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You do not need to win the big jackpot from Everygame casino bonus in order to get married — although, a gift certificate to Everygame casino bonus would make a nice “add on gift” for the new couple.
A wedding day is nice, and it is “the first day of the rest of your lives together”, but it is still just one day of the rest of your lives. Is one day really worth $50k or “going into debt for”? I know that as a bride and groom you want the day to be memorable for yourself and your family, but you do not need to break the bank or go into debt for it.
Here are some tips for the couple (and the parents) to help keep things in check.
Advice for the parents, stay out of it
You love your child. You want them to be happy. But sometimes the best way to show them your love is to remain in the background … there to support, but letting the children lead.
The new couple needs to learn how to create a budget and learn to live within that budget. That means that you cannot have everything that you want (or dreamed about when you were a child). So, my personal advice, figure out how much money to want to give the couple, give them that amount, and then leave everything else up to the couple. Then give a memento gift … something that they will look at and cherish in the future.
Play fantasy budget
It is always fun to play “fantasy budget” where you say, “If I had a million dollars to spend, what would my dream budget to be.”
It is always fun to dream. When my husband and I were talking about what we wanted in a house, his dream was, “A slide that went from the 2nd floor to the pool.”
Then you work within the reality budget
When we finally did buy a house, we put in a slide that went from the porch to the grass and a rock climber to get on the porch. It wasn’t the 2nd floor to the pool, but I do not think that the kids ever used the stairs to either go down from the porch or get up on the porch. “Stairs are for losers!”
Although my husband never got his “slide from the 2nd floor into the swimming pool”, he did get the “slide from the porch to the ground” and whenever it was possible we got memberships to a swimming pool that had a slide. So in other words, even if you cannot afford your “dream wedding”, by going through the thought process, it will give you an idea of what “makes the other person tick”, and as you live your life together, it will come out and become incorporated into your married life in one form or another.
Using a studio for pre-wedding pictures
This seems to be more of a “thing” in Korea or other people of oriental descent. Couples in these communities go to a studio to get their staged wedding pictures taken before the wedding. There is no stress on the wedding day about the photography session. The props, settings, and backdrops can be from a wide variety of selections. The pictures can be just the couple or it can also include the wedding party, the in-laws, and other “close family and friends” that you definitely want extra special pictures of.
A full wedding photographer can cost between $1,000 to $10,000. But the average is between $3000 to $4000. The cost is for 10 to 12 hours of photographs on the wedding day.
On the other hand, a pre-wedding photography shoot with a studio can cost on average $300 to $1000. That is more than your “regular” JCPenny photography shooting, but it is still a fraction of the cost of hiring a professional photographer for 10 hours on the wedding day.
Although you can get amazing wedding pictures by doing a pre-wedding studio photography session, the number of places to choose from in the United States is a lot less than in India or Korea, because it is a lot more common to do this in those countries than in the United States.
On the other hand, when you do a pre-wedding shoot, you get the following options:
- Two to 8 hour photo shoot
- Multiple clothing changes: Some could be pictures in your favorite outfits, some in your wedding clothes, while others can be in historical costumes. The choices are unlimited. So have fun.
- Locations out of the studio: Beach, mountains, forest, or your favorite historical sight … maybe the location where you proposed your love for each other.
- Use of drones: Photography with drones is popular now, so it can provide picture shoots that may not have been possible in your parent’s generation.
- Preset studio pictures: This is when the studio itself has “fake backgrounds” and props. Did you always dream of having a wedding picture on the beach, but that type of wedding is out of your price range? A good photographer with excellent props, backgrounds, and green screen technology, can create wedding pictures similar to what you see in modern movies.
As one bride described the event … “I was very excited for my pre-wedding shoot, as it makes you feel like you are the lead actors in a movie set. You are surrounded by cameras & it is just too much fun . Plus it is a very special time before marriage, as you get to spend cozy time with your fiance.”
Other people feel it is a waste of money.
My view … if you want “scenic wedding pictures” or couple pictures, and you can’t afford to have a full wedding at those scenic locations, it is a nice option. It can also reduce the stress of “studio” style wedding pictures on the wedding day.
Food, try buffet style from your favorite restaurant
Sit-down catered wedding events are the most expensive in terms of food … and sometimes the worst quality in terms of food. You don’t get to taste the food ahead of time, and in the end, everybody just remembers how bland the food tasted.
So how about just having your favorite restaurant do a buffet style for your wedding? You know the food will taste good, because it is your favorite restaurant. And in terms of serving, you can ask if the restaurant can take of that. If that is not an option, another option is to call a local culinary school and see if they have some students who would help with setup, watching the food tables, and cleanup. Just follow these simple 31 tips for setting up a buffet.
So buffet style from your favorite restaurant with culinary students to help with setup, watching the tables, and cleanup can help keep the food costs of the wedding within budget.
Music was the most expensive item at our wedding
People also remember the music, so we hired a good band. But since my husband and I are relaxed types of people, we just told the band, “Play music”, and then just left them to do their job. The band had a great time, and the people had a great time.
Summary
A wedding is a memorable day. It is the “first day of the rest of your life”. But a lot of things that people tell you that you “need” at a wedding are not really needed. You just need good food and good music and the company of good friends and family, and it will be a day that you will always remember without putting you (or your parents) in debt.
