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<\/p>\nIt\u2019s a six-letter word most newly engaged couples don\u2019t want to talk about, but I\u2019m just going to go ahead and say it\u2026BUDGET!\u00a0 If you haven\u2019t talked about it yet, you need to do it soon.\u00a0 You can have your perfect wedding regardless of your budget, but one of the first things you and your fianc\u00e9 should discuss is how much you (or someone else – we\u2019ll get to that later) are prepared to spend on what will hopefully be your first and last walk down the aisle.<\/p>\n
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The first step is figuring out who is going to pay for the wedding \u2013 and there are no set rules here.\u00a0 Traditionally, the bride\u2019s parents paid for the ceremony and reception, while the groom\u2019s parents took care of the rehearsal dinner.\u00a0 In certain cultures, groom\u2019s parents actually pay for the whole wedding, or offer to cover a specific expense (e.g. flowers, music, etc.).\u00a0 Nowadays, with couples waiting longer to get married, many chip in for a significant portion of their wedding costs, or even foot the whole bill.\u00a0\u00a0 Scary, I know!\u00a0 No matter who is springing for wedding, it\u2019s important to have a rough idea of your total budget before diving into the details.\u00a0 Once you have this magic number, there are a lot of great worksheets out there to help you figure out what your expenses will be.\u00a0 Real Simple<\/a> a great one posted on their website that does a good job of laying out most, if not all, wedding-related expenses.\u00a0 Having all your expenses written down will definitely help you manage expectations, because I can tell you firsthand, last minute expenses have a way of sneaking up on you.\u00a0 Who knew a bus from the hotel to your reception would cost several hundred\u00a0dollars or more?!?!<\/p>\n Every couple (who am I kidding, every bride<\/span>) will have their own priorities, so no two budgets will look the same.\u00a0 If you can\u2019t imagine walking down the aisle in anything other than a Monique Lhuillier<\/a> gown and you don\u2019t have a money tree in your backyard, you may have to sacrifice elsewhere in your budget.\u00a0 Here is where an event planner, an expense many people think they can\u2019t afford, can really save you money.\u00a0 A good event planner<\/a> will tell you what is and isn\u2019t necessary and help you make the most of your wedding budget.\u00a0 You can have a fantastic wedding AND stay within your means, because going into debt is no way to start a marriage!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It\u2019s a six-letter word most newly engaged couples don\u2019t want to talk about, but I\u2019m just going to go ahead and say it\u2026BUDGET!\u00a0 If you haven\u2019t talked about it yet, you need to do it soon.\u00a0 You can have your … Continue reading