Thirty-five grand! Yes, that’s right, the average Mid-Atlantic couple is expected to spend around $35,000 for their wedding, according to www.TheWeddingReport.com.
Although a huge investment, it’s only the average. Many brides actually achieve platinum-wedding status with wedding budgets exceeding $100,000.
A wedding is typically the most expensive party of a couple’s life because most brides have been planning their perfect wedding since childhood. Little girls are socialized to play dress up as brides and admire princesses, such as Cinderella, who have lavish weddings and horse-drawn carriages.
Not that there’s anything wrong with a fairy tale wedding, if you can afford it. However, many couples fall victim to the desire of keeping up with the Joneses and end up starting their life together in debt, courtesy of Visa and MasterCard. It’s important to create a realistic wedding budget together, and then stick to it.
On average, a couple will spend about fifty percent of their wedding budget at the reception. A typical wedding reception will usually accommodate 150 to 200 guests. Couples must consider what style of reception to have. Do they want buffet, plated dinner, or heavy hors d’oeuvres? All of these choices play a part in the wedding budget.
The wedding category is one of the last recession-proof industries around. I’ve heard wedding professionals say, “You’re about to spend more money than you have ever spent on things that you have never bought before.”
Wow, with a mantra like that, Read the rest of this entry »