Agree: Don't take any money from family and do all of the planning yourself.
This might initially piss off the mothers but this way you can make sure it's what you want instead of what the bride's or groom's mother wants. Just give them a bottle of cheap booze to drown their sorrows in. I hear these horror stores about in-laws trying to control weddings trying to make they fairy tale picture book that they never experienced.

We did everything ourselves. Cost us only about $1000 (including food, a venue, and a little free booze. (Of course that was 20 years ago so the same thing might cost $2000 now). People have told us it was one of the nicest and most relaxing weddings they have ever been to.
(MichaelS wasn't picked again, Thu 28 Jan 2010, 13:06, Reply)