How much is too much

When planning a party, what are the major concerns that have to be addressed?

(in no specific order)
Budget
Number of people
What type of Food
Theme / decor
Drinks or no drinks
Possible seating
Music
games / favors
Attire
grooming
Time

This is true for just about any party, why when you add the word wedding before the word party do the decisions become harder and the price attached for anything simple or not, sky rocket?

Maybe because the wedding day is the one day that is supposed to be all about the bride, and perfect. It's the one day that supposedly the parents should have been saving for. It is the day that the bride gets to live out a fantasy, because really when else are you going to spend a crap load of money and feed and booze up all your friends and family?

Seriously they looked at a shit load of venues, and met with many many caterers until they found an all inclusive place that would do what they wanted with the budget that they had to work with.

But, what no one tells you is that after the invitations go out, the price is really subject to change. If more people come than you originally hoped, that is great but it costs more.

Months go by and all these ideas are thought of, on how to make the party better, well guess what that costs more.

You realize that you forgot someone totally off the list and, well that costs more.

Mom and Frank are at the point now, where in order to pull off what they want, the creativity will have to kick in, and mom will have to stop drunkenly inviting people!