by Maureen Thomson of Lyssabeth's Wedding Officiants

So, I’ve been thinking about Shotgun Weddings. Do they even call them that anymore? In spite of how many couples are postponing marriage until after they have kids, there is still a significant number of couples who opt to tie the knot quickly when the peed-upon stick shows a plus sign.

It’s amazing how industrious, practical and creative these couples become overnight. All of s a sudden, priorities and energies shift and Voila! Things begin to happen. The next thin t hey know, they’re legally hitched and exciting awaiting the birth of their son or daughter. What a difference a day (or a peed-on stick) makes!

Ironically, these are some of the most peaceful weddings going. Because there is minimal time to plan, there is usually minimal fuss and therefore minimal stress (okay, aside from the initial shock of seeing the unexpected plus sign). But wouldn’t it be fabulous if one could plan such a wedding without the unexpected impetus being thrust upon them? Or, to put it another way, "How much would you not spend on your wedding if extenuating circumstances were imposed upon you that forced you to have one that was simpler or less expensive?"

Most couples are on a budget when it comes to their wedding spending. However, how easily that budget bursts when temptation strikes. Yes, the dress is $300 more than I planned, but how stunning I look in it! My photographer is within my budget, but not the breathtaking album he offers--I gotta have one. Look at the cute cake topper--it will only add $45 to the overall cake cost. No big deal. A full open bar will put us over budget on the reception, but I don't want my guests to think I'm cheap. And I just have to invite all my coworkers--how can I leave anyone out?

And so it goes until the next thing you know, you've nickled and dimed yourself into going thousands of dollars over your budget.

But what if external circumstances prohibited you from doing that? What if you found out you were pregnant and decided you had to get married right away? What if there were no credit cards to charge your overages (to pay later, of course)? What if one of you were to suddenly deployed (okay, so maybe you're not in the military, but stay with me here--I'm just proposing scenarios that would force you to cut back)? What if you had no financial support from family to cover wedding expenses? What if your fiancé(e) said "no dice" to a wedding if it involved going into debt? What if you thought you had it covered, but one of you lost your job?

It's the gastric bypass approach to staying within budget. What if you had no other alternative? What would you do? You'd be surprised at how much you can cut out, reduce and DIY if you had absolutely no other choice. Why not apply that approach yourself and see where it takes you even if none of the above circumstances apply to you?

If you had no other option but to plan your wedding in less than 30 days and had no more than $2,000 to spend, what would you do? What would you prioritize? What would you eliminate? How would you make it work? Think about it. It's a great exercise even if you have more time and money to spend.

You'd be amazed at what you can eliminate if you absolutely had to.