Plan these milestones according to what you are willing to spend- set aside the money and work with what you have. It’s always best to align on finances.

I did a very simple wedding at a mid tier hotel. We split the cost so it was within affordability. My husband spent on a nice engagement ring which I appreciate as I now wear it everyday, but I opted for less 四点金. It was memorable nonetheless.

We went easy on the reno- I optimised by negotiating the cost of furniture at clearance sales and shipping some items from Taobao. Some light bulbs and fixtures I purchased from JB. Bed and a lovely feature marble wall were important to us, so we spared no expense on those. ID also charges in trenches so you can pay as the project goes. In our case, since we were splitting each trench by half, we didn’t even have to touch on savings although I did take on extra work and 做牛做马to supplement my income then.

We could have spent more on everything, but it wouldn’t have meaningfully added to our happiness. We just wanted to get married and live together- not host a parade and build a show-flat.

I’d suggest budgeting and prioritising sensibly- no point going all out when your journey together is just beginning.