The Surprising Truth About Fairytale Weddings
The Surprising Truth About Fairytale Weddings
In a culture where weddings are oftentimes the realization of dreams come true for many couples, those fairytale dreams are being disturbed by the realities of starting a life together in today's "iffy" economy. The prospect of having to make mortgage payments, filling gas tanks, as well as, pantries is causing some couples to scale back on their wedding planning.
As a result, more and more couples are taking a hard look at the cost of the things that go into making a magical wedding. For example, the average cost for a unique wedding gown is around $1,300. To get the kind of wedding cake that will be a memorable show piece at the reception will cost around $500. And no wedding would be complete without flowers, which can run close to $2,000.
Historically, the wedding industry has managed to remain untouched by the potential negative effects of a faltering economy. Because a wedding is regarded as THE big day for their children, it isn't unusual for parents to budget up to $100,000+ to provide for a spectacular, once-in-a-lifetime event.
But nowadays, couples are becoming smarter when it comes to planning their fairytale wedding. Despite the longing for their dream, they realize that laying the foundation of a good marriage is just as important. And one way to do that is to avoid starting out in a pile of debt. This movement toward spending less on weddings has recently been documented by The Wedding Report, Inc., which estimates a decline, this year, in the average financial outlay of a wedding when compared to last year (2007= $28,732, 2008=$28,704). While this might not seem like a significant amount it, nevertheless, remains a decline from the upward trend of the last 15 years as cited by Conde Nast data, which reported that wedding expenditures have nearly doubled.
In an effort to find ways to save on the cost of their wedding, couples are taking a more do-it-yourself approach with regard to some wedding items.
Of the 2,199,517 estimated weddings in 2008, The Wedding Report, Inc., cites 84% of couples will utilize internet resources and 86% will rely on family and friends to help plan their weddings.
Items such as particular wedding attire (veils), wedding invitations, programs, hostess gifts, table centerpieces and other wedding decorations are being created by the bride and groom with the help of volunteers. Some couples are foregoing professional videography and relying on friends or family members who own video cameras. Other savings are being realized in the cost of food and liquor by planning brunch or afternoon celebrations. Wedding spending isn't the only thing couples are reevaluating. With an increase in the average honeymoon spending from $3,716 in 2007 to $3,805 in 2008, as cited by The Wedding Report Inc., couples are also giving their honeymoon plans a second look.
The emphasis now seems to be on getting the biggest bang for the travel buck. This means trying to find all-inclusive travel packages that include as many extras as possible.
Despite this small decline in the money people seem to be willing to spend on a wedding, it's unlikely that this will become a long-term, downward trend. Even in the face of a sagging economy, it's hard to put a price on "happily ever after."
About the author: Olivia Romero is an independent video producer with over 15 years experience as a writer, producer, director and editor. Olivia and her partner, Tony Jones, teach couples how to save money by producing their own professional-looking wedding" target="_blank">http://www.howtoweddingvideo.com">wedding video. Learn more about producing wedding" target="_blank">http://www.howtoweddingvideo.com">wedding videos at Wedding Video Secrets.
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