The wedding vs the marriage

Planning a wedding is very exciting and these days it can be very costly. There are many things to consider, plan and pay for. I have often wondered if there is as much planning and preparation put into the marriage itself as it is for the "big day".

I have witnessed young people spend ten, twenty, thirty thousand dollars and more on that one day called the "wedding". Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for celebrating the big day. I have, however, wondered who the weddings are really for.

Here are a few things to consider. Why not spend a fraction of the cost on the wedding day and invest the rest for purchasing a first home? What about paying off or on student loans or consumer debt? Some of the money can be used to pay cash for a vehicle and avoid a car note. How about starting an investment portfolio of some sort? Attending marriage seminars are a great way to invest some money and time before getting married.

There is a lot of time spent as well planning for the "big day". Countless hours are spent looking at clothes, flowers, cakes, patterns etc etc. What if those hours were invested in pre-marital counseling or with older married couples soaking up wisdom and advice? How about investing some of those hours in the library reading highly recommended books about marriage? 

Getting married is a time of celebration and joy, however, there are ways to defray the cost and invest the rest. Besides the wedding will only last a day, the marriage will last a life time. Why not invest more into the life time? Just my thoughts.

everyday talk for everyday women...