The good news is I’m engaged! The bad news is I’m broke! Planning a wedding and especially a reception on a shoestring budget is a challenge, but since I have been knee-deep in wedding plans for the past month, I have found tricks that I will be sharing with you in some of my columns during the next few weeks.

First, some background. When I’m not writing, I sing in a band (The Wavetones), and we play...