My perfect marriage proposal

Give your partner the perfect proposal experience.

Wedding planning

What do you do after getting engaged? (Wedding planning)

by

Firstly, congratulations on your engagement. The My Perfect Marriage Proposal team is very happy for you and your fiance.

Now that you are officially engaged, you need to think about what is going to happen next. I’ll admit from experience that things tend to go very quickly and there are new types of pressures and  challenges that you will need to deal with.

So here are a few things that you can do after you get engaged.

Enjoy the moment with your partner.

It is about the two of you. So cherish the engagement moment together.

You can get a memories book that highlights your moments from the proposal to your wedding day.

Share the news.

It is a happy moment for you and your partner, so share the news with those that you care about and celebrate the moment.

Have the “after engagement talk”.

This is really important because you will need to discuss what ideas you both have for the wedding and how to make it a reality. You will need to discuss things such as:

  • When the two of you want to have the wedding.
  • How much the two of you plan to spend on the wedding.
  • How you plan to pay for the wedding.
  • What type of wedding the two of you will have.
  • Who will be invited?

There may be some other things that the two of you need to talk about as your relationship will change. So you can also check out the book “From me to we”.

How should you behave with your fiance after the engagement?

You should continue to show love to one another, however the wedding planning process can create frustration and agitation towards your partner. If you have the budget to hire a wedding planner, do so to avoid any unnecessary stress. Also remember to focus on the positives with your partner.

You will need to start planning the wedding.

You need to work out a plan with your partner so that things will go smoothly. There’s the saying “Fail to plan, you are planned to fail.” So start by buying wedding planning guides to help you both through the wedding planning experience. Click the link to browse the wedding planning book from The Knot.

Note – This post contains affiliate links, however the opinions are my own. 

Who should be the best man at your wedding?

by

Now that you’ve successfully proposed, it is time for you to start arranging your wedding entourage. And the first one to choose is your best man. There are probably a few questions running through your head when it comes to choosing your best man. Here are a few answers to put the questions in your mind at ease.

Who is usually the best man at a wedding?

This would usually be one of your close friends and someone that can help you manage your wedding day’s preparations.

Should your brother be your best man?

He can be, but he doesn’t have to be. It is a personal choice that you have to make. If both you and your brother are close, then having him as a best man will be ideal.

Can your dad be your best man?

He can be. Although it would usually be someone that is a friend. The parents would usually have a different role at your wedding. That being said, you are welcome to choose your dad as your best man for the day.

Do you need a best man?

You don’t absolutely need a best man. It is a personal choice. But it is common for the groom to have one best man in his bridal party.

How should you tell your best man?

You can take them to a private place and ask them in person.

 

Now that I’m getting married, how much should my wedding budget be?

by

There is a saying that you cannot put a price on love, but when wedding planning is involved, it is another story. The wedding should be the fantastic finale to your love story, however many couples end up fighting, arguing or even calling off the wedding due to the complications with wedding planning. At the heart of the conflict is the wedding budget.

All women dream of their perfect wedding day. For the both of you, it will be the biggest celebration of your lives. To not have your ideal wedding can cause conflict and resentment that can affect the dynamic of your relationship.

The cost to have a wedding tends to be quite high. The costs can vary due to venues, cultural traditions, the number of guests, decorations and other factors.

Many men struggle to justify the cost of the wedding, since they end up spending thousands of dollars for a one-day event.

Before you pop the question, it is better that you know what you are getting yourself into so that you can manage your own expectations when it comes to planning the wedding and minimise tension caused by the financial requirements.

What is the average cost of a wedding?

If you want to have a cheap wedding, you are realistically looking at a budget of around $10,000. Most weddings tend to cost around $20,000 or more. It isn’t uncommon for couples to spend up to $100,000 on their wedding day. The cost of a wedding can easily skyrocket if the costs aren’t kept under control.

How much should your wedding budget be?

You really need to look at what you can afford. For most people, a budget of $10,000-20,000 will be ideal and it will make up around 20% of their annual earnings.

Should you consider getting finance to have your perfect wedding?

This is a personal decision that you need to make. But you need to be aware that you may find yourself paying off the loan for many years to come. It isn’t uncommon for people to take out a wedding loan for $20,000 or more, only to payback the loan for the next 10-20 years.

How much do you need to save for a wedding?

If you are doing a cheap wedding, you may be able to get by on $10,000. However, it is more likely that you will need $20,000 or more in savings to finance everything with for your wedding.

How much do wedding venues cost?

It depends on the venue. Venues are known to add a surcharge if you mention that you will be hosting a wedding. Outdoor venues may cost as little as $500. Churches, halls and hotels may cost $1,000-2000.

Spending $5000-10,000 to hire a venue isn’t uncommon.

What is the average wedding cost per head?

The cost per head usually starts at $100 a head.

What’s the average number of guests at a wedding?

This is a personal choice. It is common for people to hold small weddings of 50-100 people. (Which makes the total head cost $5000-10,000). For those that have a larger budget, the guest list can be in the hundreds or even thousands.

It really depends on the type of wedding that you want to have and the people that you want to be there.

What are some of the wedding item costs that you will need to account for?

  • Wedding rings – $2,000
  • Wedding dress – $2,000
  • Wedding bouquet – $300
  • Wedding cake – $300
  • Wedding guests – $100 per head (50 guests will be $5,000)
  • Wedding venue hire – $5,000
  • Wedding car hire – $300
  • Bridesmaids dress – $2,000
  • Groomsmen attire – $1,000
  • Marriage celebrant – $500

As you can see, the wedding costs can go up very quickly. This also doesn’t account for the cost of taking time off work to see ad commute to venues as well as to meet with people to plan your wedding day.

There may be additional costs with wedding flowers as well as you add to the design of the venue. Todich floral design shares wedding flower options.

Note: If you don’t know where to start with flowers, then check out this novice guide to roses.

If you can afford a wedding planner, it will add that extra bit of convenience and stress-relief, despite being an added cost.

Don’t get too overwhelmed with the wedding budget. Consider what you can afford and try to make your ideal wedding fit within that budget. Aim for a minimum of $10,000 so you will have a safety net for your wedding’s finance.

Note – If you need a cash advance or a loan for your wedding, you can consider applying with the following vendors.

CashAdvance (US Only)

No Problem Cash – Quick loans (US Only)

Every Cash – Payday loans

24/7 loan express (US Only – Up to $35,000)


Note – This post contains affiliate links. 

Having doubts about getting married? (Cold feet?)

by

Whether you have proposed already or you are thinking about whether or not you should propose, it is easy to have your doubts to go through with the marriage. It is a big change that will occur in your life and you will no longer be doing things for yourself, but for your partner and the family that the two of you will build together.

There are several reasons why you will have doubts about getting married. But the main thing to keep in mind is why you want to marry your partner in the first place.

If you were to ask married couples why they chose to get married, many of them will say that “They just knew.” It sounds like a cliché, but you want to go on this journey with your partner and nobody else. You will want to go through the ups and the downs of this relationship. The person will be your lover as well as your friend. But at the end of the day, the two of you will be moving forward together as a unit.

Here are a few things that you should keep in mind if you feel like you are having doubts about getting married.

You don’t feel like you can commit to one person.

If you are someone that has mingled around in the past, then you need to ensure that all of those desires to be with others have settled. Marriage is serious and you don’t want to give the other person heartbreak throughout the marriage relationship. If your intuition tells you that you are ready to commit to one partner, then follow your instinct and go ahead with the marriage. If you still feel tempted to mingle with others, then you should seriously reconsider your intentions for getting married.

There are significant differences in opinion when it comes to managing finances.

All is meant to be good in marriage if love isn’t a problem. However, financial challenges often put a significant strain on the marriage relationship. You may love the other person, but if both of you aren’t working towards similar financial goals, there will be an uneven balance in the relationship and it will cause tension and conflict in your marriage.

Before committing, have a serious discussion to ensure that the both of you are on the same page when it comes to finances and agree to a plan of action to manage the financial side of your relationship as you build an expanding family.

You are unwilling to adapt to change.

There will be many things that will change the way your relationship is leading up to the marriage and even after the marriage. You need to accept the changes and the challenges that are ahead of you. You will face challenges in your responsibilities as a man as you become a husband and a father. Your priorities will also change especially with the way that you allocate your time and finances. If you are prepared to adapt, then  you can pursue this journey. If not, you will need to rethink your position in pursuing marriage.

You are not willing to give up half of what you own.

In many Western countries, the union of marriage will also split the amount of assets between the couple. So if you are sensitive about giving up half of what you own, be it shares, property or businesses, then you should give your intention for marriage some extra thought.

Issues with the in-laws.

When marrying your partner, you will be marrying into their family. If you don’t get along with your in-laws, it will be difficult to maintain positive momentum in your relationship.

These are a few questions that you should ask yourself if you feel like you are having doubts. Be honest with yourself. Marriage is a commitment for life. You want to approach without a doubt in your mind.