When Chelsea Clinton, the daughter of former President and Mrs. Bill Clinton, got married this year, the family was tight-lipped about how much they shelled out to celebrate the nuptials. However, nobody in the know placed the estimate at less than $2 million and many expert onlookers pegged the amount as high as $5 million.

While few modern brides have pockets that deep, the average cost for a wedding in America is still between $20,000 and $25,000. For some couples, that's as much as they will make in their first year as newlyweds, especially if they are students on a tight budget. For those that want a nice celebration without breaking the bank, creative couples are breaking the mold. The do-it-yourself wedding is growing in popularity.

(ARA) - Weddings are one of life's most celebrated occasions. For brides- and grooms-to-be and their families, an incredible amount of creativity and planning is poured into this all-important day: from the wedding gown to the ceremony, from the invitations and flowers to the wedding cake itself. One of the most-remembered details is what guests are served, so the wedding menu should reflect the couple-to-be's unique style and personality.

Aida Mollenkamp, host of the popular Food Network show "Ask Aida" says, "The food you serve should be like your dress - reflect you and fit you like a glove - so, if you prefer a cupcake tower to a cake, go for it!"

(ARA) - Spring and summer may be the seasons that first come to mind when you begin planning a wedding, but autumn has a lot to offer brides too. From cooler, dryer weather and the glorious backdrop of fall colors to the opportunity to land a great deal on a reception venue, fall delivers many rewards for couples on the road to wedded bliss.

"We're seeing increased interest in fall weddings," says Raymond Miller of My Wedding Reception Ideas.com, a leading online resource for brides seeking unique wedding favors and other items. "Brides love the natural colorfulness of the season and the weather tends to be more reliable and comfortable for outdoor weddings. In fact, autumn may soon surpass spring as a preferred month to hold a wedding."

(ARA) - After the "I dos" are exchanged and the reception is over, couples find out that the realities of cohabitation do not always make for smooth sailing, especially when it comes to blending different tastes and styles. While newlyweds find themselves saying "I do" at the altar, that phrase frequently turns into "I don't" when the couple begins combining two unique decorating styles into a single household.

"It's never easy to incorporate two divergent ideas of design and comfort into one home," says Christopher Prebel, senior product manager at Pratt & Lambert Paints. "The man likes modern. His new wife likes flea-market chic. If you pick only one style, it's not going to feel like a 'married' home. The question, then, is, 'How can you blend both and be satisfied?'"