Names: Raynor and Josh Lattimore
Age: 22 and 23
Professions: Insurance adjuster and waiter, both aspiring performers
Location: New York, NY

A tower of pumpkin cupcakes. Dozens of white rose bouquets. A historic Methodist sanctuary space. The bride's $1,000 empire-waist gown. The groom's grey Converse sneakers.

The cost of the Raynor and Josh Lattimore's 300-guest wedding added up to about $20,000 — the average for weddings in the U.S., but far more than the pair had. Luckily for the young couple, Raynor's parents paid for the ceremony, Josh's for the reception. "We both were really blessed to have our parents help us," said Raynor, who graduated from Mississippi College in Clinton, Miss. just months before her September wedding. "My parents didn't give me a budget. It was nice to not have to scrimp."

The couple planned the wedding themselves, made the centerpieces out of wholesale flowers and hired a friend to photograph the ceremony. A month after marrying in Norfolk, Va., they moved to New York, where, on their own for the first time, the aspiring performers found a two-bedroom apartment in Queens.

"This is not how we're used to living," Raynor said. "We now pay for everything except our cell phones. Things are tight." Rent is $1,450, food runs about $200 a month, the Metrocards another $180. Then there's utilities, student loans to pay off, and $7,000 in credit card debt from their move. But they're doing OK: They now bring in roughly $4,000 a month in income, while they audition for shows in the city.

Do you have a money quandary? A success story? A cautionary tale? We'd love to hear from you. Send an email to editors@bundle.com and include a photo.


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