Consolidated Credit Counseling Services of Canada released information last week that indicates many Canadian couples are paying as much as $31,000 for a wedding. Wow! You could make a down payment on a pretty swank house in the Battlefords for that price tag.
Actually the press release says the average couples plan to spend is $15,000, which is still pretty hefty, but sneaky “extras” can as much as double the final bill.
It makes one wonder if there is as much emphasis on the marriage as there is on the wedding. As a veteran of 33 years of marriage, I can assure you, the two are not the same thing.
Back in 1981 weddings were somewhat lavish and after being the perennial bridesmaid, but never the bride, I had no desire to have a wedding. But the fifth of six children versus the only son of two, I was overruled and a bride I became. I spent some money on flowers, my dress cost about $200 and I also shelled out for three bridesmaids dresses after having to foot the bill myself in that role about six times.
Roll ahead three decades and I’ve attended many weddings since then — some simple, some elaborate and some celebrations of ceremonies held on tropical beaches. I have no idea how much was shelled out by those arranging the weddings, I only know the amount we contributed to our daughter’s wedding, and it wouldn’t have made even a tiny dent in a $31,000 price tag.
Back to Consolidated Credit Counseling Services of Canada. Jeff Schwartz, executive director, worries about what happens when romance gets the better of finance.
“Some people plan their weddings for their whole lives; it holds a tremendous amount of emotional significance,” says Schwartz. “But I worry that too much focus on heart strings means less focus on purse strings, and the results can be costly.”
“The question is,” says Schwartz, “after you’ve been blindsided by surprise costs, and your credit cards are still smoldering, what can you do to rapidly and efficiently get out of debt?”
The organization goes on to provide a five-step strategy for managing the debt.
It is all sound advice, but perhaps approaching wedding plans with a KISS (keep it simple, stupid) mindset might also be a good place to start.
