WEDDING EXPENSES

Did you just get engaged? Let me share some potentially unsettling news with you: the price tag associated with the average 150 guest wedding is now at around twenty five thousand bucks. Yep. $25K.

Okay, now take a deep breath and relax. I know the idea of buying a wedding gown, cake, paying the officiant, booking a space, finding a photographer, outfitting guests with wedding cameras and all of those other expenses can seem overwhelming.

It is, however, possible to have a great wedding, even if prices are climbing higher.

Once upon a time, you could count on the bride’s family to pay the bills. That isn’t always the case these days and your family--and you--are likely to be on the hook, too. That’s why every engaged couple needs to pin down a solid dollar figure from both families in terms of their planned contribution. They then need to look carefully at the probable costs of their wedding and find a way to come up with the difference.

For many, the combination of a suitably long engagement and some lifestyle changes will provide the means by which to afford the nuptials. Others may have to take more drastic actions in order to fund the big day.

The main thing is to plan properly. If you plan and budget with a clear head, you can have a successful wedding. Think about it, millions are getting hitched every year! It IS possible.