How to Ask Your Parents for Wedding Money

Money -- it’s one of the most difficult subjects to talk about, and it comes up often when discussing your wedding day. Broaching the wedding budget with your parents may not be easy, but it’s essential to ensure that you’re getting the wedding day that you want without putting your parents into the poor house.

Luckily, discussing the wedding budget with your parents doesn’t have to be awkward. Follow these five easy tips to make the dreaded budget conversation a breeze!

Explore 5 ways to discuss the wedding budget with your parents:

1. Have a vision for your wedding budget.

Sit down with your partner and start outlining your individual visions of the big day. Once you’re both on the same page, discuss the costs around executing your vision. Don’t guesstimate. Do a little research on prospective venues and vendors to help you approximate costs more accurately.

2. Prepare yourself.

Before having “the talk” with your parents, understand what your financial situation is and what you’re capable of contributing to the pool. You must go into the conversation assuming you’ll need to cover everything. You also want to be prepared for any financial questions they might ask. On the same note, be sure to give your parents a heads up before you have the budget talk. Not only do you want to avoid blindsiding them, but you also want to make sure that they have all of their ducks in a row before making any commitments.

3. Have “The Talk.”

Once you’re prepared and have given your parents some time to go over their finances, it’s time. Be honest and transparent about what you want and what you can afford. If parents from both sides of the aisle are planning to contribute to the big day or your parents are divorced, be sure that you have a consensus from all parties before moving forward with any vendors or venues.

4. Understand their expectations.

Before taking your parents up on any generous offers, understand their expectations of you. Some parents expect to be deeply involved in the planning process, while others are content with just picking up the tab. Ask them what they want and be straightforward about your non-negotiables. This conversation will help you decide what you’re willing to compromise on.

5. Be honest.

Talking about money is easier said than done, but what’s even more difficult is being honest about it. Difficult as it may be, you must be transparent about your financial position, your expectations, and your vision throughout this process. The only way to make these budget conversations and decisions productive is to put everything on the table in a respectful, well-meaning way!

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