When I was married my fiancé and I staged a rather untraditional reception for her hometown (it was more suited for my upstate New York neighborhood). But her loving parents went right along with our plan, supporting us every step of the way.

For us, our parents provided the means for our happily-ever-after event. We started our married life without any wedding day debt. But not everyone’s that fortunate.

For those of you planning and paying for your own wedding, good luck dealing with the in-laws and the high cost of an elaborate wedding.

Or, for a few hundred bucks, you could elope to Vegas and tell the family and friends later!