The bride and groom can save their wedding party and guests a lot of money by setting the date early so that they can snatch the best airfare and hotel rates. If you have a lot of guests traveling from out of town, try to avoid peak travel times and all the expenses and hassles that go with them.

One bride was so caught up in planning for her wedding that she forgot all about the big balloon festival that took place in her town the week she planned to wed. When her mother, who lived out of town, ran into difficulty trying to book a room, she quickly alerted her daughter.

The bride decided she didn't want to change the date, opting to let her guests know they could participate in the festival as a side activity to the wedding. She found a creative way to put up her guests, asking friends and family to help host visitors and to locate lesser-known hotels.

Check with your local chamber of commerce or visitor's bureau to learn whether there are any big events scheduled during the week of your wedding. This will ensure that your guests don't have a difficult time finding rooms or will have to end up paying dramatically marked up rates.

In addition, check with the hotel most guests will be staying at to make sure it can accommodate your guests. Hotels with conference centers often fill up with business clients, especially if there is a large corporate event scheduled.