[BCHGRL]

I can pay it off in 8 months, but it would take me 2 years to save for it. Why? Because life gets in the way when you are saving for something "optional" like a wedding, not like something necessary like debt. When we got engaged, I planned to save for the wedding and buy a house when we were married. Then a hurricane hit our area and housing prices doubled. We had to buy then or we would never be able to own. Next week will be 1 year we've owned our home and we could profit $50K or more if we were to sell our home today, and the market is considered "slow" compared to last year. Homes that went for $150K in 2003 are now selling for up to $400K in our area. I also had to buy a home 45 minutes away from my job. We couldn't afford anything closer, so I have to pay twice the amount in gas as I did in my previous budget.

Do you realize that the average wedding cost is now $22,000? My perspective is that I am saving 1/2 price. As for home weddings without flowers or anything fancy, that is great for those of you who did it and have great memories. However, when immediate family is traveling up to 20 hours and spending hundred of dollars in hotel costs to attend, I feel obligated to throw more than a house party. This is only going to happen once. I'm trying to do things that are memorable but aren't extremely costly, such as holding a beach ceremony (free location) and having a reception at a Zoo where animals, such as monkeys and birds, greet our guests ($50 per animal w/handler). Dress is casual so we're saving there, and I'm using my Aunt, a notary public, as my officiate. We're using our own vehicles for transportation. My mom is baking cookies for wedding favors. I had my mom's wedding gown remade beautifully for $200 (including the veil), but then the dry cleaners ruined it so I had to buy new. We're hanging out with family at the local beaches afterwards instead of going on a honeymoon. We'll take our honeymoon one year after our wedding, and we will only go once we have enough saved. (Unlike the wedding where folks make plans early, you can delay the honeymoon if you need to save longer.) We'll be saving on our honeymoon too because we'll stay with our military friends scattered throughout Europe.