By Can I Afford It · How we calculate this
Big life events are mostly one-time costs, which makes them a question of how many months of saving they take rather than whether a monthly payment fits. Guest count and location move these figures more than anything else.
Up-front costs here run from about $350 (wedding insurance) to $40,000 (destination wedding). Recurring costs run from about $1,500 a month (living on my own) to $4,000 a month (single parent household).
Typical national prices, not quotes. Financed payments are principal and interest at each item's usual down payment, rate and term, before tax, fees and insurance. 10 of these have a full calculator; any of them can be checked against your income.
| Item | Typical cost | Per month | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anniversary party | $1,500 | One-time | Check it |
| Bachelor or bachelorette party | $1,200 | One-time | Check it |
| Bar or bat mitzvah | $25,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Bridal shower | $800 | One-time | Check it |
| Celebration of life | $3,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Christening or baptism | $1,000 | One-time | Check it |
| confirmation party | $1,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Cosigned loan | $25,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Destination wedding | $40,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Divorce | $10,000 | One-time | Calculator |
| downsizing | $12,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Elopement | $3,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Engagement party | $1,500 | One-time | Check it |
| Engagement ring | $6,000 | One-time | Calculator |
| Funeral | $8,500 | One-time | Calculator |
| Gap year | $15,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Gender reveal party | $500 | One-time | Check it |
| Graduation party | $1,200 | One-time | Check it |
| Holiday spending | $1,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Honeymoon | $5,500 | One-time | Check it |
| Housewarming party | $600 | One-time | Check it |
| legal name change | $500 | One-time | Check it |
| Living on my own | $1,500/mo | $1,500/mo | Calculator |
| Micro wedding | $10,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Move | $1,500 | One-time | Calculator |
| Move abroad | $8,000 | One-time | Check it |
| move-in-together cost | $3,500 | One-time | Check it |
| Prenup | $3,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Quinceañera | $12,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Rehearsal dinner | $2,500 | One-time | Check it |
| Retirement party | $1,200 | One-time | Check it |
| Second wedding | $15,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Single parent household | $4,000/mo | $4,000/mo | Check it |
| Sweet 16 party | $3,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Vow renewal | $5,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Wedding | $35,000 | One-time | Calculator |
| wedding cake | $600 | One-time | Calculator |
| Wedding DJ or band | $2,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Wedding dress | $1,800 | One-time | Check it |
| Wedding insurance | $350 | One-time | Check it |
| Wedding photographer | $3,000 | One-time | Calculator |
| Wedding planner | $3,000 | One-time | Calculator |
| Wedding rings | $1,200 | One-time | Check it |
| Wedding venue | $12,000 | One-time | Calculator |