Bragg Comer knows just how expensive a wedding can be. But Comer, an investment advisor with Grambrell Financial Advisors, Inc., said it wasn’t his professional work that taught him how costly weddings can run. Instead it was the personal experience that accompanied the marriage of his 23-year-old daughter in July.
“The real issue that I didn’t realize is that’s a fairly expensive process,” Comer said.
The main suggestion he offers based on his experience is the importance of making a budget and prioritizing items. He said doing so will help determine which costs are essential and which can be eliminated.
“It’s very important to have some idea what it’s going to cost,” Comer said. “As much as we don’t like to, we still have to live within a budget.”
Comer said a wedding is “a very exciting time” for a father, who often doesn’t realize the costs involved in a wedding until after the bills arrive. He said certain expenses can add thousands to a wedding’s total costs.
It’s like a vacation, if you don’t plan the expenditures, you can overspend,” Comer said.
Modern Bride magazine offers several suggestions for planning and preparing for a wedding at its Web site, www.modernbride.com:
-Stick to a budget. Failure to do so may result in families getting carried away early on with some minor item, then not being able to afford something else that is more important.
-Shop around. Get at least three estimates for major items. Also, don’t be fooled by the cheapest deal.
-Make sure everything is in writing with contracts specifying costs, deposits, name brands, etc.
-Study the fine print of all contracts for hidden costs, taxes, service charges, etc.
-Consider having the wedding in a less expensive month (July is the most popular and costly month for weddings). Also, having a wedding during the week rather than the weekend can lower expenses.
Neal Schooley, associate pastor for pastoral care at Dawson Memorial Baptist Church, Homewood, said elaborate plans can add to costs.
“There seems to be a trend toward larger weddings,” Schooley said. “And there is expense associated with that.”
Schooley said wedding costs are discussed in premarriage counseling.
“They may be helped to see that if they cut down on the size of the event, that it’s not a reflection on the authenticity of their marriage,” Schooley said.
Comer declined to say how much he spent on his daughter’s wedding, but said wedding costs can be staggering.
Comer said listing the estimated expenditure of each item in one column and actual cost in another is a way to determine which items are necessary, which can be eliminated which cost less.
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