Those will be Melissa Gibbens' big splurge for her Sept. 26 wedding. Everything else she is doing herself, buying on sale or getting with the help of family and friends.

The Greeley resident always has dreamed of her wedding day, but after losing her job in January, Gibbens has had to scale back and be resourceful with her wedding plans.

It's a trend among many couples preparing for marriage. According to industry research from IBISWorld, the average cost of a wedding is expected to drop 8 percent in 2009 to $20,000. In 2007, the average was $30,000.

In most aspects, cutting costs has only meant that Gibbens had to make some small changes in her wedding plans, like opting for a cake made by a friend instead of a store-bought one. She also asked a friend from church to take the photos, and cousins will help with the food at the reception. For her dress, Gibbens went to the clearance section at a bridal store.

“I had to take into account that I couldn't afford a lot of the big expensive dresses,” she said matter-of-factly. Other changes were a little harder to bear.

“I really wanted to get married in the church that I go to,” Gibbens said. “But it was just too expensive.”

Also, because of financial constraints, most of her father's family won't be able to afford the flight to Colorado for the wedding.

It will just be different not having them there, Gibbens said, instead turning her attention to those fresh flowers. “They will be big red roses,” she said. “Very elegant.”