For a young couple contemplating marriage it comes as something as a shock when they start to count up how much the affair is going to actually cost. The fairytale, white wedding can easily cost around tens of thousands of dollars and the average American wedding comes to a little over $20,000. Even when a couple look to arrange the wedding themselves or have help from family and friends, the cost can still be prohibitively expensive.



Perhaps another way of looking at this issue is to look at life in general - life can be an expensive affair no matter which way you look at it - college, cars, homes, vacations, children and the list goes on and on.

In the context of a life, $20,000 is not such a great deal of money - less than the price of many new cars today but where a car will depreciate as soon as you drive off the lot and eventually lose all value, your wedding is simply the beginning of what ought to be a lifetime partnership based on mutual love and respect.

A major factor in the cost of weddings is the catering and reception; an average wedding will have between 50 and 100 guests and they all need to be fed - even with a modest $50 a head that brings the food bill alone to $2,500-$5,000! On top of that there will be drinks and a bar bill though you can regulate that by limiting the time up until you will pay for drinks.

Another reason why weddings are so expensive is because much of what you use will only ever be used once - the wedding dress is typical with many brides wearing a dress that can cost thousands of dollars but they will only ever wear it once.

There are also a lot of people involved directly and indirectly in a wedding and whether it is a success or not will depend on how well everyone works together and does their jobs. Flowers for the day, transport for the wedding party, hotels and accommodation, a wedding photography or videographer to capture these unique memories and don't forget the wedding cake which can be a very expensive piece of cake!

Where you get married will also influence the cost; getting married in church is not free as you will need to pay for the time of the priest and the facilities. Many couples choose to get married in non-traditional locations such as a hotel or on a vacation arranged just for the purpose of getting married, but again, none of these options are going to reduce the cost, especially if you have people coming in numbers.

Why are weddings so expensive?

The best answer is because they are ceremonies you should only perform once in your life and it ought to be a day for you and your families and friends to remember. Taking short cuts to suit your budget is perfectly acceptable while the cost is something that should not be allowed to cloud your happiness on your wedding day. Whether you spend a little or a lot, stick within your means and don't saddle your marriage with a mountain of wedding debt from the outset.