Help! Do I Need A Wedding Mortgage?

The moment you have been waiting for literally all your life has finally arrived – your spouse has popped the question “will you marry me?” and you have happily replied, got an engagement ring and now the wedding date is somewhere around the corner. For many of the brides, the list begins-a film star dress, flowing champagne, platinum rings, a five-star honeymoon, designer shoes, a live band plus a DJ and the list is endless. It is at this point that they stop to ask how they'll pay for it but also keep telling themselves that this is the dream wedding and nothing short of all I want must be at this wedding and I don’t care but the money must show up. Looking left, right, up and down you are wondering ’Do I need a wedding mortgage? 'I bring you the good news No, you do not need a wedding mortgage what you need is setting your priorities straight.

Every couple getting married needs to play the prioritization game. Once you know your budget, the aim’s to work out how much you can actually afford to spend on different areas and prioritize what’s important to YOU. Write down all the things you need to spend money on – from cakes to cars, rings to outfits – always keeping in mind that you don't need to stick to convention or have everything your peers tell you "need". You mustn’t have a buffet spread, as much as food is important at the wedding; your wedding isn’t a restaurant! If the guests are looking for anything else asides what you have provided then they better go to a restaurant. Discuss what’s most important to both of you. You may fancy a funky themed wedding cake, but would you prefer a honeymoon abroad? Or a professional photographer? Being aware of how you can trade one item for another helps you see how far your budget will go. If it doesn't go as far as you want, you need to change your list - but not your budget. The end result may be that you can't afford the wedding you wanted. But, more importantly, it means you won't spend what you can't afford.

I wrote an article titled ‘Is this a showstopper?’, and I must say this also can apply here, before you make decisions regarding items on your list, ask yourself whether it is a showstopper. If your answer is No, then do not buy that item. Another important question here is "is it worth it?" This is a way of saying that while you may use it, could the wedding cash be better spent on anything else? Are stunning £45K heels that’ll be used once and then bundled into a closet worth it if the same money could buy other items which will be used more often? This reminds me, i have no clue where my wedding shoes are. lol. It was one of those shoes that could only possibly be worn with a wedding dress, thank heavens brides these days are more sensible now in buying shoes they can wear again. Even wedding dresses are worn once so you may really need to consider what cost you want to assign to that.

Avoid those friends and family members that keep saying ‘this is our wedding we must go all out’. These people are the ones that most time wants to re-enact their wedding on your day or see your wedding as an avenue to outdo competition. If they are so concerned about ensuring your wedding is grand then they should put their money where their mouth. If they are not contributing, go ahead and stick with your plans. Never underestimate the power of your network, look deeply and you will find someone that knows someone that offers a professional service that could potentially wing you a discount. This in turn will bring costs down a notch.

While a wedding is a wonderful dream day, it's important to remember one of the biggest causes of divorce is debt and financial worries. If the cost of your wedding leaves you financially crippled and in debt for most of your married life, it's POINTLESS. Married life starts after the wedding but many new couples are ignorant and spend so much on their wedding that for the next 3 - 5 years they are buried in debt. Overtime far too many people get into debt and risk ruining a marriage for the sake of one day. Set reasonable and achievable budgets for your wedding. There are a lot of ways to ensure your dream wedding becomes a success without having to mortgage your entire future.