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In the following posts you will be guided through the different factors which affect the cost of weddings, including venues, receptions, dresses, catering, number of guests and the finer details which individualize each wedding - such as stationary, flowers and decor.

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In this easy to read article, Moneysense breaks down the different items apart of a wedding, and dissects them to see what is necessary to have a great wedding, and what can be a wedding ender. It reminds us that pre-pandemic the average Canadian Wedding could cost between $22 000 and $30 000. It is known that to afford these expensive weddings, people would cut into their savings and take on massive debt - which led to higher divorce rates, as the article states that money trouble is one of the three highest reasons for divorce.

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Spoiler: The average wedding costs between $22,000 and $30,000. But many Canadians would rather do other things with that money. And that's why we asked the authors of The New Wedding Book to share their best tips for saving money on your big (or not-so-big) day.

"But you're getting married! You have to!" That empty statement is on the other end of everything from wedding cakes to bachelorette parties, lace veils, engagement photo shoots and selfie stations. It seems that from the very minute you are betrothed, everyone and their mother (perhaps especially your mother) has opinions about what you should do at your wedding. The notion that couples will only have their big day once is also used to justify tossing their financial goals out the window, and the results aren't very romantic.

According to a survey from BMO Financial Group, Canadian couples dip into their savings and investments to front more than half (60%) of their wedding costs. For most North American couples, it is almost accepted that getting married is going to end in a sizeable debt and some serious financial stress. Does that have to be the case?

Say it with us now: It is not worth it. No wedding is worth stress breakouts, zero sex drive, fighting with your partner, or going into debt over. The Institute for Divorce Financial Analysis reports that money issues are one of the three leading causes of divorce in North America. So while couples might feel like it is totally worth it to max out your credit card, borrow money, or talk yourself into going over budget in order to have The Perfect Wedding, it isn't. A review of 115 studies about divorce found that couples who argue about finances at least once a week are 30% more likely to get divorced and couples who spend liberally on their weddings are more likely to divorce than couples who stick to a tight budget.

At the risk of putting too fine a point on the matter, the financial implications of weddings are very, very real.

The average wedding cost in Canada

Estimates range that in Canada (at least before the arrival of COVID's micro weddings), the average wedding costs between $22,000 and $30,000 (slightly more, at around $33,000 in the U.S.). Some report that the cost of weddings have doubled in 10 years, while the median annual family income in Canada increased about 26%. It just doesn't square: We're spending heaps of money on weddings that have outpaced our salaries (and for many couples starting their lives together, the ability to buy property together), and what's more, divorce rates aren't really budging. What is driving all of this hoopla?

A massive machine called the wedding industry, to the tune of $72 billion globally. For couples trying to climb out of the tulle and champagne and keep their heads (and their budgets) straight, they have an uphill battle. The pandemic has prompted a reckoning in the sector, with couples opting for smaller, more intimate (and drop dead romantic) nuptials that are high on emotion and easier on the wallet. Prioritizing sustainability has couples looking to rent or buy previously loved attire, rather than spring thousands for a gown that will be worn only for a few hours-that's likely made from a poly (i.e. plastic) blend, that will never, ever decompose, should it end up in a landfill. All of these factors, and more, are contributing to a realness and practicality for weddings in general and wedding budgets in particular.

How to cut wedding costs

We dove deep into this very topic while researching The New Wedding Book: A Guide to Ditching all the Rules (Dundurn Press, 2021).

Tell a little lie

When shopping around for a venue and vendors, withhold the small detail that it is for a wedding. By conveniently leaving out that particular, you'll get a clear sense of a cost without it being inflated because it is a wedding. If a vendor doubles their price when you do tell them it's for a wedding, decide, "Is this really someone I want to be part of my wedding day?"

Prioritize three things that matter the most

Identify three things that are really important to you as a couple. Maybe it is the catering because you love food, a great band to dance the night away to, and a photographer whose work you love. Shop around for those items first so the rest of your budget can fall in line.

Have a smaller wedding

It sounds harsh, but it is really simple: invite fewer people to your wedding and your costs will go down.

Ask your vendors for their advice

People seem shy about asking vendors if they have any advice to trim their budget. Put on your adult pants and do it!

Cut your stationery

"Save the date" mail-outs are good for two things: Adding waste to the environment and blowing your budget. Moreover, is having that oversized square envelope that requires double the postage really worth it? Who is to say that you need printed invitations at all?

Skip the limo

They're expensive and sort of a prom throwback. Roll up in an Uber Black car or take a taxi.

How much should you give for a wedding gift?

If you're attending a wedding (or two or 10) this year, you might want to start budgeting for gifts. There are lists out there that give dollar amounts based on the relationship you have with the person, but it's hard to put a monetary value on a friendship or familial relationship. Take your relationship with the couple into account-you don't want to get the most expensive item on a distant cousin's wedding registry if you're not particularly close with them. You also don't want to go into debt over a wedding gift. See what fits within your budget. Consider whether it's a local wedding or a destination wedding (if travel is involved, you'll need to factor in that cost) and your level of participation in the wedding (the more involved you are, the more effort you might put into your gift). Bottom line: There's no "right" amount to spend, so check out the couple's registry, ask people close to them if there's anything they'd really like, or tuck some cash into a card.

Are there any "rules" for wedding gift amounts?

You might have heard the rule of thumb for wedding gifts: You should give at least what the couple spent on having you attend their big day (often, the cost per head for the reception). But this is really a made-up wedding custom. It's best to consider the four factors discussed above: your budget, your relationship to the person, your level of involvement in the wedding, and the type of wedding it is.

What MoneySense readers say

In a Twitter poll, we asked about your approach to giving wedding gifts. Vote below:
https://twitter.com/MoneySense/status/1656735870718705664?s=20
Video: Five things to know about joint bank accounts

Read more about weddings:

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What does the average wedding cost in Canada? - MoneySense

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Spoiler: The average wedding costs between $22,000 and $30,000. But many Canadians would rather do other things with that money. And that's why we asked the authors of The New Wedding Book to share their best tips for saving money on your big (or not-so-big) day.

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The website by Moneysense was chosen as the format of the article itself was easy to read and the new topics easily marked by different headers. They also use a reputable source for some of their information - such as BMO - and have also done some research on their own about people's choices with financial stability by using surveys. They also offer what I believe to be great advice - pick the three most important aspects of your wedding and let the rest fall into it's place.

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Website 2 - Breakdown of the Wedding Con't

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Website 2 - Breakdown of the Wedding Con't

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The Weddingwire further dives into how to breakdown the essentials of a wedding. According to their studies most Canadian couples prioritize the wedding photography, hair and dresses above everything else that goes into wedding when planning out a wedding's budget. It also brings up the perks of being knowledgeable about wedding locations as well as peak wedding times, such as weekends and September.

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Wondering how much it costs to tie the knot in Canada? We've got the magic number and a few saving tips to help you stay within your budget.

Shutterstock

The average wedding cost in Canada is roughly $29,450-which is pretty steep, especially if you're working with the average millennial budget. For our Global Wedding Report, we surveyed real couples and crunched the numbers to figure out just where all this money is going. If you can cut costs in these areas, you may be able to keep your big day below $20K (and still enjoy the occasional mimosa and avocado toast-filled brunch).

Here are 6 easy ways to spend less than the average wedding cost in Canada.

Lower your guest count

According to our study, the average wedding cost in Canada is based on hosting 154 guests. If you want to spend less, cutting that back is important. No, you don't have to scrap your wedding guest list altogether and elope (though elopements are great and cost-effective), simply remove the extra people, like plus ones, coworkers who you're not close with, that guy you see at the gym occasionally and friends of friends. Keeping it limited to your nearest and dearest will make your celebration more meaningful and provide you with fewer mouths to feed, favours to buy, tables to decorate and more.

Prioritize where you put your budget

Most Canadians couples surveyed prioritized their wedding photography (83%), wedding hair (78%) and wedding dress(es) (77%) above all else. If that sounds like you, put the most money into those areas and try to keep costs down with DIYs and discounts in others. If you need help figuring out exactly how to divvy up your wedding budget - be it $30,000 or much, much less - you can use our wedding budget calculator tool.

Choose a less popular wedding season

Having trouble setting your wedding date? While many factors come into play when making a decision - like major life events, your work schedule and your budget - you should also look at when booking venues and vendors is most popular. For Canada, that's September (20% of Canadian couples surveyed chose a date within the month). Suppliers tend to be busier and hike up their prices during this season, so you may want to book during the 'off season'. Winter weddings and spring weddings can be just as lovely, so you should have no trouble putting together a dreamy celebration. Pro tip: weekday weddings can also help you spend less than the average wedding cost in Canada.

Go easy on the booze

Of all Canadian couples surveyed, 87% served alcohol at their wedding making booze another significant contributor to the average wedding cost in Canada. That can get pretty pricey, especially when your hosting north of 100 guests. To save money on your wedding bar, consider skipping the open bar and doing a cash bar (like a toonie bar, perhaps?) or limited bar by serving only select beverages (you seriously don't need every liquor and liqueur under the sun). If you're really trying to be thrifty, you could ditch the liquor altogether and put up a cute DIY drink station with coffee, detox waters, lemonade or mocktails.

Little Creek Creative

Save your honeymoon for later

As we all know, vacations are expensive, and spending can easily get out of hand when on your honeymoon. Now, we're not saying you should skip the post-wedding holiday - 78% of couples surveyed in Canada and abroad had honeymoons - but you may want to postpone yours for a while, especially if you want to do something pricey, like yachting in the Maldives or staying in a private villa in Bora Bora. To celebrate, think about doing a minimoon or a staycation and save the main event for later.

Have a stag and doe party

If you need a little more financial help, embrace a Canadian wedding tradition and have your wedding party plan a stag and doe (or Jack and Jill) party. This pre-wedding event is essentially a fundraiser to help the bride and groom with wedding costs. Usually held at a Legion hall or rec centre, funds are raised for the happy couple through admission, drink and snack sales, 50/50 draws and games.
Plan your budget and keep track of your spending with WeddingWire's FREE Budget Planner tool "

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How Much Does the Average Wedding Cost in Canada?

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Wondering how much it costs to tie the knot in Canada? We've got the magic number and a few saving tips to help you stay within your budget. The average wedding cost in Canada is roughly $29,450-which is pretty steep, especially if you're working with the average millennial budget.

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I chose the website Weddingwire as they do an annual Global Wedding Report with other wedding websites (The Knot & Bodas.net) which is stated to survey 20 000 couples in 14 countries. They also provide numerical data for how to reduce costs of weddings as well as percentages of the surveyed couples which have chosen to do specific things at their weddings, such as photography and Jack and Jill parties.

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Website 3 - Tips to avoid going over budget

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Website 3 - Tips to avoid going over budget

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This is another article by Weddingwire which provides links to excellent tools, such as calculators, tracking sheets, and a list of questions, to help making budgeting easier for when planning a wedding. These questions and tools help keep people organized by providing ways to keep costs down, like asking a caterer about serving styles, planning weddings for Monday to Friday, a florist their design style and double checking the small things, like guest lists and vendors.

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There's a good chance that you will be spending a pretty penny to host your epic wedding celebration. We've got a few tips on how to manage the costs.

Your wedding will probably be the most expensive party you throw in your lifetime, and for good reason! Celebrating your love should be an extravagant affair, but you don't want to go over your wedding budget - don't forget that there will still be bills to pay after you say your "I dos". From using a wedding budgeting tool to giving your vendor contracts a few thorough read-throughs, there are a few simple tips and tricks that'll save you a few loonies and toonies in the long run.

Here are a few tips to help you avoid going over budget on your wedding.

Set your budget at the beginning

The first step you'll want to take is setting your budget. This should happen before you start drafting your registry, trying on gowns or tasting cake flavours. Once you've set it, do not budge. It's easy to get caught up in all the beautiful wedding bits and bobs, but you don't want to be left penniless after your ceremony wraps! And don't forget to budget for tipping your vendors or service staff where appropriate.

Use a budgeting tool

Keeping track of all your wedding expenses can get confusing, especially if you're using several different vendors. To keep everything organized and up to speed, use our wedding budget tool. This will help you monitor how much you've spent and how much you have left in your budget - saving you from falling into debt.

Keep your eye on what's important

Before you start exploring the wonderful world of wedding vendors, make a list of what's most important to you. If attire tops the list, you may have to compromise on flowers or food somewhere down the line.

Consider hosting your wedding in the off-season

Got a flexible timeline? Consider hosting your big day sometime during the off-season. This is normally the first few months of the year, so those who dream of having a winter wedding are in luck. Vendors also tend to be more easygoing with their pricing on days other than Saturday, so think about hosting a weekday wedding or on a Sunday (if that accommodates you and your desired guest list!).

Research, research, research

Before you commit to any vendors, do a bit of digging. There's a good chance that you've missed a budget-friendly option or two, so take the time to look into all your options. Many of the vendors listed on WeddingWire include their pricing details, so it's easy to compare and contrast.

Be forward with your vendors

Chefs, florists and designers are creative people with the goal of making something truly beautiful for your big day. If you don't give them any sort of cash boundary, there is no doubt that they'll create something stunning - but it may throw your savings account into the negatives. To avoid this, give them your budget at the outset.

Hire a wedding planner

Hiring a wedding planner may seem costly at the get-go, but it'll pay off later down the line. Planners are well-versed in budgeting, so they'll know how to cut costs and stay inside your desired budgets. They also have plenty of business connections and can help connect you with cost-friendly vendors for everything from flowers to decor.

Get advice from the pros

Your wedding vendors are experts in their fields and know all the tips and tricks on saving a few bucks. Can't afford rose-filled centerpieces for all your tables? Ask your florist to come up with a beautiful budget-friendly alternative using seasonal or less-expensive blooms. Can't serve the plated dinner of your dreams? See if your wedding caterer can cook up a buffet that's just as drool-worthy.

Set your guest count in stone

There's a good chance one or two of your pals will ask for a plus one, but don't give in to peer pressure. After you've sent out those save the dates, don't look back. Extra guests mean purchasing extra food, seating, favours and more.

Double-check contracts

Before you start signing any contracts, give them a few thorough reads. You'll want to make sure all costs are accounted for in the contract - from your vendors' prime services to potential added fees like travel, parking and/or accommodations. If you're not sure about any of the stipulations, there's no shame in asking. Better safe than sorry!
Keep track of your spending with WeddingWire's FREE Budget Planner tool "

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10 Ways to Avoid Going Over Budget on Your Wedding

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There's a good chance that you will be spending a pretty penny to host your epic wedding celebration. We've got a few tips on how to manage the costs. Your wedding will probably be the most expensive party you throw in your lifetime, and for good reason!

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I went with this article as well since I found that is helped further break down the "fundamental" yet expensive items in a wedding, but also giving tools to lessen the financial burden these items may incur.

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Video 1 - Venue Searching and Types; Things to look for

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Video 1 - Venue Searching and Types; Things to look for

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This video goes through six different wedding venue locations available in Toronto, Ontario and within the surrounding GTA area. It notes about each option the venue fees, service fees, price minimums, guest minimums, package deals, date availability and many more fine print details associated with venue rentals - that may be a shock to anyone's budget. It also helps by adding a visual sense to what different themed weddings are styled as, such as modern, or rustic, or countryside or outdoor weddings - as well as how the different styles and history of the venue and it's surrounding area are all important into the cost factor of each site.

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Toronto Wedding Venue Search - Modern/Rustic/Outdoor Wedding Venue Tours | Wedding Series Ep. 2

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Although Toronto specific, this video was chosen as it went into the depths and reasoning behind why a venue was ideal or not for the couple who were touring them, and specified about fees that may not be so upfront when venue hunting, unless specifically asking about them. It allows those who may be interesting in looking for a venue a chance to gain some insight into what to properly ask when looking for a deal.

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Image 1 - Canadians' Wedding Expenses (2017)

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Image 1 - Canadians' Wedding Expenses (2017)

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The above is an infographic from Global News detailing the percentage of surveyed Canadians and their thoughts and feelings on reasonable wedding costs and where the money comes from. Five of the most common reasons why budgets are broken during weddings are bridal showers at number one, followed by bachelor(ette) parties, rehearsal dinners, engagement photos and surprisingly fundraising events (which are typically used to lower costs). These being listed helps those searching for a cost effective yet wonderful wedding by looking for alternative arrangements or cheaper versions of events they desire to have.

https://globalnews.ca/news/3559608/how-much-do-canadians-spend-on-weddings-the-cost-breakdown-will-surprise-you/

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This infographic was chosen for its fun design and easy to digest format - going down in the list of opinions from Canadians and wedding related drama in the form of a tiered wedding cake.

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Website 4 - Cost comparison between Canadian Weddings

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Website 4 - Cost comparison between Canadian Weddings

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This article dissects the costs between 3 different weddings in Canada and looks at the values one can get for the different costs. A wedding with a budget of $15 000 may decide to have second hand and DIY décor items as opposed to everything store bought to reduce costs, while a wedding with a $35 000 budget was created by being economical and saving over time during the engagement period and looking for deposit and instalment payment methods. The $85 000 budget for the wedding saved by getting donations from family and friends and changing the wedding date to an off season date.

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There's the dress, flowers, cake and venue. Your wedding day is a major life milestone, but how much should you spend on it?

Once you're engaged, you may be in full-swing wedding planning mode. Your best bet is to start with an honest conversation with your partner about how you both envision your big day. You also have to consider how much money you're working with.

"When my clients come in, the first thing I tell them is before we do anything we have to understand what your budget is and what your priorities are. That dictates what venues to look at, what your flowers could look like, what designers you want for your dress," Toronto-based wedding planner, Lynzie Kent, told Global News.

"Finances can be a sensitive subject, especially if there are other contributing parties other than the bride and groom themselves," according to Wendy Lee, who is a Toronto-based wedding planner.
READ MORE: Gift registry? Wedding bands? Here are the 'traditions' the wedding industry helped prevent
Kent said your budgeting works in tandem with finding a venue and setting a wedding date. It's hard to lock in a photographer, florist and other services without a location and date.

Global News talked to three couples with different budgets for their big days.
James and Amanda Partridge
James is an economist and Amanda is a midwife.

Wedding date: September 17, 2016

Budget: $15,000

Venue: Guelph Youth Music Centre

No. of guests: 100
(Photos courtesy Amanda Partridge/Jennifer See Studios) How did you come up with the amount for your budget?
After discussing with our wedding planner, we felt this number would achieve all of our wedding goals. After much consideration, we decided to get married in Guelph, Amanda's hometown, at the Guelph Youth Music Centre. Toronto was our first choice, but too expensive. The GYMC allowed us to select all our own vendors, and bring in our own alcohol, which saved us a lot of money.

What was your biggest expense?
Food was our largest expense. We were able to save money by opting for cocktails over a plated dinner, though. We had food vendors that had hors d'oeuvres service. There was a variety of food options served after the ceremony until the music started, like salmon lollipops, samosas, mini chicken pot pies, Philly cheese-steak sliders - there were at least 10 different options.
What did you try to save on?
We saved on the décor - almost all of the decorations were DIY or thrift shop finds. We purchased flowers that were in season, inexpensive and easy to acquire. We made our own wine and guests RSVP'd online through our wedding website, which we saved on postage.

We hired vendors that are new or up-and-coming so they weren't overly expensive but were working hard to earn their stripes.

James' aunt is from England with a summer house in France. She supplied a popular sparkling wine for us as the first toast before cocktail hour. That saved us a lot of money.

The venue only allowed beer and wine so we didn't have hard alcohol. We had our family buy Groupons for The Wine Butler and we made bottles of our own wine for really cheap.
What was your biggest splurge?
We hired a second band! This wasn't planned, or budgeted for, but we had to have them.
What was your must-have for your big day?
We wanted our guests to have the best wedding experience ever. So hiring a second band was a no-brainer.

We hired our first band and a few months later we saw another band, they do covers of old school hip hop and R&B - that's the type of music we really like. When we saw them we knew this was the band we needed. The venue we selected had an auditorium with a stage so we were able to set up both bands on the stage, with a background of all their gear. It was basically music from 9:30 to 1 a.m.
What is your advice to other couples when it comes to planning and budgeting for the big day?
The day moves by so, so quickly, sometimes it's really hard to enjoy every moment. Carve out a short period of time for just you and your partner so you can reflect on what's happening and have time together without being in a large group of people.

Be prepared for rain. The day before it looked like it was going to rain so we got umbrellas, looked at indoor options for our photos and made sure we had a backup plan.
Mark and Dian Vernest
Mark is a senior investment analyst at a boutique firm and Dian is an investment and wealth advisor at RBC Dominion Securities.

Wedding date: October 11, 2014.

Budget: $35,000 (excluding a $10,000 honeymoon)

Venue: Berkeley Fieldhouse

(Photos courtesy the Vernests/ Sara Wilde photography)

No. of guests: 150. The venue gave us the discipline we needed. It can't accommodate more than 150 people. We looked at six venues in one day and we made our decision that afternoon. We didn't want a church or hall or something stuffy.
How did you come up with the amount for your budget?
We had an interview process with our wedding planner and we asked her what the typical downtown Toronto wedding costs. We had no benchmark, we had no idea how much flowers or a band was going to cost.
How did you save up?
We're both in finance and we've always been good with our money. Neither of us had help from our parents - we only wanted to have our friends and didn't want to be obligated to [invite parents' friends] so we didn't want that financial help. We were saving for a while. It wasn't like we had $50,000 sitting there waiting, but we got to pay installments here, a deposit there. We didn't have to make any cutbacks.
What was your biggest expense?
Food and booze. We had a good caterer and didn't skimp on the food. We wanted people to have a good meal - it was beef short ribs and nothing too complicated. We didn't even give people an option unless they had allergies or were vegetarian.
What did you try to save on?
We didn't go all out on flowers, we did the bare minimum. We had a nice bouquet for Dian and the bridesmaids, boutonnieres, a few centrepieces here and there but that was it. We saved on using preferred partners from our wedding planner - we used all her vendors and didn't have to waste time checking out people to know if they're good and if they'll show up, etc. By doing that, we saved 25 per cent because she's a repeat client. [Our wedding planner] paid for herself ten-fold.

We hired Ryerson University film studies students to be our videographers. They put together an incredible video for us for one quarter of the price and it's incredible.
What was your biggest splurge?
Of importance to us was that everyone had a good time, we just wanted to have a party so we splurged on premium booze, good wine, an awesome band and a DJ that had everyone dancing until the lights were on. We wanted a surprise dance, so our wedding planner got us in touch with a choreographer.
What was your must-have for your big day?
The entertainment. We really wanted to have a band, our surprise dance and we wanted our ceremony to be easy and breezy. We hired an officiant who was more casual and we worked with her on the script, which included how we met. We wanted the flow to be really smooth, we didn't want people waiting around. We did pictures during the day so people didn't have to show up to the wedding until 5 p.m. We joined them during the cocktail hour and it went right into the dinner reception and then to the party.
What is your advice to other couples when it comes to planning and budgeting for the big day?
Do pictures ahead of the ceremony if possible. It makes everything less stressful so you can focus on guests right away. We had a cute first look earlier in the day, that was our reveal to each other. We weren't as emotional during the ceremony getting that part out of the way in a private moment.

We thought engagement photos were lame and our photographer said we didn't have to use them but let's do them anyway because it's practice. We got used to knowing how to look into the camera and built a relationship with the photographer. It's frustrating how many photos you have to take so this makes it less of a surprise.

Right after your ceremony, eat. We ran back to the bridal suite and we had little appetizers already up there waiting for us. When you're talking and mingling, you don't want to eat and at dinner you don't really eat.
Mark and Kirsten Hannay
Mark works in corporate strategy in the mining industry and Kirsten is a nurse.

Wedding date: May 27, 2017.

Budget: $85,000

Venue: King Edward Hotel. Kirsten loves history and a lot of the different vacations we've been on have been cultural so the building had a look like some that we'd seen in Europe. We thought it was very elegant and had a lot of little details.

No. of guests: 150
(Photos courtesy Hannays/Rhythm Photography) How did you come up with the amount for your budget?
Our original budget was around $65,000, but we talked to our wedding planner and with our parents - it was a collection of understanding what our vision was for the wedding combined with talking to our parents who were gracious enough to help us with the funds.
How did you save up?
Our parents obviously helped but we've saved over the past few years and we had funds available that weren't wedding-specific, just general savings. We were probably more frugal than we'd been before. Our wedding planner helped us stretch our budget and delivered us some savings - we cut $10,000 off the wedding price when we moved our date to May from October 2015, which was a major thing.
What was your biggest expense?
Food and drinks for the dinner reception. We had a six-course meal, an open bar and a sweets table after dessert with a collection of cookies, tarts, cheesecakes, panna cotta, and popcorn.

Traditionally in a Chinese wedding, there's an eight to 10-course meal and each course has different symbolism. The hotel provided us four courses and we brought in an outside Chinese caterer for two more courses so we had Chinese and Western courses. For the Chinese lobster course, we served a lobster bisque, and for fish, we had salmon. For fowl, we had a Cornish hen.
What did you try to save on?
There were certain areas we were more willing to take more of a cut on: we got a lower priced DJ, we didn't want to go overkill on flowers because we knew they'd look great no matter what and we skipped on a limo. We wanted some sort of Rolls Royce or an old school car and they would have been nice for photos between the church and hotel, but we went with a more budget-friendly SUV.
What was your biggest splurge?
We splurged on photography. We wanted to make sure our day was captured very well and Kirsten and I had a specific look in mind and we found that in our photographer. The price was higher but we were comfortable with that.
What was your must-have for your big day?
We wanted to make sure we had the mixed cultures. [Mark's] is Western and Kirsten is from Hong Kong so we wanted to merge them together. We had a Chinese tea ceremony in the morning with elder relatives from both sides of the family (Kirsten wore a traditional Chinese cheong sam), and we weaved the traditions into our meals.
What is your advice to other couples when it comes to planning and budgeting for the big day?
When you're creating your schedule for the wedding day, give some buffer time for things. You're not doing yourself any favours with aggressive scheduling because things will go off course. Be generous with time or you might run late.

(Graphics created by Janet Cordahi/Global News)

carmen.chai@globalnews.ca
Follow @Carmen_Chai

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These couples had $15,000, $35,000 and $85,000 weddings. What their big days looked like

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There's the dress, flowers, cake and venue. Your wedding day is a major life milestone, but how much should you spend on it? Once you're engaged, you may be in full-swing wedding planning mode. Your best bet is to start with an honest conversation with your partner about how you both envision your big day.

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I chose this article for my fourth website as I found it broke down the different factors that went into the cost of each wedding and how people still had an expensive wedding but cut costs in different ways to still have the anticipated dream-like wedding.

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In this video it goes over 18 budgeting tips on how to save money for your weddings. The largest items to be saved on, include not renting a limo (or fancy car, or anything at all), saving on money by not serving appetizers and coffee/drinks pre-wedding, changing the wedding date to a weekday or getting a local (or even your own backyard) wedding venue - all to help reduce the costs of a wedding.

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This video was chosen for it's homey feeling and connection with the wedding planner in the video to feel like the advice comes from someone with experience.

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This brief video goes over three major things to look for and do when buying a wedding dress to help reduce the cost. The three most important things are to buy a wedding dress significantly in advance to a wedding date, to do so with limited to no alternations to a dress, as well as to do so during a trunk sale (yard sale).

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This video was chosen for it's quick delivery of information, right away getting to the most important pieces of information to help viewers get the key details for effectively planning their budget.

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Video 4 - Affordable Bachelor/bachelorette parties

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Video 4 - Affordable Bachelor/bachelorette parties

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In this last video, this particular Youtuber discusses 5 key things to remember and do while planning for a party pre-wedding. The number one thing mentioned was to have a budget and to keep expectations low - not demanding too much of anyone - including the wedding/party guests particularly family. The other key things is to be aware of include everyone's personal budget involved in the wedding party, followed by looking for local versus distanced venues for the party. These all help towards planning an ideal party.

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This is a fun video to figure what is important when it comes to planning one's bachelor/bachelorette party.

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Image 2 - Fun Cinderelle Wedding Cost Breakdown

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Image 2 - Fun Cinderelle Wedding Cost Breakdown

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This infographic is a fun way to breakdown the costs of wedding by showing one of history's most anticipated wedding - Cinderella's and comparing it to real life princesses like Kate and Diana.

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The second image was chosen as a fun way to close up the costs associated with weddings by show casing one of the most "famous" weddings in cartoon cinematic history in comparison to all the other information shared in this padlet and real life weddings.

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Conclusion - Cost of Weddings Evaluation 

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Conclusion - Cost of Weddings Evaluation 

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1.  Learning about the cost of weddings, I was surprised to find out what people spent the most on and how it affected their wedding budget so much, and how people had multi-thousand dollar weddings so easily.
2. I chose this topic not only because I personally am in a relationship, and although have always been set on having a Justice of the Peace wedding, found it interesting to see it from the other side. I was also interested in this topic as most of the weddings I have participated in have no ended successfully.
3. If I could pass on this information to my family members, especially those with failed marriages, is to wait out the engagement period and truly get to know the person you are going to marry. Use this time to budget and save accordingly so that there is less debt at the end of the wedding, and less debt as a part of the divorce should that happen.