4 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Got Married | The Financial Diet

Here are some things everyone should consider when getting married so that you and your partner can thrive. Need help getting the money conversation started with your partner? Check out this video: • 5 Questions You Should... .
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Cost of US Weddings Reaches New High as Couples Spend More Per Guest to Create an Unforgettable Experience, According to The Knot 2016 Real Weddings Study:
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Here's How Much the Average Wedding Guest and Attendant Spend: www.theknot.co...
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The One Part of Your Wedding You Should Never DIY:
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6 Ways Social Media Is Changing Wedding Planning: www.marthastew...
How Debt Can Destroy a Budding Relationship:
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[@thefinancialdiet]

Looking for wedding budget tips? This video has it covered: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6eoaYl3f994f9E.

[@kindregardskatie]

I’ve never met a bride who regretted having a smaller intimate wedding but I’ve met countless that wished they spent less and had a less extravagant wedding.

[@loubiwhatever]

Katie Pecotich well you should meet my mother then xD She regrets having a small party... this confuses me :p

[@mag1714]

I had a small civil service...regret it.

[@CelebralBore]

And those weddings are mostly about the event and not love. It's cruel how the world turned it about having the perfect day...

[@darleneh608]

We had 35 guests at ours. I wish we'd had maybe 10, and then thrown a picnic for maybe 30 guests. The whole process is making too big a deal about the wedding, and not enough emphasis on the marriage.

[@rosesweetcharlotte]

My mom wishes she could have had larger weddings. When it comes to her first two marriages, the extra planning might have kept her from marrying people she shouldn't have. And when it came to my stepdad, well, he was dying of cancer and it would have been nice not to have to get married really quick.

[@TomSramekJr]

I'm an Episcopal priest and I tell couples that the only thing needed is the couple, witnesses, and an officiant. Everything else is extra.

[@ines3770]

Tom Sramek, Jr. God included 🙃

[@Pomagranite167]

God's gonna be there whether he got the invite or not XD

[@ardentdfender4116]

Tom Sramek, Jr. Very well said. But Americans just go overboard with being sold an extra bag of good for Weddings.

[@theywalkinguptoyouand4060]

Two people and God are all that is truly needed. Everything else is crap

[@PopMami]

This is exactly how we did it and I regret nothing.

[@chaeburger]

We ended up cancelling our post-civil service reception entirely after my in-laws ballooned the guest list from 50 people max to over 200 people, mostly without our knowledge since they were hosting the party at their house and they lived out-of-town. 90% of that guest list was made up of my now-husband's family and family friends, most of whom I hadn't even met. So, when we learned that his mom had been secretly inviting people to this casual backyard barbecue and that I would have only three people (including myself) from my side of the family there, we scrapped it. It was something that I never wanted and I don't regret doing it.

[@grrrgrl101]

Chae Howard good for you because that sounds like a panic attack in the making for me 😂

[@katrinepetersen2566]

Chae Howard Damn, You had me baffled from a moment. I Think, that it is really admireable for You to stand up to them. It is your special day - NOT your in-law's. Greetings and blessings from Denmark.

[@caligirlcheli0270]

Wtf! Good for you guys. It's your day not theirs.

[@burymebelowawillowtree9243]

😳😳😳😳😳, I wish many had the guts to stand up to in laws. But good for you. I know lots of people that regret letting others manage their special day.

[@CarlosRodriguez-dh7mm]

Respect for parents (including in-laws) is great and necessary. But it's a 2-way street... Going behind your back, especially to such an absurd extreme, is downright disgraceful. I hope your relationship with them is fine, but I'm glad you settled it.

[@ValerieStreif]

The part about the cost of being in a wedding gets me, especially as a single woman. If you're single and a friend is asking you to be in their wedding, ask yourself if they would spend $1,000 on going on a trip with you for your 40th birthday. If the answer is no, then don't be in their wedding.

[@AlisonClaires]

Lab-created white sapphires or zirconium look a lot like diamonds and are far, far cheaper for engagement rings. Lab-created diamonds are a thing too, and are just as pretty as a harvested diamond. The ring I have my eyes on is only $300, and has two lab-created sapphires with the white sapphire in the middle. Just a tip.

[@Aster_Risk]

My husband and I got married at 21 for about $1,000, and that included my dress, the food and the event location. I actually wish we hadn't had a wedding at all and kept the money. The marriage is the best part, and the wedding was something we were pressured into.

[@jlina]

Did a hands on wedding with reception for less than $2000! Single stem roses with tulle netting for bridesmaids, store bought wedding cake brought in, hand decorated reception area and pew bows, mother made my dress...8 bridesmaids/groomsmen and 6 servers. They all had made their dresses with the picked colors and lace, some themselves, some tailored. It was stunning! I'm always shocked at what people think they need to spend. After it was on the table, you could not tell the store bought cake from a catered one.

[@micheller2655]

This is so helpful. I'm planning my wedding now and was telling my fiance that I don't know how to keep us in budget. This grounded me and reminded me that I don't need everything people are telling me.

[@artdiva36]

My husband and I had about 30 people over at our own home for our wedding. We cleaned the house, moved all the furniture into the garage and rented some chairs and standing tables. Our immediate family is small, and half the attendees were close, mutual friends. A wedding should be about the husband and wife and how they want to celebrate. For us, we wanted to travel together and enjoy being married, so we put more into our honeymoon than our wedding, which I'm thankful for.

[@jeremycohn691]

$35k! That's not gonna happen. Nuclear family, g-parents, and wedding party get a fancy dinner and lodging. Maybe another $5k for the honeymoon. The rest of that is going into the down payment on a house.

[@lisa1968]

YES!!! you get it. We took my husbands kids/my bonus daughters on our honeymoon for a few days. I couldn't have given a flying fuck about what anyone else thought.

[@Nikki-ks6wi]

yes and not just the down payment but include closing costs. 6% closing cost (hopefully seller will pay some) and 3.5% down payment for first time home buyer

[@sofiablue2007]

I got married for less than $1 000, ten people, church and food. I got married because I wanted the person, not the experience. Get a grip, people!!!!

[@pixsol_dg]

this is so interesnting to me, and generally all about your culture of finances. In my country the most expensive wedding that i can imagine wont cost more then 10,000 usd. But when you said all about the design of the ring, the diferent prices in food... well in makes sense...

[@AKSmith15]

I completely agree with you, I'm a guy and want a small wedding. The video was very informative thanks. However I definitely want my 'wife to be' to wear a wedding dress :)

[@patriciamuszynski1328]

Thank you for making this video. I'm planning a small wedding with my partner and it feels good to know other people have planned frugal weddings.

[@eclectic_nerd]

Great video. Always a fan of advice that sets you up well for your marriage, Instead of getting caught up on the wedding which is simply a party.

[@SplatterInker]

Used to work on the fringes of venue hire for weddings. That price hike is often because ppl place so much onto everything being "perfect" at a wedding that if 1 thing goes wrong its like all hell's been let loose. And because of that same impetus people want a service that delivers immediately, is bespoke, and available whenever they want it. So they're very demanding. For every easy going bride and groom there's 15 more with drama. Personally I think the price hike makes this situation worse, but I could see how, for example, a bar provider might charge extra compared to another event because more contact time is involved, the goods are expected to be higher quality and you could be expected to look after guests in a way you just wouldn't for say a 50th birthday bash.

[@Ryoangie]

We had two celebration for our wedding, one is in a temple and lunch with close friends and family, it cost us about 800dollars, and it was enough for us, and we r incredibly lucky that our friends gifted us with money and it was enough to cover that day, we had another reception for my husband's family and we budgeted 3000 dollars for that, it was about 100 people, and again we lucked out, as his family gave us monetary gift enough for us to cover everything, in the end after adding up all the money, we didn't spend a single cent. So blessed and they all enjoyed the reception.

[@palomadelgadillo1970]

I'm planning a wedding and we're totally doing this. Courthouse wedding with a party the next day. No centerpieces or bridesmaids or flowers. We're only getting the things we actually want.

[@GrantButler]

I think you have touched on this before, but I would really like to see a more in-depth video on how to go about creating an LLC for myself.

[@samanthafriginal3705]

I want to make a low cost wedding but I know deep in my heart that I still want that gorgeous twilight wedding between Edward and Bella. Say what you want about the story, that wedding is still beautiful beyond words.

[@ChloeRaeofSunshine]

You should make a video on how to budget and get ready for a new born!

[@YuliaMit]

OMG. In my country a 300 people wedding is considered to be small. I’m an only child with very little family. 50 people is way too much for me. Also, my friends bought decorations from AliExpress and such to reduce the costs.

[@PsoMyth]

My hubby was from CA and I'm from CO... It was interesting to see how our families and friends had different cultures when it came to weddings. All said and done I think we spent around 13k. We had a CO type wedding outside of Colorado. From what I've heard from my CA friends and based on his family, extravagance is the goal in CA weddings. Not so with CO weddings at all. I've never been to a CO wedding that even felt like they were aiming for over the top. We aggressively aim for modest and homey feeling. We didn't get married in Colorado and some of my family talked about it like it was an outlandish destination wedding and I found that mortifying. I did not want to throw an over the top insanely expensive wedding. It would've been embarrassing... I felt like ours was expensive going over 10k. CO people don't dance either though. We're kind of party duds.

[@Jamie-yx3wu]

Such an important video. So many people get pressured into things they can't afford because people tell them "the wedding is NOT for the bride and groom, it's for the guests" which I find entirely offensive.

[@Keliiyamashita]

Not entirely true. You invite guest which makes you a host. Therefore you care for them and their needs. You want them to be comfortable and enjoy themselves. The ceremony is for the couple, the reception is for the guest. Can you guess which is more expensive?

[@laurenschexnider2799]

After declining being in a friend's wedding due to the cost, I instead helped decorate the settings and serve at the reception. The bride was understanding and grateful for my willingness to still be part of her special day.

[@grrrgrl101]

Lauren Schexnider awww that's really neat honestly this is the best comment

[@CarlosRodriguez-dh7mm]

Great to know that some people aren't so petty about these kinds of things. God forbid my girlfriend decline a wedding for a cousin. She'd be excommunicated from the family!

[@Pomagranite167]

Lauren Schexnider i'm glad the bride is a good and wholesome friend. Unfortunatly, for some, it's an insult that you aren't willing to go broke for them.

[@mariemai2902]

Makes me very sad, that guests have to spent so much money to attend a wedding. If I ever get married none of my guests will have to spent a single cent. If I invite them I will pay for everything. It might be a small affordable party, but everyone will enjoy themselves without going into debt.

[@sensiblewheels]

@@mariemai2902 Good on you :) Love that ideology.

[@Jess-uw1gm]

1. You can always say "no" 2:44 2. How much brides are prevented from seeing the price of things 6:14 3. Social media only adds to the pressure 8:03 4. How much budgets are routinely blown up 10:48

[@iluvearth99]

Jess Geeregat +

[@stephm6028]

Thank you!! @Jess Geeregat

[@ruthsanchez5158]

Thanks so much

[@xxnatt]

Much appreciated time stamps 🙂

[@adamhlj]

You da real MVP!

[@ashlee120386]

Ways I cut cost: Went with a simple menu, one meat, one starch, and salad. Got my dress on sale DIY decorations Instead of renting transportation, I used Uber Luxe Skipped the bridal party, We only had a maid and matron of honor with 2 best men My maid and matron of honor rented their dresses from rent the runway We only had a one tier cake made for me and the hubs to cut into and keep, we got cupcakes for our guest from our local grocery store We DID NOT give away favors We made our own invitations at Staples/hobby lobby and save the dates from Walgreens Our venue let us bring in our own bartender so we bought our own alcohol from Sams Club My husband bought a 3 piece and shirt Ralph Lauren suit instead of a tux from Macy’s on sale for $350...men’s warehouse wanted to charge $800, meanwhile my husband can re-wear the suit to work events Things I would not skimp on: Photographer- I’ve seen some bad weddings look amazing in photos with the right photographer Hair and Makeup artist-I am a former makeup artist, but there are entirely too many things happening the day of the wedding to focus on perfecting these 2 very important things DJ-we almost put songs on a dis but realized a DJ makes the crowd get out their seats! Venue-can make or break the flow of the wedding, should also be accommodating to older ppl in wheelchairs, have parking, etc. Hope this helps!

[@MagicBailey]

ash rob this is so helpful!

[@ashlee120386]

Bailey Queensland thanks!

[@annamp3645]

You can also skip the "save the date". it's an unnecessary expense. you can just send the wedding invitation the day you would send the save the date. It wouldn't make any difference

[@claudiagarciamera5051]

What is a rehearsal dinner and what is it good for?

[@ashlee120386]

Claudia Garcia Mera you DONT have to do this, but it’s usually a dinner the couple host for the bridal party the night before the wedding (after wedding rehearsal) as a thank you so to speak, but again you don’t HAVE to do this?

[@TheRealE.B.]

*Engagement Ring Advice: Stay in school and don't do diamonds, kids.*

[@NoraTKD]

"It's not about how perfect it looks on Instagram." So true, Chelsea!

[@bla2220]

17 years ago, my wife and I were planning a simple ceremony. The guest took it upon themselves to invite other people, and to make plans on our behalf. So we cancelled the wedding. Went and got married JP style. And then a month later, we hosted a special dinner at a restaurant. Announce that we had gotten married and use that this is a wedding reception. It was simple cheap to the point, and we're still married 17 years later.

[@ccccccchhhhhh808]

Being in a wedding is so expensive! I'm in 2 in the next year, I'm honored to be in them but im bracing myself financially.

[@elliottmiller3282]

like as a bridesmaid? I mean I'd so be a bridesmaid. But I have no friends.

[@ccccccchhhhhh808]

Elliott Miller im a maid of honor in one, bridesmaid in another

[@elliottmiller3282]

Aw man. Welp I hope you aren't doing anything you can't afford but that also sounds exciting.

[@sanneworkinprogrezz6299]

Why is it so expensive to attend a wedding? Here in Germany you buy a dress (~50-100€), you buy a present (~50-70€ per person) and then you attend the wedding. I personally have 3 dresses I've worn to several weddings over the years. One is luxurious-elegant, one is flowery (sommer wedding!) and one is plain navy, that can be accessorized. Normally the friends don't know each other or they won't remember your dress. People share cars to drive to the wedding and drive back home together. When you are very close with the bride or groom you might attend their "single life fare well" party event (hen day?, don't know what you call it, here it's "Jungesellen-/Jungsellinnenabschied"). That's usually also between 50-100€. The last one I attended was having a nice meal, doing Karaoke, driving a limo and partying in a Salsa-Club. (Meal: 30€, Karaoke: 15€, Limo (shared with 12 girls) 40€, Salsa-Club (free entry + 2 drinks): 15€). You don't have to break the bank.

[@Amina088]

Sanne WorkInProgrezz That sounds nice! Well... Maybe in the US people spent a lot on flight ticket to travel to the venue? I'm not so sure myself but I do know that some culture, for example, Japan, has a tradition of gifting the bride and the groom with a large sum of money when you attend their wedding. That's also the reason why some couples don't invite students to their wedding. Even though they are close, they don't want to burden students to pay for such thing.

[@licoreen]

From the title of the video, "4 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Got Married," I thought it would feature financial advice for married couples like setting financial goals, life insurance, etc. I would have titled this video "Don't Overspend on Your Wedding."

[@fiyinfoluwaaduke2025]

licoreen I agree

[@emmasmit2073]

That is a video I would love to see, too!

[@DanicaChristin]

Yeah i agree. Still interesting. But would love to see a video about sharing money as a married couple

[@mermaidprincess1151]

Alot of people already live their partners and have gone threw tjat

[@himani8927]

licoreen same here but considering this woman has only just gotten married maybe she doesn’t have enough experience for that yet?

[@monicas9023]

While you're talking about huge (and frankly scary) major milestones, do you think the channel will ever do videos on safely financing a home/how to pay off the mortgage in not 30+years? I've been watching TFD for a few years now and haven't seen much except some discussion on renting/versus buying, so I apologize if I've missed videos already addressing this! In my friend and family group it seems home ownership is this wonderful achievement that then takes a hold of the rest of your life. Maybe I'm still young enough (24) to be optimistic and think it doesn't have to be that way? TFD is an opinion I trust, so I'd love to hear your take on it if possible! Keep up the great work ladies!

[@laurenconrad1799]

Monica S yes! ++++++

[@sapphirecamui6447]

yea! I think the producers of this channel thought that with all these tips we get, we'll manage to somehow save money by now and pay a bigger chunk of the mortgage. i think it's ridiculous to pay for a house in 30+ years. there are so many things that can happen in just a week, let alone in 30 years - the cost of owning a house should go down. the current prices are insane.

[@SqueakCode]

++++

[@hopelefler2130]

I highly recommend Money Girl Podcast!

[@tarawrr20]

Monica S totally agree! They need to bring someone on who discusses this! I’m a millennial with a mortgage and I need tips on finances and homeownership. The ladies of TFD are renters in NY, very much NOT the norm of the country.

[@Angel_Bob_]

My fiance couldn't care less about gem stones or how much I spent on a ring. What she does care about is The Legend of Zelda (as do I). So I bought her a ring (with a real, lab-made diamond, actually) that has the Hylian Crest on either side of the stone. She loves it and I didn't even break $100. Great video. I feel like this kind of message is chronically underrepresented in... well... life.

[@MagicBailey]

Angel Bob That’s so cute!

[@cruztastrophe]

A guy in my DnD group's wedding ring is a simple stainless steel ring with triforces on it. He has a bunch of spares in case he ever loses one because they're just $10 online.

[@mayraarreola4159]

That’s so awesome! Now I want to see the ring 😀

[@Angel_Bob_]

Mayra Arreola www.etsy.com/listing/456118140/video-game-two-tone-color-triforce

[@mayraarreola4159]

Angel Bob soooo pretty!!! 😍

[@ohShnapss]

Elope. You'll save a lot of money.

[@Raetalkss]

I have been saying this for years hahahahahahah great idea!

[@jessabelles2875]

Lol

[@chicangel2000]

I didn't have a wedding. We are introverts and also would rather travel. I also got a home instead. This is why we don't have rings either. I talk so much about my hubby that it is pretty obvious that I'm married.

[@annamp3645]

Judy Dollins exactly!

[@chicangel2000]

A P They do sometimes, mostly the family that ask. I guess friends when they first notice. I just let them know that we spent it on a house instead and they nod. I actually ended up buying a 6dllr ring from an app call top hatter. I looks legit hahah, but I dont really use it. I am not a fan of rings. normally when I tell them about the other things we have they stop judging.

[@paula.spanic]

Lindy Ichihara I like that. That's a great idea. I'm gonna show this to my boyfriend to see what he thinks.

[@stacielee6562]

but please dont use the "dont mention the word wedding" for your photographer. weddings are BIG events, long hours and high pressure. please value their work, and understand their prices may raise for weddings, and thats cause they're WAY more work than just a regular event or photoshoot.

[@toin9898]

100% correct. The process for a wedding is totally different than a family photo shoot or party.

[@missmatti]

But I guess it’s hard to hide it’s a wedding for your photographer 😝

[@stacielee6562]

Matilda Lundin you'd be surprised the amount of people who pretend it's just a party. Also don't do it for your caterer or venue either

[@JudyNepune]

I was once a helper for friends who are wedding photographers and it was sooo exhausting, I mean, we started at 04:00 in the morning to drive there, then the church, carrying the heavy 10k worth equipment around, waiting, being present in every moment, catching every moment, pictures, OMG, at 6 p.m. I was done, I was sleeping while standing and the photographers kept on going and we drive home at 3:00 in the morning. I said to myself that whatever happens, I will never be a wedding photo/video Grapher, not even for a day, again. 😂😭

[@intuitive_duck]

I thought that wasn't a smart move either. If you say that, it may cost more due to the unexpected pressure. This applies to catering too. Catering a wedding versus a event is totally different. There's a certain level of quality you have to meet for a wedding. Otherwise the couple will just be disappointed. Some of the quality of food may increase, but most of it I can imagine will be presenting quality. Using chafing dishes with lit candles instead of a roaster or crock pot. Things like that.

[@Iamso4u]

I agree with most of your points, but for me the wedding hash tag was the equivalent of disposable cameras on the tables. We got to search the hash tag after the wedding and see photos of our guest just having a good time. It was never about vanity or wanting to show off.

[@imani877]

Iamso4u that’s actually really sweet!

[@georgiamorse6233]

I thought that was the whole point

[@rfldss89]

i thought the main idea behind wedding hashtags was to make it easier for guests to share pictures with the newly weds. i never saw the whole excebitionist aspect, but I guess you're not far off about that, considering how much some people share online and rely on social media for validation.

[@likechaaa]

I think we should note that saying no is more or less difficult depending on what culture you come from. Different cultures create more or less pressures around weddings - so if you are from for example a Pakistani tradition, an Indian tradition, a Somalian tradition or a South Sudanese tradition (just to name a few) - saying no is practically not an option.

[@Aura000]

Love this - thank you for promoting unconventional weddings and doing it your way.

[@laurenconrad1799]

I am a happy, single young woman with no clue if I’ll ever get married. But I’ve got to save this video and then remind myself to watch it if and when I do ever get engaged.

[@craigslistoceanside8677]

I couldn’t care less about my ring. But I did care about the food and music. I wanted to eat well and dance. I didn’t care much at all about transportation. We took a car service back in the day. I got married before hashtags. Thank God.

[@Irene-gq4jr]

Loved. Every. Word. At the tender age of 46 I finally met and aged 47 agreed to marry the most amazing man. I just turned 48 and we have decided we'd prefer to run away and do it quietly then come back and have a party, with no mention of the word 'wedding' when booking the venue. He did the big show with his first wife 20+ years ago, enjoyed it, but aside from anything else I hate being the centre of attention and could do without the stress of it all.

[@97indianuk]

Can you make a video about prenups and pros of separate accounts.

[@sarahmitchell7799]

Precisely why my SO and I have decided to simply do a courthouse wedding. We've come very far financially and aren't willing to blow it over a large party when we'd rather just have the two of us (and maybe parents) anyways. The goal is to never take on debt again if it's not a house payment, and that average wedding cost is a third of the house down-payment we're saving up. Totally not worth it for us, at least. Save those big costs for the things that really matter to you (although if a large wedding IS one of those things, knock yourself out).

[@celiamaldonado7616]

I'm here like "yes, yes, yes, yes!" all my married cousins made the huge party, even the ones with economical problems, years later they are living either with their parents, a rented place or a place bought by their parents... They don't have the position to pay for independence, but there was no problem trowing a big event with lots of unknown people

[@zebedeesummers4413]

Celia Maldonado what is wong with renting for a while.

[@celiamaldonado7616]

There's nothing wrong with renting for a while, i did that for four years. But my cousins haven't been renting for just "a while", it's been more than ten years, the same place, that's a lot of money that they will never see again. Plus "settling", and spending thousands in a party, instead of invest it on a place of their own, that i see it as wrong. My point of view of course.

[@DiaGry]

but it is common that renting is cheaper than mortgage

[@celiamaldonado7616]

DiaGry not necessarily but even it were 20-ish years from now you'll be owning a place, whereas if you keep renting in 10, 15, 20 years you could be kick out of the place or keep paying the same (or more) amount of money FOREVER

[@louie540x]

Rent where you live and own what you rent out

[@MiniDress360]

How could someone spend $35,000 on one day! That's just ludicrous in my opinion. I've recently got engaged and I'm already overwhelmed by keeping people happy. It's ridiculous. We're paying for everything ourselves, so I feel like I might be super bratty and just demand it to be my way. That way my future husband and I get what we want, which seems fair as we're paying.

[@Aster_Risk]

Please, be bratty and demanding. Speaking from experience, it'll make you and your future husband much happier. Do it your way. I regret being way too passive and letting people walk all over me during my wedding planning.

[@prncessbaby16]

honestly, i told my fiance that the relationship is more stressful now that we are engaged. everyone is coming to us telling us what they want for OUR wedding, and telling me im gonna regret if i do it this way or that way, but my mom said at the end of the day, its OUR day so we shouldnt let her or anyone else decide what is BEST FOR US. trust me, u wont be happy if you tried to please everyone else. it wont feel like YOUR wedding. its hard telling family and friends no, but you have to put your foot down before you get so stressed out that you want to just cancel the wedding because ive considered cancelling ours plenty of times and my other friend who is having a wedding a month later is so stressed out and didnt even tell her family she changed her dress because she doesnt want them to be angry with her.

[@MiniDress360]

Cheyenne Michelle-Rena That's exactly what I said. Great minds, ey! It's driving me mad. Nobody would suggest any of this crap if it was just a regular party. But because it's a wedding people feel able to say 'your day will be rubbish without X' I hope you get the day you and your partner want. And send love to your friend. What a stressful situation. I'm sure she'll look lovely in whatever dress SHE wants. She'll be the one wearing it after all!

[@prncessbaby16]

Kitty exactly kitty and thank you! We decided to cancel the big ceremony and just go to court . Who knows if we will have another ceremony next year, but we don't really care. We never wanted anything big anyway, and as for my friend, the 3rd dress was the winner. :) I hope your wedding goes well too and it is stressful, but now you know you're not alone in the stress, and can talk to me or someone else who knows what you're going through. Remember, it's YOUR day so focus on what you and your hubby want . If others aren't paying, their opinions on what will make your wedding perfect shouldn't matter. My aunt said she'd buy me a white dress (I have purple) but I stood my ground and said no even tho she said I'd regret it. No I'd regret going with a color I don't want lol.

[@prizzmhf]

I got married two weeks ago. From experience prepare to get some people upset. The first thing that I told everyone was : I'll let you know if I want your opinion on a subject. Its hard but necessary. Also set budgets for everything and inform vendors about these first and foremost.

[@thescowlingschnauzer]

I'm really sorry to hear that weddings are so stressful for many people. My wife and definitely experienced stress, but we love that we had a big wedding. We loved our center pieces. We loved the bridesmaids matching dresses (and the groomsmen's matching rental tuxes). We loved having the pictures all over social media so that the celebration could extend beyond the day and beyond the limited number of people the room could accommodate. When we look back on the pictures, we don't see decisions we had to make because of other people's expectations. We look back on what we decided because we wanted it. You just have to be open and honest about what you want and what you can afford and then live within your means.

[@SpinesAndSplines]

It’s true that my wedding cost twice as much as our original budget, but considering our original budget was AUD $2000, I’m still extraordinarily proud of myself. My husband and I knew we wanted to move overseas, so got married after 16 years together to make emigration easier (and because we love each other and stuff). We knew that our wedding would essentially be the last big get together before we left. We were very lucky in that we got two big budget items as gifts: our flowers and our photography. I think it’s important to note that we did not ask or expect our friends to do those things for free, and would have gladly paid for them if we had to. Our wedding florist friend and our wedding photographer friend both offered their services in lieu of a gift. I am an artist and have a number of silversmith friends, so I did put a general call out on social media to see if someone wanted to make our jewellery in exchange for a piece of art, and one of my friends took me up on that, and it’s possibly one of the best decisions I made. I now have several pieces of handmade jewellery that remind me of my friends around the other side of the world as well as my wedding. I did pay money for the cost price of the gold in my ring, but all the silver and labour was paid for with a piece of my art that my friends love. Other money saving things we did: booked a venue that we had full control over. We were able to bring in our own food, staff and decorations. Both our parents insisted on paying for something, so we “let” my parents pay for serving staff (friends and family with experience) and my mother-in-law paid for our choice of cake and desserts. We brought in our own alcohol: wine we bought months earlier at a huge discount from a wine club, and beer and soft drinks bought locally when we saw them on sale. Similarly, cheeses were purchased and delivered by a cheese club, and I prepped and cooked all the other food (fruit platters, several salad dishes, a few things that needed simple reheating, some fish dishes to be eaten cold and a number of large fishes to be baked whole on the day). I made all my own invitations (I’m a printmaker, after all. Honestly, this bit was the most important to me...) and thank you cards, and I also made my own dress. I worked in an art supply store and took full advantage of my discount to buy paper as tablecloths, and all the supplies needed for the invitations and other stationery. We bought all our dinnerware, cutlery and serving ware from thrift shops then donated it back after the wedding. My mother-in-law thought I was crazy and couldn’t imagine how everything would get done. She made a point of calling afterwards and saying how brilliant it all was. Long story short: it’s hard work, but don’t believe people when they try and say you can’t pull something like this off. It’s just a big party, after all.

[@SpinesAndSplines]

Oh, and my husband wore his wedding suit to a job interview before we even had the wedding. Totally got the job.

[@hollyd1392]

You go girl! This was so inspiring to read.

[@TheBudgetingWife]

$35,000 for a wedding is insane! We spent $10,000 with 200 people and it was a perfect day.

[@Bubbleyumizchewi17]

The Budgeting Wife I’m not dating right now but would like to have a wedding without breaking the bank. How did you do it?

[@TheBudgetingWife]

Bubbleyumizchewi17 I thought through what was important to me and spent money there and knew that I’d have to sacrifice other areas. We did an outdoor wedding in the summer, which was a cheaper venue than an indoor ballroom. And we did some southern bbq for food. It was only about $10 a person! My dress was on sale at David’s bridal, my friend made my cake, and my photographer was new to the business so we got him for an amazing price! A lot of small things and people helping us on other ways really helped us to save money! We also did our best not to spend money on things we or our guests wouldn’t remember anyway (centerpieces and the plates they ate on-for example).

[@DanicaChristin]

That is absolutely insane 😮

[@burymebelowawillowtree9243]

I had a very cheap wedding, rented a community gym, friends brought casseroles of yummy homemade food, waters and pop. We walked down the “aisle “ and had the ceremony there too. My now husband bought the cake from the bakery he worked at. My dress was bought from a clearance rack which cost $70 and had to loose 10 lbs.😂 also, at the reception had a dj..... ten years later, I have wonderful memories and honestly that day I felt loved and very happy. And also we were able to comfortably buy an apartment. I, just like any woman did not ever wore my wedding dress ever again.

[@EmmieTuesday]

The Budgeting Wife 17 years ago we spent under 6,000. Had a vintage dance party, OVER 200 people in an art deco ballroom at a local Polish restaurant and ballroom. Buffet instead of “served”, cash bar downstairs, and still had live music for dancing. Mena and women came in their vintage attire, I wore a second hand rag timey era gown..ivory crepe de chine- which I had already worn once. Of course, it was different in that , tho a first marriage for us both, my husband and I were both older (55 and 39). Both parents contributed something as a wedding gift. I did not have attendants since every woman there was a bridesmaid! My husband and I DID have a local jeweler/artist make our rings and we did discuss the price of everything., Perhaps this was partly our age. Everyone still talks about our beautiful wedding (which was in 2001) as being one of the most pleasant they had ever attended. We had no professional photographer, disposable cameras on each table, and we encouraged friends who liked to take pictures to take them. I hand drew our invitations and programmes. Until my husband died, he and I often reflected on our beautiful wedding and would always get weepy, remembering how special it was.

[@giuliannabarahonarodriguez6936]

While I am not planning on getting married anytime soon, I just wanted to stop by and say how awesome this channel is and that it has been enourmous help to getting my finances in order. Thank you and I wish for you to have a beautiful ceremony.

[@Hotcoffeepls]

I'm currently planning my own wedding, and keeping costs as low as possible is definitely a factor! And what I'm discovering is I can totally have my 'dream' wedding without spending too much by planning early (it's not before late last year), being honest about our budget, taking things into my own hands (after all, I know best how I want to spend my money) and focusing on the 'experience' itself and not the material aspect of it. You're totally right about focusing on what's meaningful - I've been to a lot of weddings and I don't remember one single fancy cake or table decorations, haha. But having a wedding was important to me, because I wanted a reason to bring people around me together that's all about celebration and being happy about something; the last times I've seen all my aunts and uncles together have all been funerals... Like yours, my wedding will be intimate, with close family and friends only; I found a beautiful venue and focusing on the natural decor rather than buying decorations; I'll be renting my dress for a fraction of the price of the same gorgeous dress but new; we're making a free website instead of printing invites; and instead of wedding gifts, I'm asking my friends and immediate family to help with the skills they have - my sister to do my make up and my best friend to do my hair, other people helping with the food and music, etc. It'll be a really lovely party and I'm excited! As for the things I do still need to shop for, I'll definitely remember your tip about avoiding the word 'wedding' and talking about a 'celebration' instead!

[@Raetalkss]

I want a small wedding too! However I am from a Nigerian background so telling folk I want a small wedding is like a big slap in the face!

[@gabzz72]

Rae talkss you’re screwed 😅😅 Nigerians love extravagant weddings

[@vfiesty]

It’s crazy to me that the modern woman wouldn’t be involved in the financial aspects of her wedding, I could never be that oblivious!

[@CassKatherine]

The fact that there's a legitimate wedding tax is incredible and completely unfair. Ultimately, the only thing I think is worth the high price tag for a wedding is a photographer. Good photographers can make $2,000 weddings look like $25,000. Just be aware of their packages and see if you can get stuff custom quoted to make sure you're only getting the products after the wedding that you'll actually really want.

[@missmatti]

Cassandra Rudolph also if you get married out of season you can get good photographers for less and smaller packages. I remember our photographer only offered the 3 hour package September - April but we got married on a Tuesday so she offered it to us anyway because she lived nearby and was free. So as you suggest I would also say definitely contact people you like and see what they can offer you :)

[@CassKatherine]

Matilda Lundin this is true! I’m a photographer and while I don’t shoot weddings I know a lot who do and there’s always options depending on the photographer. It’s worth an ask, as long as you aren’t being insultingly undercutting.

[@missmatti]

Absolutely! I would never wanna undercut someone. We were so thrilled because the photographer we booked in the end was our favourite when researching. She wasn't the cheapest - we could have booked a longer session with a cheaper one for the same price. But like you pointed out a good photographer can make a $2k wedding look like $25k and I want to look back at photos I love and that bring me joy.

[@Aster_Risk]

Yes! All you have to do is communicate what you want and have an actual discussion.

[@KatrinaEames]

My husband is an event planner and just knowing not to say the word "wedding" saved us so much money!

[@MissMusicBaby3]

Honestly, as someone who’s invited to multiple weddings, I’ve only ever sent gifts because almost all the weddings I’ve been invited to are out-of-state and I simply cannot afford beyond a gift and bringing my date with me.

[@alpimarzi5501]

A very cool video, but a misleading title. This is what she thinks other people wish they knew before a wedding, not a marriage. Maybe it’s just semantics, but 🤷🏻‍♀️ I clicked for advice relating to pre-marriage.

[@Neeshpeesh123]

Wait a min now how we get to not accepting gifts??!

[@miaduana]

Neeshpeesh123 accepting something else. Like generous donations

[@rosie_._youtube]

I'm jealous of your eyebrows

[@lvsmagic]

I got married recently and something that really helped us was to both write down the 5 things that actually mattered to us. These were the things that we would be willing to spend more on to get something we loved/ valued versus the million extraneous wedding things that we really didn't care that much about. This really helped focus our wedding and was a good launching off point for budgeting our wedding. While doing everything as budget friendly is great, it's still a (hopefully) once in a lifetime event that should at least get a little extra love :)

[@MonthNo10]

Sometimes it feels so lonely to be planning a wedding with 50 guests and many other "bare minimum" elements. It's so refreshing to hear someone talks about the robbery that is the wedding industry.

[@barbara4410]

In Germany we say: "The bigger the wedding-the sooner the divorce!"

[@NoName-sp5dp]

No

[@lisa1968]

It's all about a show, and showing off. People use a wedding to say, oh look at us and how much we're spending. ridiculous. For all this feminism especially in the USA, when it comes to weddings, it's like the 18th century.

[@professorlayabout4878]

lisa1968 Ladies love being the center of attention. It’s their big day!

[@Aster_Risk]

The best thing about feminism is respecting women's (and men's) choices. I had a small inexpensive wedding. Other women spend enough money to put a down payment on a house. Even if I think that's silly, I respect that it's someone's choice.

[@BudgetGirl]

Your wedding sounds LOVELY.

[@romanaduv2627]

Budget Girl I

[@cindygiesbrecht3146]

I know a couple who didn't get diamond rings to cut costs and also because they just didn't like them. Instead they have silicone 'rings' (like those rubber bracelets you can order for really cheap) that have their special design on them. They cost about $20 dollars.

[@missmatti]

Cindy Giesbrecht I hate diamonds 😂 I got a rose quartz ring but when my husband tried to find a ring for me (he insisted on this but with help from me sending him pictures of rings I like) it was impossible he said to find rings without at least small diamonds around the gem stone.

[@PsoMyth]

I didn't get an expensive dress or expensive rings. It all seemed so commercial and over the top... It was a great decision because we traveled to get to our wedding venue. Our car was broken into and the rings stolen. It was still upsetting, but not I just lost 2k ring upsetting. I would highly recommend if you're driving a long distance to your wedding keep the rings with you, park where your car is visible and don't leave anything that looks valuable in the car. The smashed window cost more than anything that was stolen...

[@katrinepetersen2566]

Cindy Giesbrecht Here in Denmark, it is highly uncommon to get diamond rings. Most people go for some sort metal covered with a thin layer of gold. It is cheaper, more comfy and more practical. But we're also an entire country of cheap skates, who rent our dresses and has the party in the local community building (most towns has a small, crappy building for events and town meetings) My parents used around 3-4K and They had a semi-large party with a reception beforehand.

[@KatrinaEames]

My engagement ring had colored glass instead of gemstones because I disagree with how diamonds are mined and the artificially inflated price points for diamonds and my ring was still absolutely beautiful.

[@Eliszzyy]

go to brilliantearth.com! Many alternatives sold in an ethical way!

[@L0STinNARNIA]

I'm currently planning a wedding (have been for the past several months and nearly everything is all settled) and I never had any issues getting prices for things... My fiancee and I also designed my engagement ring together as well as his wedding ring to match and the jeweler was always upfront with how much everything cost, I didn't have to ask and they made no comment about wanting to know... same with the reception venue, caterer, bakery... I honestly have no idea how common it actually is for the bride to not get pricing info.

[@jlina]

L0STinNARNIA Same, I was surprised and a little disbelieving if this...

[@amanatee27]

I'm thinking it might happen more at big franchises versus local jewelers. When ring browsing for design ideas with my SO at multiple stores in the mall, I would try on a setting and then go to look at the tag to see details and price, and I was constantly told "Oh don't worry about that, we can work out finances with him later." When I replied that we're a team and making these financial decisions together, they nervously respond "Oh that's wonderful!" At one store, I just said in passing to my SO that I liked a particular setting, and I was swiftly escorted away to look at watches for my SO while they sat and talked finances with him. I would almost find it funny if it wasn't so insulting and archaic, but who knows, maybe some women find it romantic for the cost to be a mystery... I like surprises as much as the next person, but I like a good deal and feeling the price is worth the value a whole lot more.

[@toyaJM]

She spoke of her experience and I'm sure she isn't alone..our jeweler was take back but me telling her I wanted the price of my fiancee's ring it happens ya'll.

[@blue2day013]

amanatee27 I was told something similar when we were looking for my ring. The guy said don't worry about the price. I said I have to, otherwise we might be eating PB&j forever. I would rather enjoy my life with my husband. And he quickly shut up after that.

[@Aster_Risk]

This happens a lot. You were luck to be dealing with very up front people.

[@hopeestherr]

It cost us $5 dollars to get married. Lmao.

[@maggielara2360]

Have never agreed with anyone so much as this

[@instanoodles]

I will be forever grateful that my wife is not an "instagram girl". Our wedding was exactly what we wanted, cost about 4K and with the money we saved we bought a house that we can very comfortably afford. I am glad we were on the same page when it came to size and cost from the very beginning.

[@DirtyPrancing]

Sooooo... Ive seen about three of your videos so far and I think I've wasted enough time. Your main financial value is stalling on KZbin to get better monetization

[@sp6990]

My advice: Don’t buy into the hype. Don’t get me wrong, I doubled her average lol But it was fine for us. And it’s because DH had a big guest list. My dress was $250 and I made it beautiful with alterations. I drove myself to my wedding (had a nice convertible, but I love people’s suggestions of Uber Luxe). Got my flowers done by a cemetery florist (half the quotes I got from wedding florists), had the ceremony and reception at the same place. Most importantly, marry the right person. Then you can’t go wrong

[@gizralnork]

I am super glad that my husband and I have the same POV on wedding. 1. No wedding dress, no wedding shoes, no wedding party, no wedding cake, no wedding guest list, no wedding gifts, no bridesmaid no groomsmen, not even engagement ring --> we go straight to the wedding bands. 2. Just church ceremony + priest, witnesses, family, and very few super close friends. I made my own hand bouquet and his chest corsage. 3. We did pay a professional photographer, but we don't post a single pic in instagram... what for? The pictures are for use to remember. 4. We only spent $3600 out of $5000 budget, inviting a total 100 people from both families (yes our parents have many siblings). And guest what? We still have some leftover money from the budget to fill in our home. We are glad we didn't succumb to the wedding industry!

[@maggieswaggie1730]

I'm currently planning my wedding and it's mentally and financially exhausting. I have SO much family to invite. Our venue includes the plate, open bar, and cake. For a Saturday night the venue food and beverage minimum is $25,000... I talked them down to $16,000. Yes- this is still VERY costly, but I was pleased to have been able to talk it down. This goes to show how inexpensive it is for the venue themselves to have a wedding on premise if they are able to have this large of leniency with cost. Total we plan on about $22,000 for the entire day.

[@QCSports1]

Chelsea, this is one of your best videos. I seriously think this should either be a separate mini series you do on weddings and newlyweds and the money mistakes aroundund them

[@GizmosMonster]

Only 3 things are really on my wedding list * a garden wedding * NO open bar (i don't want anyone to get drunk, + it's expensive as HELL!) * I will design and make my wedding cake.

[@saramoldrup]

Why are wedding such a big deal? Peolpe divorce very often at least here in Denmark it is almost 50%, and they use way too much money one the "once in a lifetime event" that happens a couple of times in their life. I just don't get it. I personally spent 30.000 DDK with my husband, and I took the time to DIY all the decorations with my mother in law. I said no to my mother wanting to push me into inviting my cousins who I havent seen or talked to for atleast 10 years, I didn't see any reason for them to be a part of me and my husbands day. I regret nothing and it was the best day of my life.

[@TrakeM118]

Shouldn't the financial diet episode on marriage just be a 2 second video of someone saying "no"? Seriously, take a look at divorce. Take a look at the numbers. I can't tell you how many men I've seen that aren't that different from me get torn to shreds in divorce court. Honestly, if I was charged with committing marriage, I'd see if I could plead it down to triple homicide. I suspect the penalties aren't as bad. Marriage isn't love. More often than not, women love their husbands less than they did the boyfriend that they pro-sued when they were just looking for someone to spend Saturday evening with. Don't believe me? Take a look at a woman out with some guy when she's just looking for someone who's going to be an enjoyable date for the evening and then look at a woman with her husband. If you want to know the nature of reality, just take a look at reality and it will tell you everything you want to know. Statistics show that women would sleep with a husband less often than a boyfriend and sleep with a boyfriend less than a man they are cohabiting with. Objective reality is what tells you what objective reality is.

[@floief]

:) 40 years ago our whole wedding cost us less than my maid of honor dress when my girlfriend got married a year or so later. We used a cute little chapel, had 30-40 guests, and an open house at our home later that night. Good times

[@XamanthaRose]

I want a large wedding my family is large and very tight knit. My mom keeps telling me I "have to do things this way" 🙄 she's paying for most of it but the things she didn't I have turned down. The guest list has been the biggest struggle though.

[@AUsernameILike]

Corona has made it easier to want a small wedding, because of the restrictions. My husband and I got married this friday in the forrest with 17 guests and it was the most magical time

[@kerynl.sanchez9891]

Just go to Vegas with your significant one and get married there. Buy a pretty dress and enjoy the city! No party, no guests, no cake, no worries!

[@freedominabudget]

A lot of companies were very surprised at how involved I wanted to be in the financial aspect of our wedding. Knowing all of the numbers really helped me to save a lot of money!

[@hadassahholl6327]

As a bride that planned and organized everything for her wedding, the struggle is real for keeping costs under control. It's totally doable as we made out with paying around $5,000-$6,000 for everything. Working your network of friends and family helps find things you can borrow and use one time without inflated cost. Also even when you say no gifts and even put it in your invitation, you will still get gifts.

[@SmacksHandtoForehead]

Can you do a video on the financial differences on couples being married versus not. For example, my husband and I aren't big on marriage but got married anyway so I can be on his insurance and other financial benefits. But a downfall was everything credit related we had to go off of his credit score (600s) instead of mine (850). So we had a higher interest rate for our mortgage. (But after years of work, his credit score is now up in the 800s - yay!)

[@Aster_Risk]

I'd like a video on this as well. My husband and I have a similar situation.

[@MminaMaclang]

Wow, and I thought a 16,000USD wedding in the Philippines was grandiose. My sister's was only 8k and she had a big gown and about 100 guests.

[@wildcross123]

My cousin had an intimate wedding with a few people and my family LOST IT. I felt so bad because she was pressured since the beginning to invite everyone but she finally put her foot down and I supported her fully. She was happy thank god

[@ericamangin1184]

Me and my partner have decided not to bother with a wedding - neither of us like being the centre of attention and the thought of a wedding makes us stressed. And we'll save thousands!!

[@cyoohoos]

I personally have seen two life long friendships end over a wedding and this is just the last two years. Ex #1: I personally was paying for my own airfare to the wedding, my bridesmaids dress, paying for my hotel accommodations for the weekend so as not to compete with the brides family staying in her home, and when the brides sister started trying to intimidate me into paying for the bachellorette party, I dropped out. You're over 40, you and this man have been living together for over a decade. If you're that old and you want a big wedding with all the extras.... you should be able to pay for it. Oh, and they sold "experiences" in lieu of gifts so the attendees could pay for all the events during their honeymoon since they didn't need anything else. I did pay for one night of them to have dinner. Others paid for the car rentals and hotel rooms and zip lining excursions, etc. She also set it up so that the guests could BUY their wedding photos after the event. Another friendship was ruined when the bride asked the bridesmaids to pay for their dress, their shoes, the makeup artist, the hair dresser, their own travel and accommdations then even asked them to pay for their own FLORAL BOUQUETS?!! Asked one bridesmaid to pickup the liquor tab for the bachellorette party. That bridesmaid was currently unemployed and you're asking her to pay the liquor tab at your party? Then stopped talking to any said bridesmaid who dropped out. I will never attend another wedding. Thank you for not inviting or including me.

[@TheRealE.B.]

*According to my records, my wedding cost roughly $22,500, including the honeymoon and engagement ring (Stay in school and don't do diamonds, kids.) My dad, my wife, and I were the primary individuals paying for the thing, with significant aid in the form of both money and labor from my wife's collective friends and EXTENDED family. Fortunately, we had very generous guests whose cash gifts and (ugh) gift cards were worth more on average than the marginal cost of the wedding per guest, and my wife and I probably broke even when all was said and done. Still, all of that money had to come from somewhere, and next time I get $10,000 in free money from my friends and family, I'll keep it instead of throwing a one-night party in a fire hall.* *My in-laws didn't really pay for anything, they just eased off on how much money they were withdrawing from their daughter's bank account to pay rent for a month or two.*

[@christinemichele2318]

Wow. Just listening to this gives me anxiety. My husband and I eloped. We had a beautiful ceremony on the edge of the ocean. We have no debt besides our home and cars. Right now we’re both considering further education and buying property in another state. Imagine what you could have for 35;0000! I’ve also heard a correlation between lower cost weddings and longer marriages. I couldn’t imagine carrying that much debt for one day. Granted, it is a special day, but wow...

[@adamhlj]

Haha, jokes on you! I'm never getting married!!

[@divyakandulna779]

This is so nice, however very difficult for an Indian wedding. It's the marriage of 2 families, not 2 people. Also, a gesture to thank people in a go that you are grateful for all the help they gave when in need. It's a community culture. The only way to avoid big expenditures is to elope. Lol

[@NatharaCS]

I LITERALLY just had this conversation with a friend of mine. Her family is pressuring her to do SO MUCH that she doesn't want to do and I think that's tragic. $7800 just for catering! And pushing for an $800 dress when the one she LOVES is $40. :( It's INSANE.

[@CassieDePecol]

How did you learn to be so financially knowledgable in the real world? They don't teach this in high school and I didn't learn any financial knowledge in college (though I was an Environmental Studies major, they should be teaching real world finances to EVERYONE considering how much money one shells out). You can study finance in college but for a lot of people who even study finance, it doesn't stick enough to apply it to personal finances. Maybe I'm missing a background video. Love your vids! So educating

[@NoMessingAroundCrew1993]

This should be call “4 Things I Wish I Knew Before Having a Wedding”

[@elliottmiller3282]

So like the incel in me wants to leave a snarky, "Can't get married if everyone thinks u ugly." Comment. But I do think it is interesting that women are subject to such social pressure. As a man this is so foreign and odd. In addition to getting into a relationship being something that is entirely dependant on how much effort I put in, I don't have much pressure to get married or have kids, etc. etc. I can be a single bachelor my whole life and pretty much no one gives a shit. I guess that is a weird type of priveledge. This will make me think twice about saving for a future wedding if I ever get into a relationship and having this be a point of conversation with a potential SO. One thing finance is teaching me is that it is important to discuss money details with a SO and have both parties be involved. Anyway not that that matters since I'm ugly. On the inside where it matters.

[@katrinepetersen2566]

Elliott Miller Deep Down aren't we all a little ugly on the inside. There's not really such a thing as a good person.

[@Eliszzyy]

hahaha love this comment for so many reasons

[@elliottmiller3282]

I hope my sarcasm comes across. But honestly I did learn something from this video.

[@OneEmilys]

I got married a week and a half ago and during the planning process it was absolutely shocking to see what the costs were! We did figure out some good ways to save, and we managed to throw a pretty awesome party for not a lot of dollars. Here's some of the things we did to save: - Our ceremony was in a church and we were able to use that space for free - We served our guests pasta for the wedding dinner which was delicious and inexpensive - I got my ring off of Etsy and he got his off of Amazon. My ring was $90 and his was $25. Neither of us are into diamonds - I used my sewing skills to make my own wedding dress which was a huuuuuge money saver and it was exactly what I wanted -We were able to get $600 off of our $1000 reception center because a friend knew a friend -My wonderful mother and a neighbor teamed up to make our wedding cake -My best friend is a graphic designer and designed our invitations. We also skipped sending out "save the dates" because we felt like they were unnecessary -Our photographer was a friend from college that generously gave us a discount on a photography package as a wedding present -My mom and I made 30 bundt cakes to serve people at the reception -I used minimal decorations and got all of my purchased decorations off of Amazon and Ebay and the rest were borrowed from family friends. I'm also selling my purchased decorations to another bride. -We didn't hand out wedding favors. I don't think anybody really cared or noticed -My florist was a family friend that did the arrangement for free and only charged us for the cost of the flowers -I only had 3 bridesmaids and we got their dresses at an end of season sale. My husband had 7 groomsmen, but ties are a lot cheaper than dresses! We also didn't require the wedding party to do anything other than show up on the day and take pictures with us Overall we spent less than $3000 on the whole shebang and it was such a perfect day. I wouldn't change a thing about my wedding! I know that these options won't be available to everyone, and I feel very lucky that we were able to have basically our dream wedding for such a low cost. Really what I want to impart to people is that if you're currently engaged or are about to get engaged TALK TO PEOPLE! Everyone has skills and I've found that the people in your life are usually more than happy to help you out! If they can't help you out, they probably know somebody else that you can contact for services.