To Barter or Not to Barter

To my great surprise I've talked to several brides lately who cut the costs of their weddings by using the good old fashioned barter system. They traded things they were skilled at doing for things they needed for their reception. One provided childcare for her wedding planner. Another drove a limousine to pay for their limousine and a bus to transport guests back and forth from the wedding. Yet another couple designed web pages for new businesses who they had been interviewing as vendors. One groom and his brother built a deck for a vendor. So stop and think, what can you do that you could barter for? What do you need that you really want but can't afford? Is it that fancy photographer and videographer? Upscale floral arrangements and bouquets? And this isn't just something the brides are doing. Their partners are involved too. No one wants to start out their lives paying off debt. Nor do they want their parents spending a fortune on their wedding. So start your life as a couple now by planning how to swap your skills and sweat for vendor services.  Links to some bartering sites are: http://www.barterquest.com/, http://www.barternet.com/, and http://www.tradeaway.com/.  Don't restrict yourself to just contacting people listed on these sites, be proactive!