The tying of your knot is one of the most memorable occasions of your life. And you do want to do it your way. But if you are thinking of a champagne breakfast following a huge wedding on a budget of $500, then you might be disappointed at the result. Weddings are expensive things, and you need to do them to the best of your financial ability. So before going ahead and splurging, take stock and find out how much do weddings cost?

First things first, think of the kind of wedding you would like to have. Do you want one at the church or other religious houses like a mosque or a temple? If you are a strong believer in religion, you might want to have a wedding in style inside a religious house. Or are you the kind who wants it on your backyard, in the justice of peace's office or at the local beach? Whatever be your option, be sure you want that for your wedding and then proceed to the next step.

The next step would obviously be consulting your partner. If your partner has a completely different idea in his/her head, then it would mean a lot of compromise and a huge amount of understanding on both your part. So be prepared to start negotiating and figure out what are the points you agree with and where you differ. Settle the difference and come to a decision.

Once you have done that, then find out how much do weddings cost by simply asking around. You would find that a simple wedding can cost a lot of money because there are quite a few hidden costs which get added up. So keep a bit of your budget for these extra costs in your wedding. Booking the location of your wedding and wedding breakfast can be expensive, not to mention hiring help, so search for a group which can provide you them without too much cost, and you can contact a wedding planner to help you decorate the wedding place and set the tables and arrange for the food. You would be surprised to find out how easy they can make your wedding for a fee. If you can afford it, then leaving your wedding to an expert can actually get you a dream wedding which would be perfectly drawn in the memories of you and your partner for years to come.

Then find out how many guests you are inviting. Remember, inviting guests mean a good amount of money, and you would need to provide them with food and drinks when they appear. Calculate the cost of catering, or if you are having a wedding breakfast in a restaurant then figure out the cost by contacting the hotel, and asking for the prices. The menu can be either set or filled with choices, and you can ask them to provide you with good service and food. These are the essential steps to go through to determine how much do weddings cost