Congratulations! You have found that person you want to live happily ever after with.

If you feel like one of the happiest times of your life has been clouded with the stress of planning and financing your wedding, then read on.

Most young couples live for today and don’t think ahead. The result is accumulating a pile of credit card and loan debts however; you don’t want to start a marriage going into mountains of debt just for one day.

1. Start with the budget
One of the things most couples notice when planning their wedding is that the costs of a wedding add up increasing their budget. Set a budget and stick to it if you can so that costs don’t spiral out of control.
Make a list of everything you need to spend money on and shop around for the best deal.

Decide what kind of wedding you want and can afford. The cost of a wedding will depend on the:

• Number of guests
• Venue of ceremony and reception
• Bride dress and hair and makeup
• Food and drinks
• Wedding cake
• Music/entertainment
• Cars
• Photography
• Flowers

Figure out how much you want to spend on each item to come up with a total cost. Have a list of items you would love to have but isn’t high up on the priority list to add only if you have extra budget leftover.

2. Figure out how much you need to save
Now that you have set your wedding budget, you need to work out how much you will need to save to meet this target and how long it will take you to do so. Be realistic about what you can achieve and how much you can afford.

For example, if you want to marry in a year’s time and you have said you’ll pay $10,000, you’ll need to save around $830 a month. But, if you wait an extra year, you’d only need to save half that each month. If it is possible, try and pay for big items like the wedding dress or reception in installments to avoid using your credit card when possible.

3. Start Saving Now!
The sooner you start saving, the easier it will be to manage your costs. Try to start saving as early as possible for your big day. Open a savings account to earn a high interest rate on your savings. Don't be tempted to use the money for anything else.
Start saving early and look for ways to cut costs. You want your wedding day to be a happy memory for you and your loved ones and not be a burden on your marriage.