Let your marriage plans set the para­me­ters for your wedding plan­ning. By that I mean, you don’t want to figure out your budget before you figure out what kind of marriage you want to have.

• How do you envi­sion your future together?
• What kind of life and lifestyle do you want to build?
• What brought you together and what will keep you together?
• What are the values that you’re going to base that future on?
• What are the promises that you know you can keep to one another?

Only once those ques­tions are answered should you begin to consider your budget: because you want a budget that reflects your values and a wedding that reflects your marriage dreams. You want to keep focusing your wedding: cere­mony, vows and recep­tions on the marriage ahead.

Tip: Wedding plan­ning should start with marriage plan­ning. Sit together and dream of your future. Only then should you begin to build a budget.