Traditionally, the bride’s family pays for the ceremony, reception, and in some cases, the honeymoon and the groom’s family usually pays for the rehearsal dinner. Currently, a lot of brides may find themselves in situations that require strict budgets, so I have compiled a few suggestions that may make this money talk happen more smoothly.

• Have a meeting! Hosting a meeting at a neutral location with both families will give everyone a chance to talk and come up with ideas.
• Save up and try to do it on your own! No couple wants to postpone their wedding day, but if you cannot or are not willing to get financial support from either family then saving up is probably your best option. Plus, you can feel accomplished in knowing that every part of the wedding was handpicked by you and your mate.
• Just because they can’t give money doesn’t mean they can’t give time! If neither family can or is not willing to offer financial assistance, suggest that they help stuff invitations or for those that have useful talents for the day of the ceremony and reception, suggest they read a poem, Bible verse, sing a song, help make bridal bouquets, cater the rehearsal dinner, bake the groom’s cake…the possibilities are endless. In a lot of cases, donating talents and time is just as good, if not better, than donating money.
• Scale down! Do you really need a life-size ice sculpture of the two of you or the chocolate waterfall display? We have so many dreams about our wedding, but remember you have to live beyond the day. And financial strain is one of the worst ways to start your life with your new mate.

For my own wedding, my parents paid for the ceremony and reception, and my future husband’s family paid for the rehearsal dinner and honeymoon.  Two of my best friends chose to save and pay for their wedding themselves, which proved to be a better option for them.  Another friend had a very intimate ceremony with only the bride’s parents, groom’s parents, and the minister. A year later, the couple had a larger celebration to which friends and extended family were invited. These certainly are not the only options, but they do offer a ways to begin talking about this issue, and in some cases, avoiding it all together. Never forget that this is a wedding for you and your future husband, so ultimately your opinions, needs, and desires take first priority.