The rising tide of wedding costs:

Are You a Big Budget Bride?

Industry experts tell us that brides today are spending an average of seven times what their mothers did to tie the knot.

The Big Picture

According to the leading bridal publications, the cost of an average wedding in North America was $22,000 in 2002. In 1961, Bride's Magazine put the figure at $3,500.

Weddings still run the gamut from a quick trip for two to the courthouse to a cast of thousands at the cathedral. Before you choose a caterer or decide on the size of the bridal party, much of the cost of your wedding may be determined. Here are some questions you can ask to help predict the size and scope of your wedding budget.

How old are you?

When mom and dad walked down the aisle, couples typically married in their early twenties (or earlier), and came from families where the imminent marriage prospects of other siblings had to be considered. Budgets had to be low, because Mom and Dad had to foot the bill.

Today, the average bride is 27 years old, and the groom is 29. They've been away from home for a while, and have resources of their own. The Bride's survey points out that 30% are paying for the wedding themselves, and 50% more are contributing substantially. Couples who put in cash feel more confident about demanding that their dreams and decisions play a role in pushing wedding plans onward and upward.

Where do you live?

Increasingly, engaged couples do not include the boy or girl next store. Part of marrying later is looking for your spouse after high school in college, or on the job, for example. Your fiancè is more likely to come from a different town, or region, or country than in your parents' day. Hometown weddings cost less than their on-the-town equivalents, and are more likely to take place in traditional or familiar locations, like a local church or country club.

Where is the wedding?

Which brings us to the question: so if not back home, where? Wherever your celebration place, many of your guests are going to have to travel to get there -- an added cost, though you probably won't pay it.

Will your wedding be where you are living now, or in the spirit of compromise, will you choose a "destination" affair? Many couples choose dramatic nuptial locations when they know guests will have to travel. In part, they know that their guests will have to spend more time on the celebration, and they want to offer activities and amenities to make the trip worthwhile. All of the latter, of course, contribute to budget expansion.

Just having all those people around also expands the list of invitees to rehearsal dinners and post-wedding gatherings, like a bridal brunch. Taking positive advantage of having so many loved ones near, many destination brides also move their bridal shower dates to the wedding weekend.

Are you living together before the ceremony?

Back in the day, most couples did not feel free to engage in intimate relationships before the ceremony. This rushed, shall we say, preparations for the ceremony, and less time usually means less frou-frou in the wedding game. Today, a nearly two-thirds majority of couples cohabitate before marriage, giving them the time (and the inclination?) to make elaborate plans, save additional wedding money, and arrange everything just as they like.

Do you dream of uniqueness?

Last but not least, as expenses and expectations rise, many couples try to come up with a wedding celebration that uniquely reflects their love, their cultures, and their dreams. Added on to the basic nuptial package, these factors can add just a little originality, or even a financial wallop, to the proceedings.

Recently, Chris and Mark Benjamin of Marine City, Michigan renewed their vows as Frankenstein and, of course, the Bride Of--with a mob of townspeople carrying torches to wish them well. This, of course, represents the high end of originality.

More commonly, a growing percentage of couples are adding a touch of personal heritage to their ceremonies to provide a connection to the past in the midst of modern splendor. These often require a small amount of thoughtfulness and time, rather than budget. Bride's Magazine points out the popularity among Japanese couples of a tea ceremony, and African-Americans may jump the broom.

Finally, if you are Venezuelan, you might just slip away from your big party, believing it is bad luck for the bride and groom to say, "goodbye!'