Getting married? It’s time to think about paying for the wedding.
Here’s the formula:
Bride’s Family’s Contribution + Groom’s Family’s Contribution + Bride’s and Groom’s Contributions = Total Wedding Funds Available.
Now, here’s another important equation:
Total Wedding Funds Available >= Total Wedding Costs
It can be tricky to make it all work. Basically, you need to scrape up enough money to cover the difference between your wedding plan and what you can get from others. That may mean upping your own contribution or decreasing your expenses.
There are some essentials you shouldn’t do without--things like wedding cameras, a memorable cake, a beautiful gown, etc. However, it is possible to cut costs here and there and still have a great wedding day.
Alternatively, or in conjunction with that strategy, you can do your best to put away more money to pay for the wedding. That might require smarter, cheaper living, but the sacrifices made will undoubtedly pay off when the wedding goes off perfectly.
A recent report said that a 150 guest wedding averages a cost of about $25K. Your costs may be lower or higher, depending upon a number of factors, but the undeniable fact is that exchanging vows tends to be a real investment. Take it just as seriously as you would any other investment and plan carefully!
