I'm a real estate broker and I work with many young couples buying their first home. I have a friend who just recently married and learned (the hard way), that the advice I gave her a year ago proved to be true. She spent almost a year and about $68,000 on "the perfect wedding".
I had told her long ago that the best advice I could give to her as a friend was to have a small conservatively priced wedding and to spend her real cash on a down payment for their first home. She and hubby-to-be paid for this wedding themselves from their savings and a small inheritance. It was beautiful BUT after their honeymoon, she called me to begin looking for houses only to find they would have to compromise their "wants" and future "needs" in this new home because they didn't have enough down payment to buy the size of home they really wanted. They seemed to take this information in stride although I know she's reconsidering the "value" of her big perfect wedding.
The bad thing is that after all that planning and expense, she and the groom were both so tense and stressed on the big day that she says most of the day (including the ceremony), was a blur. I can't imagine choosing one day over several years of contentment. Not to mention that her almost $70,000 wedding is money spent while using that money toward their home would have given her a considerable return on her investment in the long run.
I think in our society, girls are raised on what I call the "Cinderella principle" and taught that the wedding day is the most important day of our lives when, in reality, having a big wedding does nothing for our future let alone ensure that the marriage will last.
If we could begin teaching our young girls to prepare for the future and to invest while they're young, maybe they would be better off in the long run! Just makes sense to me!
By Angela from Central Florida
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
My daughter is getting married in August and we are in need of an inexpensive wedding hall. I'm trying to help her. But funds are really tight. We need a place that is clean, with a kitchen, tables and chairs, that will allows us to bring food, and that we can decorate the night before. Due to the fact that it's my job, and I have to decorate the church as well.
Juanamie from Washington, DC
A friend of mine got married at a state park near Frederick, MD several years ago. There was a nice recreation hall with a deck that looked out over the countryside. We ate outside of the building, and it was very nice.My suggestion is to try one of the DC-area parks for an enclosed recreation center.
I would suggest a senior community center that also serves them their noon meal from Meals On Wheels - they also plays games with them occupying their time from 9a to Noon or watch movies, exercising etc.
We have one here in our town that rents out at $75 for 4 or less hours. "It" also has a kitchen area attached to the room with a double sink, a refrigerator with freezer, a stove with oven, and a large microwave. The room has long tables that seat 8 with folded padded chairs.
Let us know how your affair turns out. Paula Jo Carr
I would call a church and ask how much to rent out their dining hall? Some churches need money and would have what you requested. I know baptist churches have dining halls, for Wednesday night dinners.
If you belong to a church, see about using/renting the Fellowship Hall. Or if you don't belong to a church, see if one of your friends does and find out if you can rent hers.
I also think the fellowship hall of the church is the best place for the reception. I think just about everywhere in DC is expensive. But you might like to research somewhere closeby in the state of Maryland. I wouldnt go to Frederick, MD as someone else suggested, because that is too far away, however. Can you do an online search under Waldorf, MD to see what is available in that area?
Good luck
