Wedding Cost Estimator + My Wedding Budget

In the many hours I've spent googling wedding stuff, I found a really cool Wedding Cost Estimator tool.  The website CostOfWedding.com has polled women all across the country about their wedding expenditures, and used their responses to create a wedding cost calculator that factors in your location.

Click to go to the calculator

Just enter your zip code, answer a few questions, and with just a few clicks the tool will spit out a cost estimate for your wedding that you can print or export to an Excel spreadsheet.  Here's my estimate based on the info I put in:

Benefit$ of a Long Engagement

For as long as I've thought about getting married, I've always imagined having a long engagement.   For years I dreamed of a 5 year relationship plan-3 years dating, 2 years engaged, then happily married forever :)  I've relaxed the plan a little bit, but my fiancé and I have both agreed that a 12+ month (probably more like 18 month) engagement is right for us given the time of year we want to get married and our budget.  Now every couple is different, but I do think there are some major benefits of having a long (I define long as 9+ months) that are worth considering. 

More time to save $$$!  
Having a long engagement gives you more time to save up money for the wedding, instead of choosing to "swipe now, pay later."  There is no reason to go into debt for this one day, and by planning a wedding for 9 months or more you have enough time to set aside a reasonable amount of money each month without having to live on a Ramen and water diet, and can enjoy your wedding/honeymoon without worrying about the bills waiting for you when you get home :) For me, I know that paying for a wedding right now would completely wipe out my emergency fund (a financial no-no!), but with a tentative wedding date of spring or summer 2013, I'll have more than enough time to raise money for the wedding, maintain my emergency fund, and have room in my budget for a little bit of fun here and there ;)


More time to plan!
A long engagement period can also reduce the stress-and cost-of wedding planning. Give yourself time to picture your dream wedding, and research different venues and vendors that can make it happen. Popular ceremony sites may begin booking dates a year in advance, so the earlier you can make that decision, the better! Compare prices for caterers or photographers, and follow them on social media sites to see when they have specials and discount prices.   If you choose to save money by going the D.I.Y route for items such as invitations or wedding favors, you will have plenty of time to make them perfect!  

Financial Advice from a Fortune Cookie

I cracked open a leftover fortune cookie today and was surprised to see this little nugget of financial wisdom:

Glad to see I'm on the right track! lol

Disappearing Acts

It's the day after payday.  Do you know where your money is?

$5 at the corner store.  A quick dollar menu lunch from McDonald's.  The daily Starbucks latte.  These little purchases may not seem like much, but that's the problem.  It takes a few of these before you are able to really notice a big dent in your account,  so it's easy to justify making these purchases everyday.  By the end of the month, you may have spent $100 or more than you planned!

The More You Know...

I am no longer in school, so I am completely in charge of what I choose to read and study for the first time in years. I wholeheartedly believe in personal development and being a lifelong learner, so I am committed to gathering all the information I can to help me improve my finances. I want to share with you all some of the resources that I’m using to bring me closer to achieving my goals.