As the global economy picks up, couples galore are setting wedding dates for 2012, following long betrothals. But with money worries still on our minds, the consensus says “saving money” is the biggest wedding trend this year. That’s not necessarily bad news, as this year’s wedding may be less stuffy, with brides favoring easygoing affairs that make things less painful for everyone’s pocketbook. More couples will opt to hold their ceremony and reception in the same location; fewer brides will mandate specific bridesmaid dresses; and weddings will no longer be limited to Saturdays or the most temperate seasons. Free technology will factor in more than ever before, as wedding websites—long part of the modern equation—now come equipped with widgets that allows guests to request songs they want to hear played or to check the weather forecast for the big day. Likewise, more people are “attending” weddings via Skype and more newlyweds updating their Twitter and Facebook accounts from the ceremony. And did we mention “marryoke”? It’s a video that captures wedding guests lip-synching to a single song and then edited all together for posterity (and hilarity). Not all of today’s trends are budget conscious, of course: No doubt the royal couple’s sumptuous nuptials are inspiring plenty of copycat grandeur (reproductions of Kate Middleton’s dress were available before she’d boarded the plane for her honeymoon), but the biggest takeaway from Buckingham Palace will be the wealth of dresses swathed in classic lace. And some brides are taking primping to the next level with pre-wedding liposuction and breast lifts (dubbed “bridalplasty”). Bridezillas getting bridalplasty—now there’s a potential market.