Between celebrity marriages, wedding-themed reality TV shows, and friends’ pictures plastered all over social media, weddings are everywhere and they keep getting bigger.
While the average cost for a wedding is upwards of $32,000, that doesn’t mean it has to be the cost of your wedding. And even if your big-day budget is sizable (families can be pretty generous about this stuff, after all), you may want to consider ways that your “wedding money” can help you transition into marriage.
Start Your Life Together With Less Debt
What’s more worse than a case of post-wedding blues? Knowing that your big day is over yet you’re still paying for it. Opt to plan a wedding that fits within your budget. Better yet, plan to stay below budget and use the leftover funds to pay off some debt. It’s not an exciting way to spend money, but it’ll help get your combined finances on track as you begin your life together (financial troubles are one of the top causes for divorce).
Invest in Your Future Rather Than Spending It All on the Wedding
Your wedding is supposed to be the best day of your life. That’s right: day. Of course you want the occasion to be memorable — and it should be — but a day, a week, a month afterwards, no one will care that you spent $12,000 on a seaside venue or an extra $5 per napkin so that they were all the “perfect shade of blue.” Consider opting for a budget-friendly celebration, then use any extra money to invest in something together, whether it be a new bed, a car, or even a down payment on a house.
Splurge on an Unforgettable Honeymoon
Whether the people on your guest list bring drama or a “big white wedding” just isn’t your thing, consider having a small celebration instead that includes the people who matter most. Then splurge on an extended vacation with your one-and-only. You won’t regret having extra honeymoon time with your partner.
Wedding Budget Is Mostly Spent to Entertain Guests Anyway
Weddings are certainly cause for celebration, and the guests you invite deserve to have a great time. But as your budget starts to dwindle and expensive decisions are made, just remember, this is about you. Are you spending thousands on a fancy menu because it makes you happy, or because you want to impress your guests? There’s a happy medium, and that includes being “selfish” if you wish to save money on your big day.
xx, The FabFitFun Team
