Your wedding is one of those events you look forward to because it represents a promise of a lifetime filled with love and affection, a beginning of a new chapter with the one you love.
However, regardless of the countless daydreams for your wedding day, planning a wedding is hardly ever easy. From the perfect venue and the perfect decorations to the perfect ring and the perfect outfit, there is a lot you have to plan.
Planning every detail for the wedding is overwhelming and stressful enough, but add a tight budget to the mix, and you have a recipe for anxiety. One’s wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event, so it is understandable for couples to want to spare no expense when planning the big day.
If you find yourself torn between having a low-key wedding with multiple compromises and your dream wedding, perhaps it is time to look into some financial options. Do not fret, for there are many ways whereby you can pay for your wedding expenses and make your wedding dreams come true:
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1. Wedding Loans
Wedding loans are one of the best ways to finance your wedding. Similar to unsecured personal loans, wedding loans help individuals cover the many costs incurred while planning and executing a wedding. Getting a wedding loan will surely bring your dream wedding within reach, from helping you pay for the best venues to the prettiest outfits.
If you have a good credit score and a reliable source of income, acquiring a wedding loan shouldn’t be too difficult. If you are a New Zealand-based bride and groom and wish to get a wedding loan, try the Nectar wedding loan NZ to help make your wedding beautiful with accessible and easy loans. Although, you may have to come up with a sound plan for your wedding expenses so that your potential creditors are inclined to lend you the money.
2. Credit Cards
One of the most common ways to finance a wedding is using a credit card to pay for your wedding bills. Depending on your card limit, using a card to pay for your wedding will only make you liable for the amount you charged to the card, lest you overspend and go over your account balance. In the latter case, you will have to pay the interest charges according to your bank’s interest rate policy.
However, spending more than you need or can afford can land you an undesirable credit card debt, and beginning a new chapter of your life with the debt hanging over your head does not paint a great image. Hence, having a payment plan ready in case of overspending is always a good option.
You may find it beneficial to look into the advantages offered by different credit cards before starting with your wedding shopping excursions. Credit cards are notorious for their steep interest charges- usually higher than other financing options. If you have a great credit score, acquiring a 0% APR credit card will provide you with the benefit of making purchases without any interest charges for a specific period. Although, once the period is over, you will have to pay off the card at the ongoing APR.
3. Cash
Paying for your wedding in cash is not only the most straightforward option but also the safest. If you don’t want to start your married life with the burden of debt, using your personal accumulated savings may be the best way to finance your wedding. However, before you decide on cash as a financing option, you may have to confirm whether you have all the money needed to pay for the wedding you have in mind.
One of the biggest mistakes is proceeding with cash payments without making a proper wedding budget or coming up with a payment plan beforehand. Losing track of the cash payments you have made and spending more than you had anticipated is common when planning a wedding.
To manage your cash flow, we recommend making a record of your savings and income and setting up a wedding budget considering how much you can afford to spend on it. After you have the amount of your budget in place, decide on a budget breakdown by allocating a percentage of the budget you can use on different costs. Also, don’t forget to create a spreadsheet to keep track of all your payments.
4. Family Contribution
Planning for a wedding is stressful enough, but trouble financing it can put you in even more distress. And who can help in these times if not the people who love and care for you? If your friends or family offer to help with your wedding costs, take them up on it to make financing your wedding easier.
Many couples receive help from their family when paying for the wedding. If your family has not broached the topic yet, you can always sit down with them and ask them politely to help you out. Talking about the budget with your family may feel awkward at first, but as long as you remain polite and hopeful, they may be willing to help you out. Of course, your family’s exact reaction is not predictable: they may be enthusiastic enough to be willing to pay for all of your wedding costs, or they may offer you a specific amount. Regardless, it is important to remain grateful and accept any help you receive.
Furthermore, you could even ask your closest friends for a loan to finance your wedding. Borrowing money from friends or family is easier because it is usually an informal transaction where you can pay back the amount you owe according to the terms they have settled.
5. Go hybrid
If you can’t decide between two or more financing options, find yourself a combination that works for you. Do you have some cash you can use in your savings? Can you get a wedding loan to finance the remaining costs? Can you use your 0% APR credit card to spend more than your balance and pay it back within the promotional time? Can you ask your close ones to pitch in? Make a wedding budget, and then plan your payments by seeking out different sources of finance. You don’t have to stick with one option if you don’t want to. Pulling together money from different directions is as good an option as any other.
Conclusion
While your wedding day may seem like the only concern right now, there is more you need to look forward to. Your wedding day is only one day, but your marriage will last for more than one. If financing the wedding according to your wishes is getting too hard, don’t hesitate to cut back on certain aspects. After all, marrying your significant other matters more than anything else. Therefore, don’t let the stress and anxiety from wedding planning seep into your relationship. Make better decisions together and come out stronger on the other side.