DIY Wedding Planning Tips

Best wishes on your upcoming marriage. Wedding planning can be a lot of fun. Most girls grow up thinking about their own dream weddings and how they will be, especially after attending a wedding. They play wedding with their Barbies and think of amazing and romantic scenarios. These ideas can come true, if you have a large amount of money. Some of our parents have planned for this day and actually will help you pay for your perfect day. Other brides have saved themselves for the big day.

Allow yourself plenty of time for wedding planning and take advantage of sales. Keep a notebook of your ideas. Flip through wedding magazines and books and jot down notes. Cut out pictures of things you like and see if you can copy them cheaper.

If, like me, your parents were not able to pay for your dream wedding, you will have to get creative to pull off a beautiful Christian wedding. You really don't have to spend a fortune to have a memorable wedding.

First, have a talk with your fiance. Tell him what is important to you for your wedding and find out what is important to him. Then decide when and where you want to get married and how many people you would like to invite.

Decide what you want to spend most of your money on, such as your dress, rings, a band, a photographer, and so on and then plan DIY projects for the rest.

Then, have a talk with both sets of parents to see if they will be able to contribute financially and with their time and talents.

If you don't have much money, you will want to limit the guest list and choose an inexpensive or free place to hold the wedding. Many churches do not charge their own members to use the church so you may be able to hold your wedding and reception for free in the church or out on the church lawn. Another good place to have the ceremony is at the home of a relative with a large home and/or yard.

Wedding planning can get a bit sticky when both sets of parents and grandparents get involved. Everyone wants things at your wedding done their way. If they want to pitch in and help to pay for some of it, consider their suggestions, but ultimately, you and your fiance need to decide how your wedding will be.

You can save money by not hiring a caterer. Plan, make, and serve the food at your reception with the help of some of your family members and friends. Some will be happy to help, especially if that is their wedding gift to you.

Take advantage of the time of year you will get married and use the appropriate decorations. For instance, if you have a December wedding, use Christmas decorations. If you get married during the Easter season like I did, use Easter decorations. I used pink Easter baskets filled with pastel M&Ms and stuffed bunnies as decorations.

Take your time and put your friends and family to work helping you with your wedding planning. Use their talents, but only if they are willing to help. Don't be demanding.

To save money, there are many DIY wedding ideas that you and your fiance can consider. Saving money while you are planning your wedding and piling up cash will really help you as you begin your new life together.

Be sure that each of you pays off any debt that you have and then start saving up cash. You will need an emergency fund in case something goes wrong.

What can go wrong? Plenty! With unemployment so high right now, one or both of you could lose your jobs. Your car could break down. Your heating/AC unit could break. Your refrigerator/stove/washer/dryer could die...When these things happen, (and they will) you will react a lot better if you know there is nothing to worry about because you have cash in the bank to take care of these problems.

So DIY wedding ideas that you incorporate into your wedding planning will allow you to save more money to add to your emergency fund.

Just be sure that before you say "I do," talk about everything with your fiance, including religious beliefs, what church you will attend as a couple, how to raise your children, and finances.

Finances and disagreements about money are the <b>Number 1</b> reason for divorce in the United States, even among Christian couples. It is so important to find out prior to your wedding where each of you stands on money, savings, paying bills, credit cards, and credit scores.

If you cannot agree on finances prior to getting married, don't get married or you will regret it. Christian wedding ceremonies of any kind will not help you survive financial storms when they come if the two of you are not on the same page.

My advice is:

-Do not borrow money. I teach Dave Ramsey and Financial Peace University. But speaking from personal experience, because my husband and I had so many money problems in our marriage, do not even get a charge card.

-If you have credit cards, cancel them and cut them up. They are <b>Trouble!</b> We have had many disagreements and fights and have come so close to losing everything we have owned because of job losses throughout the years.

-Do not be in debt.

-Have an emergency fund of three to six months of expenses in a money-market savings account. Do not use it for anything other than a real emergency. This is not an account for a new HD TV or for a new car.

-Buy Dave Ramsey's book, The Total Money Makeover.

-Take Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University.

-Don't buy a brand new car. Save up and buy a clunker so you do not waste your take-home pay by giving all of your money to the bank.

-Save up a good down payment of at least 20% before you buy your first house. Make sure you are completely out of debt prior to buying your house.

-Live well below your means and Save For A Rainy Day. Trust me, it will rain!

So act on those DIY wedding ideas as much as possible so you can pile up cash. Please be sure that you do not get married without first resolving your financial differences!