Are You Financially Ready To Say “I Do”

Getting married is a big step in your life, both relationship wise and financially. Most people, I assume, marry for love – which is a great thing. But what they don’t know is that financial issues are responsible for more divorces than any other factor in a marriage.

So before you say “I Do”, make sure you not only look into whether or not you can afford marriage, also look at how financially compatible both of you are. Here’s how to do that.

The Cost of Marriage

First of all, note that the title says the cost of marriage, not the cost of wedding. Sure, a wedding is a big part of the cost of marriage (which I will talk about too) but it’s certainly not the only cost. Here are some additional costs you need to consider:

1. The opportunity cost. Opportunity cost is defined as the cost of any activity measured in terms of the value of the best alternative that is not chosen. In other words, what are you missing out by getting married, financially speaking?
Some of you may need to spend time cleaning up after your partner (for both genders) so you may not be able to earn as much as you could. Others may need to set aside time to spend with their spouse – and that time must be suitable for both of you. If your spouse were to fall sick, would you be the one to stay home and take care of him/her?

Of course, there is absolutely nothing wrong with these things. But that doesn’t mean you don’t need to know them. There is nothing worse than to jump into a marriage before knowing all the facts.

2. First of all, I am not a tax accountant nor do I play one. Having said that, make sure that you look into the tax implications of marriage. Married couples in the U.S suffer from the Marriage Tax Penalty – that is a married couple pay more in tax than two single individuals who earn the same amount of money would. It doesn’t even matter if you choose to file your tax jointly or separately. That penalty will still be there.

Can you afford that? Many couple are shocked to find out that they have to pay more tax at the end of the financial year just because they are married – and worse part is, they needed the tax returns to pay off their wedding debt

3. Many people just don’t realize how important insurance is – and your potential partner maybe one of them. Sure, you have health insurance, life insurance, home insurance, etc but what happens when it’s your partner that needs help? As a result, couples often have to upgrade to insurance plans that cover two people instead of one, which of course cost almost double what you pay now.

4. Many couples choose to make big purchases under a joint name after a marriage like buying a house – but what many people don’t know is that your spouse’s credit rating will affect your application. If you a stellar record, you maybe able to get a few percentage points lower in interests if you apply alone rather than if you apply together – and that small percentage points can translate to thousands of dollars over a year for big loans like mortgages

The Real Cost of a Wedding

You probably don’t need me to tell you the cost of a wedding. Let’s just say it’s huge. Some surveys found that the average cost of a wedding is a whopping $30,000. Meanwhile, the amount of money people save for rainy days are falling – precipitously.

So where did these people get the money to pay for their weddings? That’s right – debt. And debt comes at a cost and that cost is called interests. At a modest 10% (assuming you’re not paying fees and missing repayments), that’s still $3000 a year. And that doesn’t include paying down the capital.

So the price of the wedding for most people really is not just $30,000. It’s $30,000 plus the interest over the life of that debt.

But what if you don’t take out a loan? What if you paid for your wedding outright? Well, you’ll still need to consider your opportunity cost. If you saved that $30,000 into a high interest savings account, you could be earning significant amount of money risk-free. Invest that in some kind of fund and you may see some nice returns.

Am I saying everyone should not spend a dime on their weddings? Of course not. But I do believe you have to be fully aware of what is really happening.

Financial Compatibility

This is one of the biggest marriage killers out there. And one of the most common issues is in the difference of values. Both of your finacee and you may love frugality but both may not place it in the same level of importance.

For example, you may place frugality at the top of your list. As a result, you’re always budgeting and you prefer to stay at home. Your fiancée, however, may also like frugality, but he places fitness to be more important than money. As a result, he/she may spend more money than you like on supplements and health checks. Imagine these little quarrels drag out for years into your marriage.

Can it survive?

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Ally is part of the team that manages several personal finance sites in Sydney, Australia, which feature tips on how to save money fast . Before joining the team, she was a Media Planner in McCann Worldgroup Philippines, Inc., with award-winning executions, including the Levi’s 501 “Live Unbuttoned” global campaign.

Table Centerpiece Idea #1 Citrus Vase and Flower Combo

A visually pleasing centerpiece can be as simple a combination of citrus fruits, a clear glass vase and flowers. It is simple to achieve a stunning look. You have the option of using slices of the citrus fruits for your wedding centerpiece or whole citrus fruits as shown in the photo.

Method 1: Sliced Citrus Fruit Wedding Centerpiece

Step One: Cut up slices of citrus fruits. Lemons and orange work well.
Step Two: Place the slices inside the vase. Try to arrange the fruits so that the slices are facing outwards.
Step Three: Place some flowers into the vase fill with water and voila your centerpieces are ready.

Method 2. Whole Citrus Fruit Wedding Centerpiece

Step One: Use a selection of limes and lemons to fill a vase as shown in the photo on right. Experiment with different positions, such as using a yellow base of lemons.

Step Two: Place and arrange flowers into the vase.

step Three: Just add water.

photo source: http://www.hopeinthekitchen.blogspot.com

Consider Your Wedding Guests

When choosing a wedding reception, do spare a thought for your guests too.

Are the facilities adequate? If you have guests with disabilities will they be taken care of? Is there a disabled bathroom available? If the reception or ceremony is on an upper level, is their wheelchair access (this is not always the case)

Is there adequate seating for the elderly who cannot stand for long periods?
If you are inviting kids or parents with young babies, are their parent rooms nearby?

You may not be able to accommodate all your guests requirements, but you need to be aware of them.

Wedding Stationery Options

Do you hear that? The faint sound of wedding bells can be heard in your not-so-distant future. It’s time to start getting things in order and figuring out all the wedding details. There are so many things to keep track of, so many options to consider, it can be quite overwhelming. So before you go any further, take a deep breath. Now take another. Alright, now it’s time to get down to business. You’ve got the important details figured out already: the venue, date, and your spouse-to-be. Now you need to find the right stationery to announce your engagement and invite guests to various parties, including the wedding itself.

In order to let friends and family members know about an engagement and upcoming wedding, many couples choose to send out save the dates. They can be made from simple wedding stationery that matches the wedding invitations that will be sent later on. Or a popular trend is to send small, printed magnet save the dates containing the wedding date and a picture of the engaged couple. There are several parties that can be thrown before the wedding takes place including an engagement party, bridal shower, bachelorette party, and bachelor party. The invitations for each party do not need to match wedding invites and can be either formal or informal. Other pieces of stationery to consider include escort cards, programs, and menu cards for your wedding, which should match your wedding invitations.

The style of wedding invitations a couple chooses will give guests a glimpse of what to expect on the wedding day, including the overall vibe and level of formality. You should choose invites that incorporate any specific color combos or themes your wedding may have. It is important to search for invitations that suit the personality of both you and your fiancé. Traditional and simple designs are becoming a style of the past, making way for new modern and creative options. There is no shortage of design options to choose from. From those inspired by nature to hip, contemporary designs or a bit of vintage flair, you will surely be able to find something that is exactly what you envision.

Once you have found the perfect style, it’s time to make final choices regarding paper and ink options. If you are leaning toward a dark background, opt for a light colored ink, and vice versa. It is important to choose colors that do not require deciphering; you need guests to be able to clearly read wedding details. If your wedding is outdoors or incorporates natural elements, recycled paper invitations or seed-embedded invites printed with soy-based ink are great options to consider. Traditional cardstock invitations are slowly being replaced by new, more interesting options. Metallic/foil inks, varied weight cardstock, and embossed invitations are becoming more popular. There are numerous ways to customize your wedding invites to perfectly suit you. Retailers like Storkie offer unique ways to make your wedding invitations your own.

When it comes to invitation etiquette, many people do not even know where to start. Ideally wedding invitations should be sent out about six weeks before the wedding date and a deadline for RSVPs should be two weeks before the wedding. If you feel like you should invite someone who lives a great distance from the wedding venue, do it. Even if you are positive they will not be able to make it, they will appreciate the gesture. Be sure to have a return address on each envelope in case you get a guest’s address incorrect, that way the post office can return the invitation. If you have an engagement party or other pre-wedding gathering be sure to only invite guests that you will be inviting to the wedding, otherwise you may have hurt feelings later on.

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Olivia Nicholas is a writer and blogger. She has been writing wedding related articles and blogging for over 10 years.

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Get creative with your centerpieces without skimping

Wedding centerpieces are very important as it is the focal point in setting the right mood for the occasion. Choosing the right centerpiece to co-ordinate with the rest of the wedding decor may seem expensive. This need not be the case, as with a bit of creativity and right materials you can have elegant centerpieces without spending too much money.

1. The types of centerpieces you choose must harmonize well with the other wedding decor arrangements. The best types are still floral, candles or edible flower bouquets although you can have some unique, creative pieces on your tables. Your centerpieces must be based on the size of your tables.

2. One unique and cost effective centerpiece idea is to have your bridal bouquet and bridesmaids’ bouquets double up as centerpieces for some food tables. The mini bouquets of the female family members can also be used to enhance the reception table. Vases should be placed ahead of time in such a situation.

3. You can have your church ceremony flowers transported back to the reception area for re-using the arrangements in the reception.

4. Another idea could be to arrange your favors on the guests’ tables along with candles.

5. Candy buffet designed for guests is another popular trend. The candles are wrapped in small organza bags and stored inside the glass candy buffet jars. You can actually arrange these strategically on your guests’ tables as centerpieces. These edible favors can really do a good job of centerpieces as well as being sweet.

6. You can float candles and flowers in large bowls with some beads and fish gravel at the bottom. You could also arrange lots of colored candles in jars, photo frames of the bride and groom and mini favor boxes as centerpieces.

7. Try using uniform colored orchids placed in vases as centerpieces. These can be used on their own without other flowers and they spell chic and elegance all the way. Besides, orchids bloom for longer duration so this is good investment even after the reception is long over.

8. Arrange different sizes of pillar candles to create a rich and romantic feel. These can be scented or unscented but ensure that the burn time is sufficient through the reception. You can even have fruits, flowers and green plants arranged around these candles for a warmer look.

9. You can rent or buy topiaries which are generally meant for placing on the ground but you can find smaller ones for centerpieces. Have these wrapped around with white tulle and fastened with a bow, and create an ethereal centerpiece with some candles arranged near them.

Once you have assembled and created your centerpieces which are unique, creative and unforgettable, you can rest assured that your guests’ will get into the right mood of the setting. Take care that your centerpieces do not block out the view or inconvenience the guests. Ensure that they will still be able to hold conversations across the tables without being blocked out.

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About the author: Alia is a blogger by profession. She just came from the wedding of her close friends. Beside this she loves travelling and exploring new places. She recently shared an article on must visit honeymoon destinations.

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Elegant favors: Get a wow from your guest

Wedding favors are usually given at the end of any wedding reception to applaud the attendance of the guest present in the party. While selecting any gift, you can showcase your guests with a feeling of being considerate to them with these elegant favors. You are often remembered for the elegant favor you gifted your guest at your wedding. However, despite all the importance it has in any wedding reception, it is considered to be the most neglected one to be seen in any wedding. If you have a wedding at your place and if you are perplexed about what favor should you consider, this article would be of a great help. Try these elegant options.

Stemless personalized 9-oz wine glasses: You will be certainly blown off having a drink in these stemless glasses. These can be personalized with your chosen design, wherein you can put your name and wedding date with eight different rich colors. Therefore, what you get is a different elegant favor wherein you can have your favorite beverage for the guests to enjoy.

Lucky Elephant tea-light holder: You can gift your guest with Indian style wedding favor. The elephant with raised trunks are believed to bring a nice future. Your guests accepting them would certainly enjoy this token of love and appreciation from you. And get them away with a hope for a good fortune to have at their place.

Glass photo frame/place card holder coasters: Known for being rich in aesthetics. Truly an elegant piece in white and black color, the photo frame cum place holder coaster appears an excellent piece for your table. Your guest would be indebted to have such a wonderful favor having rich beauty and a practical choice.

Champagne bucket timer: This can be called an elegant favor where elegance and intelligence culminates. It makes you’re your table rich with its silver toned beauty found over the reception table. Evident with a silver finish, this little glassy miniature steals the show when discovered at any table.

Tea-light holder: Indeed a most gorgeous favor to give away your guests. These cups embarks with attached saucer and the teacup, is the right size to carry a single tea light. Certainly, this piece can be called as mind blowing choice to make.

Final words: Giving away these small and elegant favors are called as token of gratitude and love which you showcase to your guest when they make their presence at your wedding reception. If money is not a problem, you can have whole lot of wedding favors; however, with limited budget too you can embark with inexpensive gifts for your guests. You cannot slash down your budget when you are going having your wedding gown or any other important element of wedding. However, wedding favors are the ones where you adopt the policy of frugality. At this point of time, the above enlisted wedding favors discussed are not only elegant but affordable too. Hope you find them useful, especially when you have your wedding in the coming future.

 

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About the author: Alia is a blogger by profession. She just came from the wedding of her close friends. Beside this she loves travelling and exploring new places. She recently shared an article on must visit honeymoon destinations

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Can I invite guests to just my bridal shower and not the wedding?

Discussing wedding planning today with a newly engaged woman, she asked me if It would be considered rude to invite her co-workers to her bridal shower, but not to the actual wedding. Her justification was that she didn’t consider herself close enough to her co-workers to merit an invitation, however she felt obliged somehow that she needed them to still have a small part in the wedding.

Her intentions may have been good, but her co-workers will read into this that they are not good enough for the wedding and are only good enough for a bridal shower that will require them to bring gifts. Needless to say this will create work tension later on. It is considered bad form to invite guests to a bridal party and NOT the wedding and doing this will undoubtedly cause tension.

If you are adamant on having people at your bridal shower and not your wedding ensure that you are tactful. You can state on the invitation that the wedding is very small and limited to just family, however a bridal shower will give you the opportunity to celebrate with friends.

Some may debate that it is your wedding and you can do what you like, and sure there is truth in this, however some brides use this as an excuse to quite simply practise poor manners. You don’t have to invite all your family, friends and co-workers to your wedding, but you must be tactful and fair.

In the case of this newly engaged woman that inspired this post, she has decided to hold a small pre-wedding brunch with her co-workers and some casual friends and limit the wedding to just family and close childhood friends. She will explain to them that coming from a large family the guest list will be taken up by obligatory invitations of aunts, uncles and cousins (about 45 just on her side) and this brunch will be an opportunity for her to celebrate with her co-workers.

Do You Have a Backup Wedding Photo Location?

It’s always a good idea to be prepared and have a plan B when it comes to the location of your official wedding photos. This is especially true if you have planned to have your wedding photos taken in an outdoor venue.

If possible, have a nearby secondary photo location that you could utilise in case for some reason you cannot use your planned location. For example, your wedding photos might have been scheduled to take place in your favourite. The night before your wedding, it may have rained heavily, making the park grounds muddy and unsuitable for wedding photos. Fortunately for you, you have a second venue in mind and can easily have your photos taken in the new location without a problem.

The Plan B venue should ideally be an undercover location, such as inside old buildings with beautiful interior design, verandas, and hotel foyers. Not so long ago, one bride and groom had their wedding photos taken in an IKEA store as their original location was unsuitable!

Guest Bloggers : Call Out to Wedding Vendors

Do you work in the wedding industry? Maybe you’re a wedding florist, a wedding photographer or perhaps you hire out classic cards to brides and grooms for their wedding transport? If you consider yourself a know-it-all in your chosen niche, we want to hear from you! Daily Wedding Blog is putting the call out for guest bloggers to join our writing team.

The Benefits of Guest Blogging
The main benefit of guest blogging is exposure for your wedding. We encourage our guest bloggers to include a few lines about who they are and a link to their business website on their post. Our posts remain online indefinitely, which means that an article you write today, could still be bringing you traffic to your business’s website years from now.

What Should I Blog About?
Blog about what you know and your expertise. What might seem like trivial information to you might be highly useful information for a couple planning their wedding.

Apply Now

Colorful wedding dresses: Why go the conventional way

You may spend months shopping for that perfect wedding dress for yourself. After all, your wedding dress deserves a special appeal. Although you may not wear it again, the care and precision you put in making the choice is nonparallel. The traditional wedding dress can be a universal favorite, but you would not regret having made a different choice (which would be much liked by your grandmother as well).

With some careful observation and knowledge about the current trend, you could choose (or even design) the dress of your dreams. If white or ivory is not on your mind, there are plenty of other choices. But be patient! Shopping for a colorful gown can be frustrating (or completely frustrating if you are not quite fond of it). There are also many online stores available, and if you can do some ‘hard’ browsing, you could find one which suits your need. There can be dresses ranging from $299 to $599 (and there could be no stopping as far as the spending is considered).

You can find one which is pretty, like the princess look (from the vintage collection), or a cool one with a natural fabric, the cap sleeves or the full sleeves, and many more from the market. Some of the designers offer modest wedding gowns in their bridal salons.

The red

This is a traditional colored dress for the brides in many countries. Although the color may not apparently be high on popularity in the United States, countries like China regard it as a traditional color of good luck and auspiciousness. The Chinese weddings feature red décor, including red wedding gowns. The color is also closely related to love, which is one of the most significant expressions at the wedding. Red can also have variations like, deep burgundy, brick red, etc.

The blue

Usually, you do not find blue as the wedding dress color. But it is gaining popularity off late. This can be a bold depiction of yourself, particularly if this is your favorite color. Here also, you may have variations, like sky blue or deep blue.

The black

This can be quite repelling from the conventional one, though! But it can be audacious. Your wedding dress can have new dimensions with the black color. You can have a combination with black to dilute its affect. The black is especially popular in Scandinavia.

There is an interesting reference to the black wedding dress. While Sarah Jessica Parker chose to wear a black dress on her wedding, she later admitted of having regrets not choosing a traditional one.

It is encouraging to have a special appeal on your wedding day. But ensure that you are not doing it just to go against the convention. Some sentiments are attached to specific colors. It is good to be careful (and discuss with your close ones) before choosing a black dress.

A blend

If you want to enjoy your traditional wedding dress with some color dashes, you could go for a colored hemline or even a colored bow. Such a dress can give the versatility of the traditional feel with a modern appeal. You can easily find such dresses from bridal retailers.

Wedding traditions are diverse. You have many like the Western culture “wedding white” from the Victorian Era or the Japanese wedding kimono. The idea is to be special and unique. You can shop for the traditional one or the modern one. Recently, colored wedding dresses have picked up interest. Several bridal salons offer styles and designs to suit the demand.

 

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About the author: Alia Haley is a frequent blogger on the wedding portal. She has covered many interesting topics related to pre and post wedding scenario like wedding cakes, themed weddings, bridal shower, honeymoon destinations and romantic gateways.

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