Debt management necessary to avoid wedding bills

The problem of debt is a growing one in this country; more and more people are finding that they are living beyond their means and putting all of the costs on their credit cards. The reasons are many; some get cards when they are college students but have no appreciable income. But many others rack up the debt when they get married, and the debt problems grow from there.

The average cost of a wedding in the United States is rapidly approaching $30,000. That amount of money might have purchased a house just thirty years ago. Now it’s the cost of one day’s entertainment. Unfortunately, for the bride and groom, the cost of that one day can often be carried over for years in the form of credit card debt. It need not be inevitable; there are many ways that a young couple can save when preparing to get married. Here are a few tips that may make it possible to save money, get married, and still avoid having to file for bankruptcy after the honeymoon.

• Budget - The days when a bride’s parents footed the bill aren’t gone, but more and more couples are paying either some or all of the costs themselves. That means that a budget needs to be set. If you’re going to pay, you need to know how much you have to spend. Decide what your budget will be and then find a way not to exceed it.
• Plan ahead - You can save money by planning ahead. Book early and take advantage of discounts. If you need to fly people in for the event, for example, you’ll do better to buy the tickets sooner than later. And if you fail to book a reception hall sufficiently early, you may have to pay a premium to get another venue later.
• Be nontraditional - An October wedding will be cheaper than one in June, when everyone is trying to tie the knot. Virtually all wedding-related services will be more affordable and more available if you choose to get married at an off season time.
• Do research - There are magazines, books and Web sites devoted to affordable and well organized weddings. Take your time and do your research and the ways to save will become clear.

The last thing a young couple needs when they are just starting their lives together is a large amount of debt hanging over their heads. It is much easier starting out with little or no debt than it is trying to dig out from under a mountain of bills. There is enough stress in the early years of a marriage already without making it worse by trying to deal with debt that need not have been necessary. Take your time and do it right. You only get married once, but if you do it wrong, the bills can haunt you forever. That’s a wedding gift that no one needs.

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