Wedding budget tips for couples & guests

Hosts Susan Campbell and Christine Stanwood share their wedding experiences and love of wedding planning before welcoming guest Bobbi Rebell, chief financial education advisor at Accredited Debt Relief, to discuss the financial realities of weddings for couples and guests. Rebell advises couples to gain clarity early on priorities, rank what matters most, and make deliberate choices, noting many items are negotiable beyond price and that vendors’ underlying costs should be respected. They discuss overlooked expenses like alterations and shipping, creative cost-saving ideas, and how family contributions can affect decisions. For guests, they cover managing travel, hotel rates, childcare solutions, outfit renting or re-wearing, seeking price adjustments, and booking flights early. Rebell explains etiquette for declining unaffordable invitations, suggests flexible approaches to gifts for destination weddings, and encourages avoiding unpayable debt while being proactive if bills become a problem.