Our world is ever changing and can be filled with uncertainty. Many couples have planned to tie the knot in 2020. Spring and summer weddings are very popular, but how will they remain safe? What if your fiance lost their job right before getting hitched? Are there fines to disobeying the social distancing order? How can couples save on catering and decorations? Ken Kurson, a financial literacy savant who manages Book and Film Globe among many other successful digital properties, has published several books on how to be a smart spender. His book, The Green Magazine Guide to Personal Finance: A No B.S. Book for Your Twenties and Thirties, has developed core ideas that help people stay financially stable. In Chapter 4, “Love and Money”, Kurson describes the importance of cheap weddings.
First off, limiting who attends is crucial. Put the guest list on a diet. If the couple hasn’t talked to a possible guest in two years, it’s best to hold off sending the invite. In 2020, the average wedding can cost somewhere between twenty to thirty thousand dollars! Per guest, that be $150-300. Instead of paying for a few extra friends that might just be there to boost your ego, use that money to forward pay a car bill or put it in your savings account. As fun as weddings can be, they don’t earn compound interest as your savings account does. With a pandemic still being prominent in the United States, having extra money to get you through any possible sickness is a lot more important than feeding your highschool cheerleading captain a salmon fillet.
Next, Kurson emphasizes that at home weddings are the way to go. Making sure everyone stays at least six feet apart is a must. Although it might not be as spacious as a resort, it will ensure that fewer people will be there due to restrictions. In addition, Kurson believes that will financially save your wedding. The average backyard wedding is just a little over a thousand dollars. That’s definitely acceptable during a pandemic.
Ken Kurson graduated from the University of Chicago in 1993. Just like anyone, he had no idea the world would be in such turmoil so many years later. His knowledge of financial literacy, especially personal finance, has helped thousands from drawing into debt and even more stress. He has created domains such as California Globe, to help people have easy access to his helpful insights. Ken shared that a couple he knew was supposed to get married this October. Having an autumn wedding had always been Sarah and Micheal’s dream. They had invested so much equity into this celebration and were terrified the pandemic would ruin everything. With Ken’s advice from The Green Magazine Guide to Personal Finance: A No B.S. Book for Your Twenties and Thirties, they adapted to the new climate of the world.
The first change Sarah and Micheal did was to trim down the guest list. They made it clear that it was only because of the social distancing order. Fines can accrue over $500 if rules are broken. After that, they asked a friend to take their photos instead of hiring a photographer. This saved them about three thousand dollars. Micheal was mostly concerned about the quality of food since he is a chef during the day. He came up with a meal plan that allowed him to be creative and save money. Instead of having lobsters, they had a more luxurious chicken. Kurson urged them to concentrate on the basics and if they had anymore spending money, to do whatever they wanted.
From what Ken Kurson has said in various interviews, keeping calm and saving amongst the chaos is always in the cards. Weddings have the opportunity to satisfy couples’ wants while retaining their needs. He understands that couples are stressed beyond imagination. Having a wedding takes so much planning and preparation. With the guidance from his books, available on Amazon, engaged couples are sure to have wonderful weddings. His last word of advice is this; elope. That way, the couple ensures a safe and socially distant wedding. Although having that small of a wedding may not be ideal, it is much more personal and financially beneficial. Indeed, there are always ways to innovate during challenging times. This is surely one of many ways to do just that.