Gifts, loans, and student debt: the importance of being clear about money

Ariel was recently quoted in an "Ask Brianna" on Atlanta's radio station 95.5 article over here. The issue was how can someone pay for a wedding while they're really trying to pay down their student loans at the same time. It's a sticky issue with the hugely rising costs of college AND weddings.

We've featured example budgets from $0 to $5,000, $10,000, $20,000, and beyond. Some of these were self-funded and some were a collaborative budget.

Here's what Ariel had to say about communication regarding financing with your family. And keep scrolling for lots more wedding budget advice, if you're in the market for some help…

TALK TO YOUR FOLKS

Not everyone will be able to, or want to, receive financial help from parents. But include your families in the budget conversation early. You'll get a sense of what, if anything, they want to contribute and how much involvement they want in the planning process.

"It's especially important, if getting money from family, to be clear about whether contributions are gifts or loans, and whether there are expectations associated with the money," says Ariel Meadow Stallings, author of "Offbeat Bride: Creative Alternatives For Independent Brides" and publisher of offbeatbride.com.

For instance, if your parents help pay, they may want to invite their work colleagues. Make sure you're OK with that, or come to an agreement on the number of people they invite.

Read the whole article here.

More wedding budget advice: