Being a part of a friend’s wedding is often a wonderful experience. It can be fun while allowing you to give the bride some much needed support during this important time in her life.

I’ve been a maid of honor once, and I’ll be the maid of honor for two more weddings in the near future. I’ve done my share of bridal support, and I know some tricks when it comes to planning for showers, parties and other wedding-related expenses without going broke. Here are my best tips:

1. Communicate with the bridesmaids.

This is the most important tip I can give you. In the time leading up to the wedding, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to meet and get to know your fellow bridesmaids. Don’t let the responsibility fall on the shoulders of one or two bridesmaids, especially if you’re part of a big bridal party. Taking on every responsibility will make this maid-of-honor thing way more stressful and expensive than it has to be.

The first thing you should do is create a forum where the wedding party can freely communicate. Email, social media or even group texts for the smaller details are all good options. I prefer to use a private Facebook group, and it works phenomenally. It’s easy to have conversations, send updates and even upload pictures for everyone in the group to see. The more you involve the bridal party in the planning, the more they’ll get excited about events, and offer to pitch in with the planning and responsibilities. Remember, expenses are a lot cheaper when they’re divided up evenly.

2. Organize as much as possible.

Organization is key when it comes to saving money (and maintaining your sanity). You should know when all the events are, to whom the duties have been delegated, and what you’ll spend for each. That way you can keep track of the money you’ve spent. And believe me when I say it’s easy to go overboard.

You also should organize a budget for yourself. I’m sorry to inform you that you’ll probably spend close to $1,000 on this wedding. You have to account for the dress, shoes, hair, makeup, a bridal shower, the bachelorette party, travel and last-minute expenses. The good news is that the events and purchases that lead up to a wedding typically are spread out over about a year, so you have time to plan out a budget and save enough to cover the expenses.

3. Find inspiration online.

Pinterest is a great resource for making cheap look chic. Find fun ways to decorate the bridal shower that don’t involve spending a ton of money on store-bought wedding decorations. DIY projects are a fun way to connect with the other bridesmaids. And don’t forget about bridal shower games. (I have to admit this is my favorite part.) You can find tons of fun games and activities that only require items found around your house or at a dollar store. Try to find activities that are unique. You’ll get more participation if the guests have never played the game before.

4. Get to know the family.

If you’ve ever been involved in a wedding, you know the planning process can be stressful on the entire family. Not only are the bride and groom planning the wedding, but so are the parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends and cousins. Many times people who want to help feel left out because they weren’t given a specific task. This is where you come in.

Get a list of things you’ll need for the bridal shower and get to know the family members of your bride and groom. That way, if anyone approaches you or the bride about wanting to help, you have a list ready to go and you have an item for which you won’t have to pay: “Sure, Aunt Martha, we’d love it if you would bring your famous sherbet punch to the shower.”

5. Spend less on the gift itself.

Buying a gift for the bride and groom can be a big expense on its own, but as the maid of honor, you shouldn’t spend much on gifts for the bride and groom. Spending money on the shower and bachelorette party is part of your gift. I was fortunate enough to have brides who made it very clear they did not want me to buy them a gift, so I had more flexibility with my budget. If you aren’t that fortunate, consider purchasing the couple the lower-end items on their registry. They need those things too, or they wouldn’t have put them on the list in the first place.

However you decide to save, remember this wedding is a joyous occasion. Once the events are planned, kick off your heels and enjoy the moment. Happy planning.

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A Maid of Honor?s Guide to Avoid Going Broke originally appeared on usnews.com