According to the Bridal Association of America , the average cost for a wedding officiant is $263.00.  An inexpensive alternative, and a more personable option, is to have  a friend or family member serve as your officiant.  Thanks to the smorgasbord of ministries online,  your selected officiant can become ordained for free (plus a nominal fee of $10 for the certificate) in as little as one day!  In addition to saving a couple hundred bucks, you can have a more intimate wedding ceremony overseen by someone close to you and your fiance.

The postal service is raising their rates, which means the price of stamps are going up to 42 cents from 41 cents.  1 penny may not seem like a lot but when you factor in the already high price of postage, it can add up.  Not only does this affect RSVP cards, but it could affect wedding invitation postage costs as well depending on how heavy they are.  So depending on the timing of your wedding, you might want to see how this affects you and make budget adjustments accordingly.

The other option which I am a big fan of is using an online RSVP tool.  Free wedding websites like those from WeddingWire offer online RSVP as an option to the wedding websites.  Many wedding website companies will charge for this feature, but you shouldn’t have to pay for it.

The honeymoon can be a large portion of your wedding budget, but it also doesn’t have to be.  Trying to find a destination that will fit your budget may not be as hard as you think.  When considering destinations, think about what’s important to you.  Do you really need to have a beach honeymoon?  If so, consider destinations with all inclusive packages like Jamiaca or in the Carribean, but also don’t overlook locations like Hilton Head, SC.  If you’re getting married in late fall or early spring, think about going skiing in Colorado or Lake Tahoe.  Another option is to simply visit a city you’ve never been to, like New York City, San Francisco or Washington, DC. 

Also, be sure to look for travel specials.  Try this new site SideStep for some great travel specials.

You have lots of decisions to make about your wedding, and the first decision is that of priorities.  The Wedding Photojournalist Association wrote an article about this choice and some tips on how to help pick a photographer.  Take a look at the article as it might help you make a more educated decision not only about how to pick a wedding photographer, but also what’s important to you as that will affect your budget allocation for a wedding photographer.

 Read Wedding Photojournalist Association Article

Not convinced that it’s worth it to try to cut costs for the most important day of your life? Consider this: what if you had a small private affair for your closest friends and relatives and didn’t buy an expensive engagement ring, spending around $13,000 for your wedding instead of the average price tag of $27,000?

What if you invested the $14,000 you saved in the stock market and left it there until you retired (assuming 40 years later), earning an average of 10% a year? What would you end up with? A whopping $634,000!

It’s hard to look so far ahead when you’re just starting out in your life together, but the world is full of people who find themselves quickly approaching retirement age without the financial means to retire. When all is said and done, I’ll bet many of them would have traded a bigger, fancier wedding for the $634,000 nest egg.

For more tips on saving costs, see the full article on About.com

Technorati Profile

Some couples today are breaking away from the traditional china, silver and linen gift registries when it comes to asking for wedding gifts. They’re asking for money. A wedding-day cash infusion can make it easier to put a down payment on a home. With home prices appreciating rapidly in much of the country, lots of couples need all the help they can get.

There are formal and informal rules governing gifts of money to help newlyweds buy a house. First, the informal rules: Is it OK to ask one’s wedding guests for money?

Read full story on BankRate.com

How can you finance your wedding?

Traditionally, brides and grooms have relied on their parents to pay for the wedding. However, more couples are paying for their big day on their own. Here are your options for financing the biggest, and probably most expensive, day of your life.

First, turn to your parents. The worst they can say is no. But most likely they’ll be willing to contribute something, or even offer to pay for it all. Just make sure not to assume they have the cash; always ask politely; and be clear about your projected budget. If you don’t have the luxury of getting the folks to pay, or you want to pay for your wedding on your own, there are various ways to gather up the funds.

Savings. If you’ve been wise with your money, you may have some savings to borrow from.  You can also begin setting aside 10% of your paycheck to deposit into a savings account (that can begin earning interest) and be put towards your wedding expenses.

Loan. Sometimes there’s no choice. Just like buying a car or a house, “buying” your wedding can be thought of as an investment. And if you can’t afford to pay it all, you’ll have to turn to your bank (or maybe your parents will even give you a loan interest free!). But be careful – if you’re already carrying a lot of debt, adding another $25,000 may not be the best way to start your financial life together.

Stocks. If any stock you own has blown up or your mutual funds are thriving, you have the option of accessing money from your investments. You were probably thinking more retirement than wedding, but if necessary you can rearrange some of your portfolio.

Did you know that the cost of a wedding in the U.S. has increased +73% in past 15 years? Couples spend nearly $30,000 on their special day, and over $40,000 in many major metropolitan areas.

Here are a couple quick tips to keep costs down:

• Choose a Friday, Sunday, or Saturday morning/afternoon

• Get married in an “off-season” month like January, February, or March

• Hold the ceremony and reception at one venue

• Limit your guest list (if you haven’t talked to them in 2 years, cut ‘em out)

10 Steps to a Realistic Wedding Budget

1. Determine Your Preferences - Set aside some time to review how wedding expenses should be split.  You may want to take a traditional approach, where the parents of the bride and bride pay.  Or maybe you want to take a modern approach and cover the expenses yourself.  You could also be progressive and share expenses with your fiancee.  Take time to come up with what apprach will work best for all parties involved.

 2. Ask Your Fiancee - Times have changed and it’s no longer the 40’s.  Traditionally, the groom’s family only pays for the rehearsal dinner and possibly part of the honeymoon.  Most of the expenses are for the wedding, from flowers to the gown to the cake.  You are about to share your life together, so you might as well share the expenses of the wedding. 

3. Do Some Research - Brides often set their budgets before doing any research, and then end up going way over budget.  Make sure to research vendors and get price qoutes before setting your budget.  You may think floral arrangments may cost $500, but the cost can be north of $3,000. Try to compare venues, caterers, florists, and photographers first, as these tend to take up the bulk of your spending.  A great place to get price quotes online is at www.weddingwire.com.  The service allows you to put in your details, and then sit back and relax as vendors send you quotes.  Otherwise, pick up your yellow pages an dget ready to make some phone calls.

4. Track Your Progress - Creae a detailed list with all of the vendor information and projected costs.  Try to come up with a good estimate before making all of your bookings.  You may find that you want to spend more in one area then another.  Track your progress in excel, or you can try www.weddingwire.com and www.theknot.com for easy online options.

5. Share Your Vision - Now that you have determined how to split the costs and done some preliminary research it is time to share you vision with your fiancee.  You may be above budget at this point, but make sure to be open with you fiancee of what you would like and what you can afford.  You may have to make some sacrifices, but two heads are better than one. 

6. Reach Agreement - Come to agreement with your fiancee about how much you will be spending, and how you will be paying.  This is not an easy process, but get it out of the way as early as possible.  Determine whether you will need to borrow money or take a loan to cover the costs.  Some couple feel comfortable reaching out to their parents and relatives, but you must determine the best way to get financial assistance if needed.

7. Meet the Parents - We’re not talking about the movie!  Meet with your respective parents and be honest and upfront about the costs and your plan.  Discuss how much they might be willing to contribute to your wedding fund.  Money from parents always has some string attached.  Set their expectations that this is your wedding and that you appreciate their contribution.  You don’t want them calling all the shots just because they helped pay.

8. Monitor Your Expenses - Keep a close eye on all of your expenses.  There are always small expenditures that come up during the planning process, and these costs add up quickly.  Make a detailed list of all the possible expenses that could arrise, and set aside some money for the small things (after all, they make the difference!).  Continue to track these costs in excel or at one of the great websites mentioned above.

9. Pay Your Bills - Many vendors offer flexible payment schedules, but make sure to stay on top and pay the bills in time.  You may have some expenses that hit after your wedding day, and post honeymoon they may not be top of mind.  Try to close your expenses as soon as possible after your wedding day.  You don’t want to incur any additional charges.

10. Enjoy the Process - It can be a stressful process and may lead to many headaches, but you are planning the day you will always remember.  This is the day you have always dreamed about.  Make your dreams come true on a limited budget. 

BWG Two Cents: Ask local married friends for suggestions on low cost, but quality vendors.