How Much Should You Really Spend on Your Wedding?

There are few things that we dream about when we are kids, which follow us into adulthood. Sure we want to be successful, but our perception of “success” changes over time. One thing that we continue to dream about, though, is our wedding day. Many girls have dreamt about this since they forced Barbie into an arranged marriage with Ken (I’m sure that they grew to love one another).

When it comes to an actual wedding, though, most women aren’t able to get the swan ice sculpture that they dreamt of as a kid. However, most of America is trying. The average American wedding costs a whopping $28,858. That’s the price of a new car (or the average cost of five used cars). It’s also almost as much as a student loan. Instead, couples are choosing to spend that money on one (very special) day.

While I won’t begin to lecture anyone about how much money they should spend on their wedding, I would like to encourage engaged couples to consider spending a portion of that money on their marriage instead of just on their wedding. You could just as easily tuck away some of that money for future date nights, saved for spontaneous day trips, or spent on creating a healthy and happy home for the two of you.

Besides that, starting off your marriage in debt because of an expensive wedding isn’t a healthy way to begin the rest of your life together. So how can you make sure to not overspend on your wedding so that you can start your lives in the black (rather than the red)? Here are a few tips for you and your man.

1. Budget it Out

Planning a budget for your wedding is important. It is easy for all of those little costs to add up. So plan out a maximum amount that you would like to spend and then divide that number by the various expenses that you need to plan out. Then, take those categories and prioritize them. Sit down with your man and list your top five priorities. This will help you figure out where you can cut corners and save money.

2. Plan in Advance

There are many reasons why you want to plan your wedding ahead of time. It is less stress. You don’t have to worry about as many things occurring right before the wedding. For the most part, you will be able to get the venue of your choice (in addition to the band, catering service, etc.). Planning also allows for less last minute bookings (which can cost an arm and a leg).

3. Off with her Head!

Be ruthless when it comes to your guest list. If you need to, omit children and + 1’s (dates). You can also keep costs down by limited the amount of people that are in your wedding party. It isn’t unheard of to not have a wedding party at all or to only have a best man and a maid of honor. The less people attend, the less money you will have to spend on food, the venue, presents, transportation, flowers, and other stuff.

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Image by Engel62 (http://pixabay.com/en/wedding-veil-cylinder-luck-87031/)