Anja Winikka, TheKnot.com Site Editor, discusses Wedding Costs

You know this wedding stuff may not be so tough after. I've always says my parents paid for the photographer. My father in law paid for the did your dinner and my wife and I paid for the rest and we got married during a weekday and only had seventy people to -- -- Now a lot of great team I love I'm smaller better. Alternative waiting that a little it's all year you have money to do more quality being here then you know it's not a destination wedding you hear much about that -- for any -- girlfriends get having. Weddings where they say well we're gonna go to Jamaica yes and it's an all inclusive so I have to do is get there are in right and hang out -- will party for a week I have heard about those can't -- you know obviously ton of people I have to patriot against you say hey is this is gonna -- -- -- in -- -- -- -- -- the -- -- -- -- -- can't afford -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- you don't see your best friend the way to interact and. Now. My daughter's wedding was 20000 dollars in those eighteen years ago thank goodness she -- a great guy from wonderful thing. It's it's so would you OK so you you have. Suns yes -- would you if C. You know one of there Beyonce has come today and the parents and you would say taking chipping -- can you maybe throw in 50% of this or help out -- how would you say yes I'd help out go to the way I can -- -- put more of a priority. On their education. Then I did on their weddings I look at my obligation being. Getting them to Kyle tried because a lot of Barry is a wedding reception. An investment into someone's future. Well not really it's gonna be a great day. No matter what rank and meet you have in the backyard in it's still going to be a wonderful today in and you have a great time in. It's gonna be something you remember. My parents got married in the day in my grandparents' backyard -- -- that's that they had no money there in nineteen years old eighteen years old married young and -- -- the other thing candidate -- you'd be -- younger you tell me they Marion an ice -- the. They do they -- about. What's gonna be nicer abruptly I think it's -- usually it's attached to the hockey rink and it overlooks the hockey so. During the wedding you can watch a little cocky you know it is Jean jacket is considered formal Wear out -- out the Jean jacket in the genes rob is the Canadian tuxedo. And in Canada we don't worry about. You know. Get married before the bring -- assets in -- That adds a whole other thing you know the warrantless gas somebody's pregnant and then you know your deal and couple others like Canada -- want to make sure they can get pregnant first then animals decide whether we want to do that I'll make sure they can breed and only the why why very innovative thinking amber -- hockey players right pocket I tactic I -- -- it's all about. It's like 52% of the NHL was occupied by Canadians. Just gotta throw that in there you'll have one daughter so -- -- probably have to pay in its entirety for one way. And what these people do that have kids that may be graduate from college -- within five years they've got to pay for what it. I don't know when he bit or -- -- if you have to pay for waiting and you still have kids in college and let's say you have a big family at five kids. And the oldest one to settle I'm getting married in Allen and yet you're still in college tuition for the younger too. That's that's a real financial strain it is and I hope people do with these days. I really count as you know I was saying the average price here and Boston is 27900. Dollars. That's a lot of money these days Barry we got to save in order to save 27900. Dollars. You have to go out and earn probably forty. Rate that that seventy have to -- so. Our next guest is here idea on -- and I believe your lasting mispronouncing unique is that right. -- -- -- -- -- When a guy in your from not dot com and for. Those of us who are novices and not dot com is like a wedding website and. Yeah I now more than ever on wedding website everything for you all the questions that you have all the photos your wedding planner everything on the line. All right so what's the biggest expense associated win when our daughters get married. And it's the biggest expense would have to be to better itself. And that they catering costs and often time that's wrapped up into the wedding venues that reception hall is gonna eat up about half of your budget easily. Wow OK so and then would do little weddings cost up in the Boston area on average. Early in the bottom and it's a little bit higher you get the national average is about 27000. Dollars. And that I -- right enemy but the but the -- I think is closer to 3040 admitted to cook a depressing forty. Well now Arab is a retired as the photographer still a big expense I remember when I got married this is like you know decades ago. But. The the photographer was of a big expense and you didn't get to keep your pictures as -- -- eating get your pictures to like five years later. And avid photographer is still one of the biggest expense that. You know edit it all those photos that you get to like that you eventually get after the wedding and that you don't make it yet that back on the replay can be people spend. You know more at a photographer. -- -- may be -- a lot of stock Hershey additionally the do you get your -- and a little faster. Then there's that great. And attempted to announce this question you know the old it was an old saying. Well was in battles a few years back that a woman over forty had a better chance of getting knocked off by a terrorist than she did of getting married. I'm just wondering if we know the average age of today's bride. Not the average -- -- today's bride is 29. And the reason is thirty though. It actually got -- -- have gone up over the last couple years though. And it's it's kind of steadily made its way up front I think it you know 56 it -- at the -- is more like 26 27 that it can play at this. But it wouldn't when you look at what's being spent on weddings has that been impacted by the recession we've got a lousy economy since 2008. Yeah yeah I you know that we've been tracking the numbers the national and not letting you know every year at least that the 2000 that it. And we found was that he's out today that number had been float Edie Klein ain't. To nine doesn't and ended -- eleven and number went a little bit backup that'd be averages about 27000 dollars. And ended 2010 that number was under it was closer is two point 6984. So it went up for the first time in years. -- maybe like what's in right now what's the big theme what's what's the thing that everybody wants. And a way. Well I you know I think it's it's totally regional -- I mean EEO. But I would say. And -- I'm going like carrying a it's hot. But it is an ideal lead outright -- could act as an. I will be the most popular color. Trending in these -- is actually purple. The purple -- made like a big comeback over the last couple years. The color that no one is doing is brown. Ever went to -- to brownies stating it was popular for years there has but it writers' strike went back color. Stylistically. And you know in in the northeast finalized until very traditional. Formal wedding. But we are acting like an overall shift toward a little more -- wedding and that it Peter talks stayed in it and ties and. You know I foil. Dresses that you know I mean gosh back until the eighties and nineties a lot of I was in a few weddings. And my dress looked like blue you know gold tin foil it was horrific -- and it leaderboard again yeah -- -- and if you're an Indy spends just to -- it'll wedding let's talk about how much that costs. Yeah no I mean. It's then that it's expense that you know it -- it could be in a way to be a bridesmaid -- -- a hundred to 300 dollars. It may actually doing you a favor by letting you went there when you're never union and the invitation. -- cost thousands the audience and and Saudi -- and -- are. Our weddings joint ventures now hours it's still Wear the bride's parents pick up the tablet would the average is there of and and I'm really nervous about this. No I you know the ability to look pretty rain and most tainted -- parent at a brighter paint in most for the wedding budget the past said. They 75% of couples. Are contributing to their own weddings. And that they may not be painful but they are like these days more more coupled Arab country to a wedding -- -- think that type into the fact that probably a little bit older these days they got two jobs they're more established in their careers that. You know money talks to -- if Europe -- putting money down for your wedding and then you get to that fact Catholic not mom and dad. Good point. All right well and you we appreciate your time and your only source here in in June more than ever is a dedicated bachelorette -- I'm you know -- listening to all this I'm really motivated now Angela stayed single call my dad and say dad cough up thirty grand and go on now get a fitted for a wedding dress and now. Your hello crabby and notice -- -- -- use you have a little bit of that mail repellent and go. -- tell you do say it. Beautiful woman and I love working with you but I got -- tightly held out the disclaimer everybody -- -- well you'd -- you today you'd eat traceable to you did you grow up with with with wolves yet I did with. Real -- to know I I think weddings -- fabulous I just think that people overspend and you could be taken them money and spending it on so many other. Fabulous things in life you know that they were ethnic not to say that you're not. If not don't have a well yes -- I love romantic you. Thirty Crandall will come and it could be going to would you kids' education a down payment on a house. Yeah yeah -- cajun.