{"id":1510,"date":"2023-09-10T05:19:23","date_gmt":"2023-09-10T05:19:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/2023\/09\/10\/chucks-advice-on-hosting-a-budget-friendly-yet-stunning-wedding\/"},"modified":"2023-09-10T05:19:23","modified_gmt":"2023-09-10T05:19:23","slug":"chucks-advice-on-hosting-a-budget-friendly-yet-stunning-wedding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/2023\/09\/10\/chucks-advice-on-hosting-a-budget-friendly-yet-stunning-wedding\/","title":{"rendered":"Chuck’s Advice on Hosting a Budget-Friendly yet Stunning Wedding"},"content":{"rendered":"


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By Chuck Bentley<\/span><\/a><\/span>, CP Guest Contributor
\"\"\/<\/a>\"\"\/<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n

\"Ask<\/a><\/p>\n

Dear Chuck,<\/em><\/p>\n

A young man recently asked to marry my eldest daughter. I have three girls, so I know that the way we do this first wedding will likely set a precedent for the following ones. I am not a wealthy man, but I want my family to celebrate this occasion in a beautiful way. Do you have advice on how to save money on a beautiful wedding?<\/em><\/p>\n

Frugal Father of the Bride<\/em><\/p>\n

Dear Frugal Father of the Bride,<\/p>\n

<\/source><\/picture>
Unsplash\/Scott Webb<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Well, I have four sons. I\u2019ve never bought a wedding dress or paid for a wedding, but I\u2019ve been to some pretty extravagant ones, and I have officiated a few that were way out of my comfort zone when it comes to expense. So, you are my kind of guy. You want to honor your daughter and future son-in-law but within proper financial constraints!<\/p>\n

Even though a wedding is a special day \u2014 an event that should be a once-in-a-lifetime experience \u2014 there is no reason to go into debt for a beautiful\u00a0covenant-making ceremony before God and man.\u00a0That is the baseline, but let’s get more specific.<\/p>\n

Weddings are expensive <\/strong><\/p>\n

Most couples today anticipate sending invitations to between 130\u2013150 guests.\u00a0 They willingly spend thousands for the perfect venue.\u00a0 A wedding planner is hired, along with a caterer, photographer, and videographer. Then there\u2019s the cost of flowers, a cake, music, hair, make-up, dress, shoes … and the list goes on and on! Add in the cost of transportation to a destination wedding, and it is easy to see how people accumulate major debt for a wedding. The average wedding expense for couples marrying in 2022 was $30,000.<\/p>\n

The $100 wedding <\/strong><\/p>\n

That is why I like the story of Ellie and Carson Simon<\/a>. I don\u2019t know them, but my wife found their story online. They were married during COVID, so only 16 guests were invited. The venue was outdoors in Glen Canyon \u2014 a drive accessible for both families.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ellie found a dress for $20, borrowed a veil from a friend, and went barefoot. Her three sisters had fun doing her hair and makeup in the car. She picked her bouquet from the side of the road. A pre-wedding picnic was prepared by a friend of the family for everyone. Then Ellie\u2019s grandfather performed the ceremony while guests took photos with disposable cameras. The entire wedding cost a mere $100.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Many people cannot imagine asking friends and family to help with such an event. And, yet, this is what can make a wedding all the more special. Most people I know would find great joy and purpose in helping if simply asked.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The frugal part <\/strong><\/p>\n

An article at NerdWallet.com<\/a> references average cost figures based on The Knot\u2019s annual Real Weddings Study<\/a>. They offer a significant number of ways to save money. It is worth the read to see where costs can be reduced.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, debt often begins before the wedding occurs. Couples may bring consumer debt, student loans, and other financial issues into their marriage. Transparency must be established, and honest communication practiced. Contrary to the way proposals took place back in my era, more and more couples rely on professionals and costly engagement rings. This can cause financial stress before the wedding even takes place.<\/p>\n

Make a budget and stick to it. Refuse to be influenced by what the world says a great wedding should be. Rather, look to the Word, and encourage your children to focus their time, energy, and finances into becoming a godly couple. This special day can be celebrated without the glitz and glamor promoted by the wedding industry.<\/p>\n

Dad, you (and your spouse) should ask the Lord for guidance. Seek the advice of older people in your church or family. Will your daughter be paying for anything? How about the groom or his family? How much can they realistically afford? Stress that the focus should be on the marriage covenant made before God, not on a ring, a dress, a venue, or anything else. There is great value in keeping things simple. The bride and groom will experience less stress, enabling them to thoroughly enjoy their wedding day and the days leading up to it.<\/p>\n

The beautiful part<\/strong><\/p>\n

A simple ceremony that I remember well is a small one where the wedding party sang the favorite Christian songs of the bride and groom as they entered and departed the chapel. Weddings are a reflection of our relationship with the Lord. The Bible begins and ends with a wedding. The most beautiful part of a wedding is the bride and groom’s commitment to the Lord and each other. When people experience a beautiful, God-glorifying ceremony, they are touched and inspired, regardless of the budget.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Let your daughters know what you can afford without debt. Ask them to be creative in using those funds, and whatever your budget, aim to glorify God. Be sure to thank Him for providing what you are able to afford.<\/p>\n

Want more tools and tips regarding financial freedom and purpose? Subscribe to our emails at Crown.org<\/a> (on the homepage) and receive helpful articles, resources, and more sent to your inbox.<\/p>\n

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Chuck Bentley is CEO of\u00a0Crown Financial Ministries<\/a>, a global Christian\u00a0ministry, founded by the late Larry Burkett. He is the host of a daily radio broadcast,\u00a0My MoneyLife<\/a>, featured on more than 1,000 Christian Music and Talk stations in the U.S., and author of his most recent book,\u00a0Economic Evidence for God?<\/a>. Be sure to\u00a0follow Crown on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Join thousands of others to get the FREEDOM POST<\/strong> newsletter for free, sent twice a week from The Christian Post.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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By Chuck Bentley, CP Guest Contributor | Friday, September 08, 2023 Dear Chuck, A young man recently asked to marry my eldest daughter. I have three girls, so I know that the way we do this first wedding will likely set a precedent for the following ones. I am not a wealthy man, but I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1511,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[]},"categories":[43],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1510"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1510"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1510\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1511"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1510"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1510"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1510"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}