What is the Cost of Your Perfect Wedding?

Planning Your Perfect Wedding – What is the Cost of Your Perfect Wedding?
By Ann Keeler Evans

Ok, the average price of a wedding in the US as close to $29,000. However, the majority of couples spend between $14,366 and $35,915 while their wedding budget is typically 50% less than the amount spent. This does not include cost for a honeymoon or engagement ring.*

It’s not good a good thing when when your wedding budget is less than the amount spent. You need to make a plan and stick to it!
So, before you start accumulating things for the wedding, or putting down deposits, you need to do a couple things:

1. Figure out what you want to celebrate at your wedding, what are the most important values that underlie your relationship. What kinds of promises will you make with your wedding vows? What sort of relationships and life emphases will be discussed at your wedding ceremony? (no, that stuff isn’t last!)
2. Figure out what you’re able to spend and what you WANT to spend of what you’re able to spend. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you HAVE to. Create a budget based on those values which underpin your soon-to-be marriage. What your parents are willing to help you with really isn’t important here.
3. Figure out what you think is important at your wedding. What atmosphere do you want to present? Do your research. Research everything on your list before you start figuring what you can afford.
4. Add it all up.
5. Compare allotted money and projected costs. Fan your cheeks.
6. Look at your values and desires.
7. What do you really want to have at your wedding? Eliminate things from your list.

Then take a good look at your budget and your list. If your budget doesn’t accommodate your list, take another look at your values, and start another round of considerations to create the kind of wedding you really want. Do this until the money to spent is less than your budget, because as time gets closer it is easier to spend money than pull out your hair. (and you need your hair for your wedding!)

Don’t spend a penny, until you’ve worked this out! Because the venue you first choose may not be what you really need once you get clear what you want to spend and what you want to do at your perfect wedding! This kind of careful reflection about spending is going to give you a great process for making important spending (and other) decisions in your life as newly married people living happily ever after. And if you have trouble with this now, go get help. Money things NEVER get easier — even when you have money.

*You can get more information about this and budget tools at Costofwedding.com.

Bottom Line?: Give your relationship the chance it deserves to succeed wildly, against all odds! After all, you deserve it. Your relationship deserves it! Before you budget, I’d like to invite you to sign up to receive 2 free templates for creating the wedding ceremony of your dreams, the wedding vows of your heart and the marriage of a lifetime: http://annkeelerevans.org/weddings/free

The Rev. Ann Keeler Evans – helping you move from “I do” to happily and healthily ever after!

Related posts:

1. Invite the Right Guests to Support Your Perfect Wedding Ceremony and Your Perfect Marriage