In case you missed it on Facebook and Twitter, I got married about a week ago! My new husband and I married in Southern Maine in a small coastal town that holds a special place in our hearts, and we spent our honeymoon in Portland, Maine, which is home to some of my favorite restaurants.

While it wasn’t cheap, we kept things affordable by working with friends for wedding touches like flowers, photos and cakes (we called them “friendors” instead of vendors), and holding our events during the off-season which gave us lots of room to negotiate good deals. We also spent smart on the honeymoon, opting for a walk on the beach instead of hitting the spa and giving ourselves a set amount of “play money” we could each spend as we wished.

The best part of it all was that we didn’t put a single cent of this on credit. We only used debit, and we only spent what we had. I didn’t realize until we got home just what a relief this would really be.

We can remember our wedding through photos and not credit card bills.We are worried about where to put the massive toaster oven we got as a gift, not interest that’s piling up. Instead of rushing to cash the checks given to us as gifts, we’ve made an appointment with a financial planner to see how to best invest that money.

I can’t even imagine how hard it must be for couples who pay for their wedding on credit and start having a family right away – how can you afford a crib when you’re still paying for the champagne toast? With more credit, I’m sure. It’s a scary, slippery slope and there’s plenty to focus on in a new marriage without the fear of debt looming over us.

Plus, I used my PerkStreet card to pay most of the wedding expenses, so I earned cash back! Not only did I not have bills waiting for me when I got home, I had more perks.

The honeymoon may be over, but married life is pretty perktastic!

How did/will you save money on your wedding to keep things on budget? Let us know in the comments below.