Chances are you don't have a fortune put away, but you still want to throw one heck of a party to celebrate your lives together as husband and wife. Knowing your budget is crucial not only to make sure that you don't overspend here and there, but so that you don't start your wedding bliss off on the wrong foot. Make sure to have open communication with eachother about your wedding budget, and to continually check-in with eachother to make sure that you both have a say on the allocation of funds. If you are anticapating that your parents or other family members will offer to pitch in, plan a time to talk about it so that you can be sure everyone is on the same page. "The average wedding cost dipped in 2011 to $26,501, BRIDES magazine's 2011 American Wedding Study. In 2009, the last time the survey was published, the cost of a wedding was $28,082." (http://abcnews.go.com/Business/brides-tighten-garters-average-wedding-cost-drops-)
While we have seen many different opinions on the average wedding costs, the point is that you do not have to meet the norm or try to blow everyone away. The bottom line is that you can afford to get married, but you can't afford to not budget wisely.
We will be covering your budget questions in our premier issue of 530 Weddings, a digital bridal publication launching this spring. Got a burning budget question? Just Ask The 530 Bride!