It is estimated that the average Australian wedding costs somewhere in the region of $40,000. For many people, that's just way too much money. Thankfully, there's no reason why a modest budget has to result in a crappy looking wedding. Here are 16 simple ways to keep costs down without visibly cheapening your special day.

Dear Lifehacker, My boyfriend just proposed to me and we're planning to get married in the Spring. However, neither of us have any idea how much weddings are supposed to cost! While I would love a dream wedding with all the trimmings, the reality is we don't have heaps of money to burn.

What sort of budget do we need to set for an average-size wedding? Also, are there any cost-cutting tips you can share? (We want it to be affordable without looking like we cheaped out!)

We all know weddings can be crazy expensive. And while small stuff like decorations or favours can add up, there are a few main factors that will determine your wedding's price tag more than anything.