The Financial Challenge Intricacy of Weddings

During the planning of a wedding, with all its excitement, details and often times stress, the subject of money can be delicate and sensitive. Whether it is the groom's family, the bride's parents, the couple themselves or a  combination of the three who are providing the financing for the celebration, the issue involves much more than just how much to spend on decorations or entertainment.

Before anything, have an open discussion with your fiancé to determine your priorities for the wedding. Chances are you already have some idea of who will pay for your celebration, and creating a list will allow you to guide both your expectations and spending related to wedding funds.

Once the priorities are set, determine what the overall budget will be and who will be contributing. Tradition held specific roles and responsibilities for each of the parties in a wedding. These days many brides and grooms are a bit older and more financially independent and they create their budget based upon their own unique needs and wishes.

The bride's family typically pays for her gown and accessories, the groom's wedding ring, invitations and all printed materials, floral arrangements and music for the ceremony and reception.

The groom's family is responsible for paying for the groom's attire, the reception and of course the honeymoon. If the groom were to host a luncheon or dinner for his attendants, his family would be responsible for those expenses as well.

It used to be the sweet custom in some places that the groom's family would pay for the bride's bouquet as well as the groom's attendants but today there is just one florist for the whole event who provides all the flowers for the ceremony, bouquets, baskets for flower girls and corsages for mothers and grandmothers. As with all the other wedding expenses today it is perfectly acceptable for each couple to determine what works best for them.

It is however, a romantic idea to honor the lovely tradition that the groom's lapel flower is a blossom plucked from the bride's bouquet.

Hiring a wedding coordinator can be good for your budget as they can sometimes negotiate on your behalf and share their expertise regarding overall budgets and specific costs for things like venue rental, band, etc. A good planner can give you an educated estimate of what the whole event might cost.

Tipping is one of those subjects that tend to confuse everyone. Whom to tip and how much varies greatly according to the situation. The first thing you want to look at is the type of service that is being provided and whether a gratuity or service charge is already included.

Here are some guidelines on whom to tip:

.Banquet managers, captains, bartenders and wait staff.

You can calculate this at anywhere between 5 to 10 percent of the beverage bill.

.Band, ceremony musicians and deejay.

This varies as some bands include gratuity in their pricing. If you love the band or musicians you can tip individually or prepare one large amount and give it to the bandleader for distribution.

.Hair and make-up professionals.

A small gratuity is always appropriate for these beauty artists, whether you visit the salon or have them come to you on the big day.

No Need to Tip:

.Photographers, videographers, bakers and florists.

These pros charge flat fees for their goods and services and don't generally expect tips. Of course you can tip them if you like and certainly they will appreciate it, but a heartfelt note of thanks and possibly a small gift is just fine.

.Wedding coordinator.

This will depend upon your arrangement. No gratuity is expected but gifts are appropriate if you feel your planner has gone above and beyond standard duties to make your day special.

A note of heartfelt thanks is one of the best gifts you can give any of your wedding providers. Just as with any thank-you note, try to recount a few specific things that made the day really special, and mention the names of any individuals who were particularly helpful.