Avoid Getting Fleeced on Your Wedding

Weddings have become big business, the source of several "reality" shows and a target for scammers. With the average wedding costing upwards of $30,000, couples need to be careful to avoid getting taken to the cleaners on their way to the altar, the Better Business Bureau recently warned.

The BBB received nearly 1,000 complaints about wedding-related services in 2010. Topping the list were wedding planners, bridal shops, limousine rentals, DJs, photographers, florists and jewelers. The most common complaints often involved a company's unwillingness to honor its cancellation and refund policies once a deposit had been paid.

"With today's wedding averaging more than $28,000, there's not a penny left to gamble on unreliable vendors," Stephen A. Cox, president and CEO of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, said in a statement. "Before securing your wedding services and paying any upfront fees, it's important for all newlyweds to do their research."