photo credit: addie eshelman photography
The “almighty dollar”, otherwise known as “cold hard cash”, “cheddar” or “dolla dolla bill y’all”, has a lot of clout in our world. We even have a million sayings about how it “doesn’t grow on trees”, “can’t buy happiness”, and can “burn a hole in your pocket”. But when it comes to how to spend it for your wedding, how do you know what to do?
There’s no question the biggest day of your life comes with plenty of want and desire to spend a pretty penny to get everything your heart and Pinterest board can desire. When you total up the costs of a dress, catering, flowers, suits, a venue and all the other details, it can easily add up. But how much does a wedding ACTUALLY cost? How much is a reasonable amount to spend? And is it ok to splurge if you are celebrating with family and friends??
Girl, you are not the only one asking these questions! And, while we aren’t the ones holding your purse strings, we want to offer some insight and thoughts that may affect your decisions and plans. Like we always say, we’re here to help where we can.
Average Wedding Costs
According to Business Insider, the average wedding costs $35,900 in Pennsylvania, and closer to $45,000-$50,000 in states like New York and New Jersey. And luxury weddings can easily cost $100,000-$500,000. Either way, it’s not chump change! We totally understand you and your loved ones want to know what an “average” price is for a wedding, but let’s stop and ask ourselves, “what is an average wedding?” What does that look like? And as a bride, are you looking for average? If you want your wedding to be unique, does that mean you have to break the bank, or sell an arm and a leg?
We think this answer isn’t quite as black and white as we may like it to be…
Questions to Ask Yourself
Friends, at Spring Lane Event Planning, we personally believe that your marriage is FAR more important than your wedding day. May sound funny coming from a wedding planning company – but it’s true! The life you are weaving together is far more valuable than the dollar signs at the bottom of your receipts. That said, we recommend thinking through a few questions and considerations as you are determining your budget and how to, in turn, make your dream day happen. We know, we know! Talking money without clear cut direction can be challenging, but that doesn’t minimize it’s importance.
- How much can we reasonably spend on our wedding and be confident in our financial future?
- How can we be respectful of those who may be contributing money for our wedding?
- Are there pieces of our wedding where we are willing to splurge, and are there places we want to cut back?
Photo Credit: Addie Eshelman Photography
By thinking through these, you will be able to narrow down the scope of what is a reasonable and responsible amount to budget for your wedding. And, for anyone who is a Christian, we also recommend considering the question, “how can I honor God with my money?” We believe the best way for you to make decisions is to remember that our money is not our own – it’s the Lord’s. If you are able to hold (or spend!) money without having a LOVE for money, you can be sure you are on the right track 🙂
Ultimately, how you budget for your wedding is up to you. Taking time to step back, think clearly and really reflect on the ripple affects of your decisions will give you confidence moving forward – whether you have a luxury wedding or an intimate, casual gathering. All that’s to say, we believe you can have a LOVELY wedding, whether it’s on a shoestring budget, or you are able to pay top dollar. Our goal is for all of our couples feel like a million bucks on their special day – because you are worth it!
Referenced:
https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/how-much-does-a-wedding-cost
https://www.theknot.com/content/average-wedding-cost
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