During your childhood I am certain the topic of your wedding day came up. Not only who you would marry but also all the things you would have at your wedding. I am sure you told everyone the huge ballroom where your reception would be as well as the large cathedral your wedding would be held in. Then you told everyone all the diamond jewelry you would be wearing, along with your designer wedding gown. Something so extravagant you needed attendants to walk behind you. You went on in great detail about the live entertainment you would have. The latest teen sex symbol would serenade you at your wedding and look teary eyed that he had lost you to another man. As you got older and matured the value of money began to burst your bubbles of the large extravagant wedding you deserved to have. I imagine all the parties involved in paying for the wedding ask that you set down and come up with some realistic numbers for the things you wanted included in your wedding. They may have given you a dollar amount and told you to work out a budget on that figure.

Several things influence your perception of what your wedding day should be like. Your friends and also the media. You may have wealthy friends who have had extraordinary weddings or you may have watched the latest movie star throw a multi-million dollar ceremony and lavish reception. On the shows you will see how the wedding planner always berates the couple to stay on budget but in the end figures out some way to get them what they want. No matter how absurd it is they always manage to fit it into the ceremony. From chauffeurs in limos, to custom pieces of furniture especially made for the wedding, they always get what they want.

The only thing you have to be concerned with is the shows are not the reality that you and I live in. You only have a finite amount of money and need to insure you get real value for every cent. That is why you have to really think about what you really must have at the wedding. You need to think carefully about the dress you wear, the decorations you buy, even the food you serve. Then you need to put pencil to paper.

While working up your preliminary budget you will need to make sure you include all the small details of what will be used in the actual wedding. You then need to think about what will be used for your reception. Sit back and imagine the flowers, the tables and what is on them, the entertainment, and even the venue you want to use. After you have carefully listed these items you need to get pricing for each and everyone. Then you can tell if want you want in anyway comes close to what you have to spend. For luxury items I always advise couples to get things that have lasting value such as diamond jewelry.

The national average for a wedding with 200 guests is $27,000.00. One sure way to get maximum value for your money is to look towards a quality wedding more so than a quantity wedding. You can have 400 people at your wedding but are they honestly really worth the extra cost. Remember this day is about you and you need to decide what you really want. Always be willing to compromise and give a little quantity to get a little more quality. Try to determine what added value each additional guests brings to your wedding. You need to make sure this day is as you want it and you are not obligated to invite everyone who ever knew you.