Wedding ahead: How you can save thousands even while splurging
When you think of life’s big expenses, what comes to mind? College, for one. A home, a car, certainly retirement. And if you are planning to get married, or have children who are, a wedding ranks high on that list as well. And it should be — according to The Knot’s Real Wedding Survey, the average wedding in 2008 cost $29,334.
That’s right, almost $30,000! That’s more than a down payment on many houses, more than four years of college tuition at a public institution, even more than a perfectly reliable — or heck, even a flashy — car. But a wedding certainly doesn’t have to cost that much.
I’ve been to lovely weddings that probably had a budget of $10,000, and equally lovely weddings that likely topped $50,000.
What did they have in common? Heart. Soul. Creativity.
When it comes to planning a wedding on a budget, the key is knowing where to skimp and where to splurge. It’s a hard line to toe, but here are some tips to get you started:
