The average cost of weddings today is putting brides and grooms in the poor house. 

Is it necessary?

Do you want to go down that road?

More couples in the U.S. pay for their wedding expenses (or portions) long after the wedding is over. According to Costofwedding.com, the average wedding cost is between $15,000 and $25,000. For some this may sound high. For others too low. It depends on what part of the country you live.

 What is the average cost in your area?

Just enter your zip code in the box below.

I hope you are all still with me. I don’t know about you, but, when I entered my zip code there was a little sticker shock. If you scrolled down to the bottom of the page there were other expenses that were not included in that price.

No surprise to anyone, this figure is expected to rise in years to come.

 Got your calculator?

OK, lets do a little figuring. Say your wedding was around $20,000.  Now, suppose you want to save up for the big event so you don’t go into debt. If you can stash away $300.00 a month, it will take you a little over seven or eight years (figure inflation) to have the money to pay for the wedding. What engaged couple, already in the planning stages, is going to want to wait that long?

The discipline to save is not easy or fun. Most couples tend to pull out the charge card and pay as they go. This is not really the answer either. Interest rates can sore to unmanageable heights. Credit card companies may have you right where they want you when it is all done and said.

Who wants to spend the first years of marriage struggling with debt? 

Is this an exaggeration? 

Statistics say no. Financial stress is the number one killer of marriages. Couples planning their weddings think they are immune to spending that much for a single day only to discover the averages were dead on.

What should you do?

Sit down and set a realistic spending allowance. One that the two of you can live with.

Take off the blinders and stop being average. Don’t plan your wedding like all others couples do. If you want to stay on budget you need to be amazing – not average.

I came across ”wedding planning on a budget“. It is an instant down load you can print out and read at your leisure. It is a planning guide to help you save thousands of dollars on your wedding.  If you don’t have extra money because:

• you have college loans
• health issues
• low paying or no job

or are taking the penny pinching route, this may be the most practical resource. It will keep the average cost of most weddings on budget. Some couples refuse to pay top notch professionals. If you fall into this category, check it out for money saving strategies that can save you a bundle.