This Stunning Upstate NY Wedding Cost Less Than $9,000

Photo: Sharon GuynupThe average modern wedding costs more than an astronomical $28,500 — enough to put any couple in debt.

In 2003, Trae Bodge and her then-fiance, Chris, were determined to spend a more modest amount: $9,000 ($11,200 in today's dollars).

But Bodge, then running a small cosmetics company, and her entrepreneur fiance still wanted an elaborate affair. They had envisioned a three-day event and had more than 100 guests on their list already.

"We didn't have a lot of money and our parents didn't have a lot of money, so we knew we couldn't spend a lot," says Bodge, now senior retail expert for couponing site Retailmenot.com.

Through careful and creative planning, they were able to trim $18,000 from their budget and still have the wedding of their dreams.

All price estimates were sourced from TheKnot.com's annual Real Weddings Study.