Tips from Dave Ramsey on saving money for your upcoming wedding

In a recent article from Dave Ramsey, he lists a variety of creative ways to save money on your upcoming wedding.

According to the top wedding sites, the average wedding can cost between $20,000-$30,000.  And that's from a one-day shindig.  Recent college graduates, who went through the whole student loan route, have roughly this amount after four years.

From the venue to the honeymoon, Ramsey lays out tips to save money on your special day.  Check out the article here.

Along with the article, I also have my ebook Debt Free I Do: 99 Ways To Have A Memorable Wedding On A Shoestring Budget where I lay out more tips.

Here's a link for my site, where you can pick up the ebook from your favorite e-retailer.

Wedding ebook gets a makeover

My very first book, 99 Ways To Have A Memorable Wedding On A Shoestring Budget, has just recieved a cover makeover.

I had this one professionally done--instead of the disaster I produced before.  I still sold quite a number of that copy, and hopefully this will sell a lot more.

Here's a link to the Amazon Kindle site.  Also, if you could review it, that would be most appreciated.  Right now there is a disappointing 2-star review, and although I agree some of the information is common sense, there are still enough unique tips to make it worthwhile.  Besides, if it was common sense, then why wouldn't everyone who is trying to save money on a wedding do these?

Anniversary Time!

Sixteen years ago on this date, I married my best friend Melissa.

Sixteen years later, we still attend this church--and by the same pastor who married us.

This is also the reason why I write everyday, and our simple wedding is the inspiration behind my ebook 99 Ways To Have A Memorable Wedding On A Shoestring Budget.  Please give it a review.  It's only $.99

The Wedding Season Begins!

The typical wedding season starts in April, five months from today.

Is your wedding being planned for the summer of 2013? If so, then you're probably already planning for it.

If you wedding is in 2014 or later, there are many resources available on planning your wedding--many are listed by clicking the wedding tab along the side of this blog to sort through them all.

As always, one such is the ebook 99 Ways To Have A Memorable Wedding On A Shoestring Budget which is available through the Amazon Kindle site.

$28,400 - average cost of wedding in 2012, according to CNN

Last week, CNN Money announced that the average wedding in 2012 cost around $28,400.  Here the link to the March 10th article.  This total, however, depends on the locale of the wedding, and they make comparisons to those in Manhattan with those in Alaska.

Almost half of this amount is spent on the reception, with the other top five expenses being: engagement ring, reception band, photographer, and flowers/decor.

The article breaks down the changes in expenses when compared with those prior to the economic downturn in 2008, and they have some interesting results.

If this number seems extremely high for you--as it did for us almost 16 years ago--then check out several books on the subject of having a wedding on a budget.  One such is my own publication, titled 99 Ways To Have A Memorable Wedding On A Shoestring Budget.  It may seem like common sense, but then answer me this: why do so many couple never budget for their wedding and go deeply in debt for it?  My book helps find ways of slashing the budget AND/OR finding ways of adding funds to do it debt free.

The Final Countdown . . . To The Wedding Season!

I can almost hear the iconic sounds of the 80's rock band Europe and their famous song:

Yes, it is the final countdown before the start of the wedding season, one month from today.  If you're planning a wedding, there are several resources listed on the WEDDING tab on this blog.

Another great resource is my ebook 99 Ways To Have A Memorable Wedding On A Shoestring Budget which is available through the Amazon Kindle site.

Happy Valentine's Day, Sweetheart!

This was taken roughly 16 years ago, on our wedding day.  Can you guess who I am?  (Hint: I'm the taller one).

Need wedding ideas? Check out Oncewed.com

These days, coming up with new or unique ideas for your wedding can be daunting.

Never fear, Oncewed.com has come up with a list of ideas for your upcoming special day.

By clicking on the link above, the ideas range from:

Budget

Destination

Cultural

Vintage

Organic

Modern

Elegant

Rustic

Whimsical

DIY

There are thousands of ideas to choose from, so be sure to check out Oncewed.com's wedding idea site for ideas on planning your upcoming wedding.

Also, be sure to check out my ebook as well, and a link to it can be found here: 99 Ways To Have A Memorable Wedding On A Shoestring Budget

Wedding Season Countdown - Two Months and Counting

The typical wedding season starts in April, five months from today.

Is your wedding being planned for the summer of 2013? If so, then you're probably already planning for it.  If it's planned for 2014, chances are you're just starting the planning process.

There are many resources available on planning your wedding--many are listed by clicking the wedding tab along the side of this blog to sort through them all--and one such is the ebook 99 Ways To Have A Memorable Wedding On A Shoestring Budget which is available through the Amazon Kindle site.

Everything from starting a wedding budget and setting up a wedding fund, this short ebook is jam-packed with tips to get you started on your way to having a debt-free wedding.

Wedding Season Countdown - Three Months!

Happy New Year!

And what a happy year it will be too, for those of you planning your wedding.  The typical wedding season starts in April, three months from today.  If you're already deep in the planning phase, then let me share a few resources for you.

Many of the resources are listed by clicking the wedding tab along the side of this blog to sort through them all--and another such resource is the ebook 99 Ways To Have A Memorable Wedding On A Shoestring Budget which is available through the Amazon Kindle site.  So please click on the link above and start saving on your wedding today!

16 Cheap Wedding Venue ideas by Money Crashers.com

Money Crashers.com, the self-proclaimed "Guide To Financial Fitness", has devoted a section of their site towards 16 Cheap Wedding Venue Ideas.  This would be for both your ceremony and reception.

Some of these include:

Not getting married on a Saturday

Having a morning wedding

Even getting married off-season

These practical tips can help save a boatload from your wedding budget, and make your wedding unique and memorable.

So, check out Money Crasher's 16 Cheap Wedding Venue Ideas.  Your wallet will thank you for it.

Cheap Wedding Ideas from The Wedding Lens

The Wedding Lens, a site where many share their wedding photos with other wedding couples, has some practical cheap tips to save money on your wedding.

From categories like:

Invitations

Wedding Rings

Wedding Party

Photography

and many, many others.

75 tips in all.  Some are radical (eliminating the need for a ring bearer) while many are practical no-brainer method of saving money (use a friend's nice car instead of a limo).

So, check out The Wedding Lens's tips for saving money on your wedding and you can put much of your money where it should belong: in your own pocket!

Never too early to start planning your wedding

Would you start planning for retirement at the age of 64?

Then why would you start planning for your wedding a month or two before?

If you're like most, you've probably been dreaming about your wedding day since you've been a little girl.  But now that it's a reality and are engaged--CONGRATULATIONS are in order!--start planning now, whether your wedding date is in 2013 or 2014.

There are many resources available on planning your wedding--many are listed by clicking the wedding tab along the side of this blog to sort through them all.  One such inexpensive resource is the ebook 99 Ways To Have A Memorable Wedding On A Shoestring Budget which is available through the Amazon Kindle site.

Are there areas to wedding planning that's bogging you down?  Please share them here and I'll try work them into future blog posts.

Four Months Until The Start Of The Wedding Season

The typical wedding season starts in April, four months from today.  Is your wedding being planned for the summer of 2013? If so, then you're probably already planning for it.

There are many resources available on planning your wedding--many are listed by clicking the wedding tab along the side of this blog to sort through them all--and one such is the ebook 99 Ways To Have A Memorable Wedding On A Shoestring Budget which is available through the Amazon Kindle site.

100 wedding blogs . . . all in one spot!

You've set the date.  You've sat down with your fiancee and put together a wedding budget.

Now what?

What if there was a website one could go to that compiled tons of the top wedding sites?

There is!

WeddingBlogs100.com by Bride tide is that source.  They list the top 100 wedding blogs, and even have links to wedding trends for 2013.  (I won't spoil the fun, you'll have to check them out for yourselves.)

How do I find the top wedding blogs?

You're just starting plans for your wedding.  Now, where to begin?

There is a wealth of information out there, and I've put together much of it here.  Just click on the "wedding" tag at the end of this blog to see a compliation of what's been written so far.

Bride Tide has put together their Top 100 Wedding Blog Sites.  Now, this may seem overwhelming at first, but you can quickly scroll down the list to see if there are any that stands out.  What I'll do over the next course few months is highlight a few of the more interesting ones.

So be sure to check out Bride Tide's Top 100 Wedding Blogs and start gathering ideas for your special day today!

Five More Months Before The Start Of The Wedding Season

The typical wedding season starts in April, five months from today.

Is your wedding being planned for the summer of 2013?  If so, then you're probably already planning for it.

There are many resources available on planning your wedding--many are listed by clicking the wedding tab along the side of this blog to sort through them all--and one such is the ebook 99 Ways To Have A Memorable Wedding On A Shoestring Budget which is available through the Amazon Kindle site.

Wedding Planning On A Budget.com

Wedding Planning On A Budget.com is an excellent resource for newly-engaged couples looking to save for your upcoming wedding.  Here's a sneak peak at their promotional video:

They show you how to slice a large chunk of your wedding budget down to just a mere few thousand dollars.  Be sure to check out their website: Wedding Planning On A Budget.com for more info on what they have to offer.

Also, along with their information, my ebook titled 99 Ways To Have A Memorable Wedding On A Shoestring Budget is available on the Amazon Kindle site.

Now is the time to save some of your hard-earned dough on your wedding--without making it look cheap!

Squidoo's Guide to "Saving Money on a Wedding"

Squidoo.com is a great resource for nearly countless topics, and weddings is of course one of them.

Want to know how to save money on your upcoming wedding?

Confused by all the information on how to save money?

Within Squidoo.com's Budget Wedding topic is a subtopic called "Save Money On A Wedding" where there are tons of specific tips on saving money on your wedding.

And speaking of saving money, there's also 99 Ways To Have A Memorable Wedding On A Shoestring Budget which has been a good resource for many as well.  This ebook is available through the Amazon Kindle site.

Squidoo's Guide to "Budget Weddings"

Squidoo.com, the masterpiece of the great marketing genius of Seth Godin, has a great resource when it comes to finding ways to create a Budget Wedding.

There is a horde of information from DIY wedding invitations to where to buy bridal gowns online.

So, as many couples are putting together their plans for putting together a wedding-on-a-budget, be sure to check out the Budget Wedding resource on Squidoo.com

And let's also not forget about the ebook 99 Ways To Have A Memorable Wedding On A Shoestring Budget which is available through the Amazon Kindle site.