To the bride-to-be awaiting a summer marriage, the national average cost of a wedding, with 175 guests and a sit-down dinner, is $20,000. But it is possible to cut the price of a wedding without sacrificing quality.

''At some point, you have to put the brakes on,'' says Brett Woods, a celebrations coordinator for Field of Flowers in Davie. ``If you want to spend your entire inheritance or put your parents in a poorhouse, you can. But you can also have a beautiful wedding on a shoestring.''

Breaking the wedding cost into 10 categories, we followed Woods' advice: Here are tips that could save up to $9,000 on the average wedding.

CATERING/RECEPTION (avg. cost $8,400): save $4,000

Fewer guests means a less expensive wedding -- or at least more room to redirect your money to flowers or desserts or something else.

A sit-down dinner with full bar runs around $40 per person, says Stephanie Stewart, an event coordinator with the Miami-based Sara Sharpe Catering. The cost more than doubles to an average of $95 per person if you count service, rented equipment and a premium bar.

A buffet will eliminate much of the service cost. And a brunch or lunch instead of dinner can cut the cost to as low as $15 per person, Stewart says. You can serve only hors d'oeuvres instead of a lavish meal. She suggests buying alcoholic beverages at discount stores, which can reduce the $15 per person premium bar cost by more than half. For even bigger savings, don't serve alcohol.

For the reception, upscale locations tend to cost the most. Consider church or temple halls, historic sites or civic facilities such as a park or clubhouse. Be creative: Have your bash at a ballpark or a corporate rooftop garden.

RINGS (avg. cost $4,000): save $3,000

For the engagement ring, look in pawn shops and consignment or antique stores. Go synthetic: Moissanite, a diamond look-alike, is made by Charles & Covard in Morrisville, N.C. A 1 ½ carat Moissanite in a classic 14-karat white gold setting is $750; a comparable diamond is about $6,000. For a list of Moissanite retailers: www.moissanite.com or call 800-210-4367.

For wedding bands, buy 14-karat gold -- it's less expensive and more durable than higher-karat gold. Consider heirloom pieces.

GOWN (avg. cost $1,400): save $700

Shop at consignment or vintage stores, use catalogs, rent or borrow. Ask a store if there's a discount if you and your bridesmaids buy your dresses there. If it's a simple style without beading and other detail work, have it made. Alan Fields, co-author of Bridal Bargains: Secrets to Throwing a Fantastic Wedding on a Realistic Budget (Windsor Peak), says to watch for hidden fees for alterations, rush orders, pressing and delivery.

Make sure you know your price range before beginning to shop, warns Sue Gordon, who has owned Fort Lauderdale's Sue Gordon Bridal Salon for 33 years. ''Buying a dress is no different from buying a car,'' Gordon says. ``If you're going to buy a Ford, don't go to a Lexus dealership.''

She warns against Internet sites or stores that promise they can order an expensive dress for less. If these stores order the wrong dress or go out of business, the bride can lose her initial deposit. Instead, she often recommends women shop at David's Bridal Gowns, a nationwide chain that has locations in Hallandale Beach, Coral Gables and Hialeah. There, dresses run from $199-$1,000.

ACCESSORIES

Buy shoes ($60 at some bridal stores) at a discount store. Payless' Dyelights line is $33-$38 and includes the dyeing cost. Skip the headpiece/veil ($150), stockings ($20) and gloves ($20). Don't scrimp on the bra or shape wear.

INVITATIONS/PROGRAMS (avg. cost $390): save $200

Order through a catalog or online. You can often find the same invitation styles as those at retail shops at half the price, Fields says.

InStyle's weddings issue recommends using a process called thermography instead of engraving. You'll save 40 percent.

Have a computer and a good printer? Make your own invitations and programs with blank card stock. Choose a single color and font. (Remember: Less is more.)

FLOWERS (avg. cost $900): save $450

Availability of in-season flowers makes them more affordable. For a summer wedding, think of roses or carnations -- not tulips. Try the less-is-more approach: Carry a bouquet tied with a ribbon. Wildflowers are usually less expensive. Get married in a garden or park when flowers, trees and shrubs are in bloom.

''Relocate, reuse, recycle,'' Woods advises. Check with the facility to see if there's another ceremony before or after yours. Ask the couple if they'd be willing to share flowers. Rather than drop $500 to $1,000 on an arrangement in a church where you spend only half an hour, Woods recommends, schedule your ceremony and reception in the same building and simply have the flowers moved from one room to the other.

At the reception, keep decorations simple. Dust the tables with $5 rose petals.

CAKE (avg. cost $525): save $200

The fancier the cake, the more you'll pay. The average is $3 a slice. Don't get a cake that serves everyone. About 20 percent of the crowd won't eat any. Buy a smaller version of the cake you love but can't afford. After photos, have it rolled into the kitchen ''to be sliced.'' Your guests don't have to know that they're getting sheet cake that costs about 50 cents a slice. Beware: With sheet cake or regular wedding cake, reception sites may charge a cutting fee. PHOTOS/VIDEOS (avg. cost $2,500): save $500

This is the one category where you shouldn't be frugal. As one bride says, ''Flowers fade, cake gets eaten, and invitations get thrown away,'' but photos and videos last. Save money by skipping a package deal. ''You won't know what you want until you've see the photos,'' Fields says.

MUSIC (avg. cost $650): save $100

A DJ for two hours at the reception is at least 40 percent cheaper than a string quartet or a band. But Woods recommends a solo musician or a two- or three-member band instead.

Skip the limo or the horse-drawn carriage. Don't haggle over the site or officiant's fee.

MISCELLANEOUS (avg. cost $800): save $200

This category includes the license, the attendants' gifts, unexpected expenses and late fees. The fewer attendants, the less you spend on gifts. Also, enlist a friend or family member not in the ceremony to double-check delivery times and handle last-minute details.

Knight-Ridder News Service contributed to this article.