Estimated reading time: 11 minutes
Uncover the hidden expenses of weddings and learn how to plan a budget-friendly celebration without compromising on your special day.
Budgeting To Attend A Wedding
There is no such thing as simply going to a wedding and wishing the newlyweds a happy life together.
A wedding is no laughing matter, and as much as most people are thrilled when people they know get engaged, some start to budget for the big event.
The kicker here is that it’s not just one yearly wedding for many people.
There may be many weddings they are invited to.
Wedding Planning
Planning a wedding is difficult, but it can get out of hand if you’re not careful.
You might scare off potential guests who can’t afford to pay for the wedding events you plan leading up to your big day.
We are now in the hottest month of the year for weddings, so many people receive wedding invites that shake up their budget. Why?
Weddings are expensive not only for the couple getting married but also for those invited to the wedding.
Factor in if you are part of the wedding party, and you’ve just bumped up the cost of attending a wedding even more.
Last week I talked about Grandma Baby showers and how they are the new rage for grandparents although many people I’ve spoken to have no interest in them.
They don’t want to shell out more money because they either don’t have it or don’t want to.
Pre-Wedding Events
Weddings are even worse than attending a baby shower because the events are endless.
I’m not used to all these pre-wedding events, but do they add up and strain our budget?
Sometimes, we have to decline events such as the Buck and Doe, also called the Stag and Doe, or Jack and Jill, where money is raised by playing for prizes.
You end up drinking your face off until you need to be wheeled out of the event.
Jell-o shooters make their rounds all night, and your wallet will likely feel lighter.
I’d suggest only bringing what you plan to spend, like going to the casino.
You may also have to spend cash on a bridal shower gift, also called a wedding shower, or spend money for a night out to enjoy the bachelor/bachelorette party, signifying the last night of being single.
These pre-wedding events cost money, as well as buying outfits for these events.
If the wedding you are invited to is a destination wedding or beach party, you might have to pay for airfare and many other costs involved in getting to and from the event.
Wedding Budget
When couples design their wedding budget, they can quickly go overboard with the thrill of the day, especially if they are looking for wedding ideas by going to wedding shows and magazines.
Our wedding was small, and we didn’t have a shower because we didn’t want our guests to pay for anything more than to come to the event.
We asked for no gifts in our invites, but that doesn’t mean the guests won’t listen as they still bought us gifts.
Although we had a frugal but fabulous wedding, we wanted our guests to be able to come without the stress of these pre-wedding events and having to spend a lot of money.
Some couples get invited to so many weddings each year that I honestly don’t know how they can afford to pay for it all.
One of our friends, a maid of honor, has shelled out almost $1000 on her dress, gifts, and planning and paying for bridal showers, food, and prizes.
I can understand why some people hide when they think they will be asked to be at a wedding party.
Mrs.CBB recently attended the wedding shower for this friend, and she overheard that they are paying upwards of $30,000 for 200 guests.
The stag and doe they recently held brought in just over $2000 towards the wedding.
Almost all gifts received from the wedding shower were for the kitchen or cash.
I bet some of you who had a wedding shower still have gifts that haven’t been used yet and are collecting dust in your basement.
Cost To Attend A Wedding
A Marketplace reporter, Quentin Fottrell, said that in 2014, those invited to a wedding could expect to spend $592, up 10% from last year, not including the gift.
If you are a close family, you can expect to dish out $200 for a gift, with an average of $109.
Of course, this all depends on where you live and the type of wedding you are attending.
Participating In A Wedding Party
I’m unsure if I’d accept being in a wedding party unless it were a family member, just because of the costs.
Attending all the pre-wedding events might also be something I pass up because I don’t often drink or have the cash in our budget.
I don’t think there is a rush for most people to get married, which gives them time to budget for what they need.
Don’t budget more than you have and expect the guests to pay for the rest because no one needs an elaborate wedding to say, “I love you,” and “I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
A wedding is meant to celebrate two people in marriage and is not about funding the event.
If you can’t afford a wedding, please don’t get married.
Take your time and save the money.
Discussion: What are your thoughts on pre-wedding events and the costs of being in a wedding?
Please share your comments below.
Thanks for reading,
Mr. CBB
Home and Blog Update
It’s been another uneventful week for us at the CBB house, although I managed to tear up the back garden to plant almost all our new shrubs and flowers.
As you can see from the photo above, our lime tree is coming back with full force, as there are vibrant green limes all over the tree.
Our fig tree has come back to life, and leaves are growing all over, which is good because my wife would have been upset as it’s an essential tree from her father.
Besides that, I’ve had to add 4 more packets of basil to our pots as it wasn’t growing as much as I’d like.
This time I paid a bit more money for the seeds, so we’ll see what happens.
Last year, we didn’t get our seeds from the dollar store as they were sold out, so we bought the pricier ones.
We’ve been successful with Dollar Store seeds except for the basil this year, which has only been proven to give us minimal basil.
We want to make basil cubes again this year as we use them in soups, stews, and pasta throughout the winter months.
Work-Life
Other than that, I’ve worked quite a bit, as you know, so I’ve been in and out on the blog these past two weeks.
The good thing is we haven’t been able to get out and spend any money in our budget, and the bad thing is I’m falling behind on my rentals around the house.
So, on that note, I hope you all have a great week. I will check back to see what’s new and exciting in our lives next Saturday.
Weekly CBB Posts
If you missed any CBB posts from the week, here is the list of posts you can catch up on reading!
- How answering the home phone saved us $134 in our budget
- Do your parents stick their nose into your bank account balance?
- Do you only buy groceries that are on sale?
- How far would you go to fund your child’s education?
- Is Father’s Day just another marketing ploy to eat into your budget?
Fan Deals Of The Week
Submit your Brag or Inspiration If you have a brag that you want me to share, email me at canadianbudgetbinder (@) [yahoo] [.ca] or fill out my contact form by Friday each week to have your brag considered for the Saturday post.
Below are CBB fan Jen’s garage sale finds from last week!
Hi Mr.CBB and Fans!
I found many sales overpriced this week, but I still managed to walk away with some deals.
- Pink sparkly shoes: $1 (brand new – bought as a birthday gift for my friend’s daughter)
- Pink slippers: $0.25 (brand new – bought as a birthday gift for my friend’s daughter)
- Aeropostale bag: $0.75 – was asking $1 (in great condition – bought as a birthday gift for my friend’s daughter)
- Two blue sandcastle buckets (including tennis balls and pucks): $0.75 for both
- Clothes pins: $0.25
- Children’s Place sunglasses: $.25 – were asking $0.75
- Five bags of plastic knives and spoons: $1 – were asking $2 (great to have around next time I’m asked to bring cutlery to a function)
Total $4.25
You should have seen me!
I go to garage sales with my parents, and whenever my mom wants something, she asks me to barter for her. I got her some great deals, too, this week!
Making A Difference
Note: If you are a blogger who gives back and would like to be featured, by all means, get in touch with me as I am filling spots up for the rest of 2014, and they are going quickly.
Today, I would like to introduce Julie from Millennial Cents to you!
Hey there, I’m Julie from Millennial Cents.
Who doesn’t love money, right? We all do.
Do you know what’s more potent than having money? Knowing how to use it.
Making money works for you, not the other way around.
That’s what Millennial Cents is all about: empowering Millennials through financial guidance.
Millennials are a technology-loving, wander-lusting, “carpe-dieming” and…debt-filled generation.
Our generation has a reputation for spending, NOT saving.
I want to help change that.
In my blog, I explore different topics relevant to the daily decision-making processes that Millennials go through.
- Want to travel the world on a budget?
- Want to buy a house?
- Do you want to start a business?
- Want to shop for gifts more innovatively?
- Need some DIY beauty hacks?
Millennial Cents is here to tell you how to make it happen.
Through simple educational articles and engaging content, I hope everyone visiting will be inspired to squeeze more juice out of life.
I’m sure that the better they understand the world of money, the richer their whole world will become.
Now that’s Millennial Cents.
Google Search Terms
Every week, thousands of people visit Canadian Budget Binder because they searched online and found my blog.
Any spelling errors below are because I share with you how they typed their search engine query to land on my blog.
- Has Bobby Flay ever messed up a meal?– I’m pretty sure he has, but the likelihood that we ever see it is slim to none.
- Cookie Binder– Sounds like a great name for a cookie blog
- Veriquick dollar store pregnancy test– I’m guessing the reader meant a VERY QUICK dollar store pregnancy test
- Attractive Canadian men- hmm
- DIY shower valve party– Sure, have a reno party and invite all the handy friends in your life to help out! Pizza and beer on me! lol
- Nosey neighbors talking to potential buyers- Unfortunately, we can’t control everything, but if potential buyers want to talk to neighbors, some people recommend it to learn about the neighborhood.
Thanks for joining me for The Saturday Weekend Review #76 edition.
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We didn’t do any prewedding events, either. We had a very small wedding party, and paid for the best man’s tux rental. ( No groomsmen.) I felt bad enough people were buying us gifts. I agree that the focus should be on love 100%.
In other news, I’m killing strawberry plants as my gardening endeavor this year. :p
Ha, why are you killing your strawberry plants lol? We don’t have any more berries at the moment as I took them out. We just couldn’t keep up eating them.
It’s unintentional, but my worst gardening fail yet. And that’s saying something. Jealous of your green thumb!
Oh haha!! The best thing to do is keep on trying and do some reading about the plants you are planting as well. 🙂 Hey.. I’m booking for Making a Difference features for Aug-Oct if you haven’t done one and looking for help with guest posts if you are interested…. get back at me if you are. Cheers mate. CBB
I avoid weddings, baby showers and the like because I’m very introverted. The thought of having to spend an entire evening making conversation with people I don’t know is not one I relish.
Too much fuss is made over weddings. It is an important occasion, to be sure, but not sufficient to warrant starting your new life together in debt. I’ve never understood the need to surround yourself with acquaintances and near strangers in order to celebrate your union.
I don’t check registries before sending wedding or shower gifts, nor do I feel obligated to spend a specific amount. If I know the people involved well, I use my knowledge of their likes and dislikes and what they may need in order to choose something practical. If I don’t know them well, I don’t feel obligated to send a gift at all. A nice card with a note wishing them well is sufficient.
If I do have to attend a wedding event, I stick to tea or water as my beverage of choice, eat lightly, and leave as soon as I can politely do so. If questioned about not drinking, I smile and reply that I’m a designated driver. I leave the event with my budget intact and feel better physically the next day too.
The only times I’ve ever been a member of a wedding party were for my sister and for one of my very best friends. In both cases I was fortunate that they were practical in their plans and I ended up having to spend very little money. If the bond between me and the person requesting my participation were any less close than these, were I would thank them for honouring me with the request and then politely decline.
It’s not so bad if it’s a practical wedding but I agree when the costs get way out of hand or expectations are there it’s not for us either.
I think those pre wedding showers have gone out of proportion. A friend got married in Guatemala and spent over 6 months before the wedding going from shower to shower, sure they got gifts and everything but there were like 15 showers, which is crazy. Other friends went abroad for the hen trip which meant over $1,200 for each person in the bridal shower. They have lots of money so they don’t care but seriously, it is getting overboard. They take example on the US so they want the perfect pictures to put on Pinterest, with perfect bridesmaids and dresses (another girl spent $25,000 just on flowers!), and care more about how it looks on the album than enjoying their day. Most will keep doing that with their marriage, pretending everything is perfect for the outside world. I understand you want a pretty wedding and people to have fun but forcing your guests to spend so much money is not considerate.
I agree Pauline… it’s become so commercialized and about what people can get than what the meaning of the event is.
I think it was last summer that good friends of ours had seven weddings to attend, two of which were destination weddings (one in each person’s wedding.) It was a pricey year for them! I know that they were in some of them too, with all of the associated costs.
Thankfully we haven’t yet had too too many in a single year, and they come with a fair bit of warning, so we know we’ll need to spend $X at that point in time. Another great thing is that you have lots of time to find a great price on a wedding gift from their registry!
That is true… although many people wait to the last minute. I know we wouldn’t lol.
I do find the wedding stuff gets out of hand. With 50% of marriages ending in divorce it’s quite a racket. Focus on what’s important, not the festivities and maybe your marriage will have a chance!! I find the overnight or weekend hen parties, bachelorettes or bachelor outings are the worst. Thankfully, I don’t get invited to them! 😉
You’re lucky then if you don’t get invited.. no loss to you I guess. 🙂
Is it sad that sometimes I hope I don’t get invited to weddings just for this reason (especially the second and third cousins)…?
I’d just send a card of congrats to second and third cousins lol.