Brides-to-be, accompanied by mothers, sisters and faithful friends, crowded last weekend into the Meydenbauer Center for the Bellevue Wedding Expo, preparing to plan the wedding of their dreams — and perhaps save some money, too.

With today’s economy, many upcoming brides are searching for creative ways to save money without compromising the elegance and stylish romance of their weddings. Wedding expos offer the opportunity to get good deals on bridal gowns, catering, tuxedos, photography, venues and music through personal interaction with vendors.

Chelsey Gutmann, a dental hygienist from Mill Creek, ventured to the Wedding Expo in hopes of getting ideas for her November wedding. Considering the impact of the current financial climate, she said, “We are definitely having a smaller and more quaint wedding with not as many people as I would have invited otherwise. I found the expo really helpful and got a lot of useful information.”

“The Expo helps brides understand exactly what they are going to spend their money on, and to see where they can get the greatest value,” said Brad Buckles, the owner of Brides Club and the producer of wedding expos in the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii.

Having been immersed in the wedding business for 15 years, Buckles has learned countless ways to save money on everything from picking the venue to buying honeymoon tickets.

Buckles recommends not getting married in the most popular facility because they charge the most, are less willing to negotiate and already have preferred vendors. He says that getting married in a non-brand name facility or a new facility is the most ideal because they are more flexible and willing to negotiate on price.

In addition, “If you want to save money, pick facilities that don’t have preferred vendors,” he said. Facilities with preferred vendors force you to use them, usually at a higher price. “Pick a facility where you get to bring in your own catering, alcohol and where you can choose the time of your wedding.” Also, to save hundreds of dollars on the reception, buy all of the alcohol from a wholesaler rather than from an overpriced vendor.

Buckles suggests it’s better to plan weddings on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays because vendors and venues always charge significantly more for weddings on weekends. Also, experience has shown that it is cheaper to have weddings in the afternoon rather than in the morning.

He also recommends staying current on bridal “crazes.” Buckles observes that one of the newest dessert trends is to serve strawberry shortcake rather than a traditional wedding cake. Strawberry shortcake is less expensive and easier to prepare, but still a delicious dessert option that will leave everyone satisfied.

While honeymoons are an important part of a wedding celebration, they can be costly. To help reduce costs, Buckles says that guests and friends can combine their frequent flyer miles as a thoughtful wedding gift.

“It’s never too early to start planning your wedding,” Andrea Harrison, a vendor from Twelve Baskets Catering, said.

Other wedding expos are happening later this month in Tacoma and Lynnwood-Everett. In the fall, there will be expos in Seattle, Tacoma, Lynnwood-Everett and Portland-Vancouver. For more information or to get coupons for future expos, visit BridesClub.com.

Stephanie Birch is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory.