I want to spend $6,000 throwing my daughter a really special 15th birthday party but my husband thinks I’m crazy. Who’s right?

The only problem is that Sophie’s husband, Rick, thinks that’s crazy and wants the family to have a backyard BBQ or take Jemma and a friend out to dinner, capping the event at $500. There’s a huge gap between Sophie’s and Rick’s plans, and the couple isn’t sure how to solve it.

So, is Sophie right to want to spend so much, or should she put her grand ideas on hold and agree to the simple party?

How much is too much to spend on a child’s birthday party?

First things first. Sophie’s budget is unquestionably much more than most would spend. In fact, even adult parties come at an average cost of $1,185, while Event Budget Calculator classifies any party over $3,000 as falling into the “Grand Celebration” category.

Experts also weighed in and suggested around $500 would be a reasonable sum, especially as a huge budget isn’t necessary to make an event meaningful.

“The milestone of a 15th birthday is one that deserves recognition, but it doesn’t have to be measured solely by the amount of money spent,” Alina Capbatut, a parenting expert and co-founder of Coco Seat, told Moneywise. “I believe the key is aligning the celebration with your child’s personality and values rather than societal pressures.”

Capbatut said she’d once allocated $500 to her child’s birthday party, and she’s “seen the power of creating memorable experiences over extravagant purchases.”

Should Sophie spend $6,000 on the party?

While a $6,000 budget would be outside the norm, that doesn’t necessarily mean it should definitely be off the table for Sophie. A lot depends on whether the couple actually has the cash.

“What the couple needs to figure out is where that $6,000 will come from and what it might be taking away from,” Sarabeth O’Neil, senior vice president at Family Credit Management told Moneywise. “Do they have that money in savings? Was it earmarked for something else? Or will they need to rely on racking up credit card debt to cover everything?”

O’Neil also said that if the couple has debt, then spending so much should likely be completely off the table.