contact the author at Kristin_meador20@excite.com