It’s always great receiving an invitation to a wedding. It’s a joyous occasion that you are honoured to be part of. As excited as you may be, your wallet might not be as thrilled. All the costs are easy to forget, so be prepared for these expenses if you’re a wedding guest.

The engagement party

Couples usually have an engagement party to celebrate the good news and the marriage to come. It’s not always a big thing, but there is a chance that you may encounter a few expenses.

– You may need to purchase a gift. It’s not a requirement, but if you feel the need to get the couple a gift, it doesn’t have to be anything fancy or over the top and you shouldn’t feel pressured into getting something expensive.

– Not all engagement parties are super formal, but if the one you’re going to happens to be, and you don’t own anything up to par, then you may need to go on a little shopping trip.

– Hopefully, there are drinks available but if the soiree doesn’t feature an open bar, you’ll have to fork out some cash for your liquor.

Bridal shower

– Pitching up with a gift is now expected unless stated otherwise, so that’s definitely a deduction.

The bachelor/bachelorette party

– A gift may not be necessary but depending on how close you are to the bride, you may be required to contribute to various things surrounding the party itself.

– If you’re going out, you may have to pay your own way for things like dinner and drinks.

– Travel costs. Now, this isn’t always the case, but you may be required to travel to a destination for the party. Whether it’s an hour or plane away, that’s still a cost.

The wedding

– Travel comes up again, as the ceremony and reception may be held at a special place that’s of course at a distance. You’ll have to make your own way there unless stated otherwise.

– This is the main event and a special gift is now mandatory. Most couples opt for a wedding registry that consists of a variety of gifts with different price tags, big and small.

– Since it is the big day, you have to look your best. Depending on what the dress code is and what’s available in your closet, you may need to stop window shopping.

– If it is a destination wedding, chances are, you may need to sort out your own accommodation. Some couples may book a few rooms at a hotel but you’ll have to pay your own way.

It’s important to remember that even if you get an invitation to all the wedding festivities, you don’t have to attend them all, especially since they can become quite costly.

As expensive as all these things may seem, before you decline the invitation, keep in mind that all the things listed may not be applicable to all events.

Image: Visual Poetry Photography

Planning a wedding requires a lot of patience, time and attention to detail. For many it can be quite stressful and can take a toll on not only your time, but your emotions as well. Which begs the questions… are you a bridezilla or a bridechilla?

Bridezilla 

This is a bride who is stressing about everything and has little to no, well, ‘chill’. She’s determined and dead-set on getting her way and making sure everyone complies. A bridezilla has imagined her wedding day for what seems like forever and nothing is going to stop her from ensuring that her big day is exactly how she pictured. There’s nothing wrong with going after what you want, but be aware that these brides are usually not considerate of those around them and this can relate to money, schedules etc.

Bridezillas want things a certain way and want to make sure that their big day is perfect in every way. They’re usually very hands-on and will want control over all aspects of the planning. Wedding planner? What wedding planner??

If she’s surrounded by people who are unsure and don’t really know what to do, where to lend a hand or what to contribute, then a bridezilla may not be all that bad. After all, she’ll tell them.

The bridezilla will have planned everything down to the smallest detail, because she wants that first-hand reassurance that everything will be smooth sailing. Because when it comes to your wedding and paying large amounts of money, you want to know what’s going on 100% of the time.

Bridechilla

Basically, everything that was mentioned above, just the complete opposite. The bridechilla doesn’t seem to fuss over things and she just goes with the flow. It’s not that she’s careless, but she’s just not worried about everything as much. She doesn’t seek control over every little aspect of the planning process.

Being a bridechilla seems like it’s the easy choice, but it’s important to keep some things in mind about the laid back bride.

There is such a thing as being too chilled. When the bride-to-be is showing little to no interest about the wedding planning, there’s a great possibility that those around her will have to pick up the slack.

Some people enjoy some direction. For example, a bridechilla may tell her bridesmaids to wear what they want. This may leave them feeling confused and unsure of what exactly to wear or what the limitations are. Stress and frustration can be transferred to those around the bridechilla.

So… are you one of them?

This is your big day after all, so it should be exactly what you want, but you shouldn’t be over-stressing and taking all the fun out of it. With that being said, you shouldn’t allow those around you to carry all the weight, or, alternatively, feel like they have no say at all.

Trying to maintain a balance of both is the ideal – taking control but also letting go when needed. It’s great to know what you want and to have control of the planning, but you shouldn’t be too forceful, and don’t forget to chill out now and then.

Image: Pixabay