Featured Posts: 5 Things to pay for which aren’t a big wedding
Big wedding day or big future?
In a break from tradition, many people are eschewing a big wedding, and its associated costs. Instead people are using the money for alternative plans.
They call it the best day of your life; it’s certainly the most expensive. The mean cost of a wedding in the US is over $30,000 and that’s not even a big wedding. It’s enough money to start a business or make a down-payment on a house. Some women are saying no to the wedding industry: while they aren’t necessarily opposed to getting married, they’re seeking to spend their money on alternatives to that big wedding.
3Plus talked to a few women who decided to save on their wedding and invest their money in something else. (All names have been changed for privacy.)
Read: Flying solo. Why Millennial women are staying single
STUDENT LOANS
Abby, 32, asked her parents to pay for her grad school after they funded her sister’s wedding. “I was a 22-year-old asshole and I thought I’d never get married. I was furious that they would give my older sister money for a party (as I saw it) but expected me to take out loans for my education.” She eventually won her parents over; “and I ended up marrying a guy I met in grad school, anyway. We just had to make it a cheap wedding!”
BUSINESS INVESTMENTS
Sarah, 71, gave her daughter money to invest as an alternative to a big wedding. “Since my daughter was a kid, I’d been secretly saving up money to give her as a wedding present, because that’s what my parents did for me. When she talked about setting up her own business, I gave her the option to use that money so she wouldn’t have to take out a loan, and she jumped at it.”
EMERGENCY COSTS
Maria’s parents gave her and her fiancé a $5,000 cheque when they announced their engagement. “Three weeks later [our dog] Ashido got sick and most of the money went on his vets’ bills. My mom’s still upset that I chose my dog over a big wedding. I realise now that when [my parents] said we could spend the money on anything, they actually wanted us to spend it on either our wedding or a house.”
HOUSE DOWN PAYMENT
After saving up for her wedding, Suze decided to invest the funds in property instead. “My husband and I saved like crazy in the three years leading up to our wedding. We both took second jobs and we cut our expenses as much as possible. About halfway through, we realised we’d never had more money in our savings, and we decided not to spend it all on one day on a big wedding. We had a cheaper event than we’d originally planned and asked for cash rather than gifts from our guests. At the end of it, we had nearly $30,000 to put a down payment on a house.”
Having your own home can trump a big wedding.
TRAVEL
Saving money can give you a cushion when things go wrong, as Katya discovered. “My ex and I saved up $9,000 for our wedding – and then broke up. We lost the deposit on the venue but I still ended up with about $3,000 after we’d split the remaining savings. It paid for me to spend four months travelling in Asia.”
Not only that we are seeing a decline in the number of marriages taking place. Could cost be a factor?
Download these FREE career reflection worksheets to create a career strategy and plan.
Found that interesting?
Learn more about our services
Individual services
Make your dreams a reality with a professional evaluation of your career to date.
Corporate services
The evidence is in. More women in your company can deliver 35% greater financial returns. (Catalyst)
Upcoming events
Book Now
Dates for the Diary
12th January 2021 “Habits to help you work more effectively remotely” Crop Life Europe - Corporate event
28th January 2021 “Licence to hire - Managing Bias in Recruitment” ENGIE - Corporate event
29th January 2021 “Licence to hire - Managing Bias in Recruitment” ENGIE - Corporate event
5th February 2021 “ How to Build your Personal Board“ ENGIE Fifty-Fifty Programme - Corporate event
8th March 2021 IWD "How to create a career and networking strategy for career success” Highquest Partners - Corporate event
We have Remote Learning Programs available
Check out our exciting portfolio of offerings to support your business in upskilling and competence building for your teams, to address the unprecedented challenges that women face in this new totally a digital world.
Download and listen free podcasts
Building Trust at Workplace with Dorothy Dalton
Navigate career uncertainty post Covid19
Share the load – Online Discussion and Coaching Session with Ian Dinwiddy
How to show you are open to work
Things to do to protect yourself when you get fired
10 ways to create a post pandemic career safety net
Facial Movements: Do you Freeze, Flight or Fight?
How to Create an Effective USP
How to Rethink the Modern Workplace for Gender Equality
Menopause in the workplace
How to Cultivate Empathy in the Workplace
The importance of Hard Talk
When Does Female Rivalry Turn into Sabotage
Goal setting tips to boost your career
Sexism: How to stage a Bystander Intervention in the Workplace
How to Get Noticed by Head Hunters & Recruiters
Why all women need a strong LinkedIn profile
Related articles
4 Steps to a Winning Mindset
Tips for developing a winning mindset Mindset is particularly important when job hunting or seeking a promotion. It determines whether you show up self-confidently or wracked with self-doubt. The dictionary defines mindset as “a person’s usual attitude or...
Flexible Working Is ‘Just As Important To Men’
Flexible working isn’t just for caring reasons. There are lots of reasons why people want flexible working patterns and all are just an important to men.
Leading Virtually: Leadership Communication Essentials
More than ever before you are leading virtually with people dispersed throughout the globe. Here are 9 communication tips to help you engage virtually.