We hired a wedding planner to help us stay within budget

Now we're broke, but at least the wedding is perfectly planned

When my wife and I were first dating, 'date night' meant a fancy dinner, maybe a show, or a romantic walk.

Now, 'date night' is successfully ordering takeout and watching one episode of a show before one of us falls asleep on the couch.

They say love is all you need, but I think marriage is more like a DIY project from a flat-pack furniture store.

You start with enthusiasm, follow vague instructions, argue over which part goes where, and eventually, you end up with something beautiful... and maybe a few extra pieces you're not sure about.

We started planning our wedding with a budget that felt reasonable and manageable.

Now, we just tell people our theme is 'financially irresponsible chic.'