The average cost of a wedding last year was $31,213, according to popular wedding-planning site The Knot -- a whopping amount that could have been used for a down payment, and then some, on a first house.

RealtyTrac, a real estate information company, massaged the numbers and found that, of the most expensive places to get hitched, San Francisco is the only one where a 5 percent down payment for an average house is greater than the cost of a typical wedding.

Everywhere else, the opposite is true, RealtyTrac found. It is definitely less expensive to use the money you're likely to spend on a wedding for a house instead.

But that begs the question of which is a better choice: a big, boisterous ceremony and party, or your very first home of your own?

Two experts, one on each side of that question, were asked their thoughts. Arguing for buying a home is Matt Phipps, a third-generation Realtor who has held several leadership roles within the National Association of Realtors and who hangs his shingle at Phipps Realty in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. Speaking on behalf of a wedding is Leila Lewis, who runs Be Inspired, a Los Angeles-based wedding and lifestyle public relations firm.

Here's what they had to say.

HOUSE -- Matt Phipps, real estate agent:

"Since living in your parents' basement is most likely not a long-term option, it's best to have a sound long-term plan. While it is ultimately your choice whether to keep up with the Jones' expensive taste in weddings or purchase the house down the street from them, I think it's important to truly consider cost versus long-term value.

"The Knot survey found that the average cost of a wedding was at an all-time high last year -- and 45 percent of the couples exceeded their original budget. Considering that that figure doesn't include the cost of a honeymoon, there is no proverbial cherry atop your wedding cake.

"Meanwhile, the National Association of Realtors' May sales report shows that the national median price of a single-family home was $219,400. After putting 10 percent down (nearly $22,000), you'd still have $9,000 for new furniture or even some home improvement projects (before hitting the $31,000 average-wedding number).

"The most expensive part of a wedding is the 'venue/catering' aspect, which averages over $11,000, according to the website costofwedding.com. But if you were to put 5 percent down on an average house, you are spending less than $11,000.

"In other words, the one-day (or half-day) rental of a place to have a wedding is MORE than the down payment on the typical house -- a place you could live forever, or at least until you have a gang of kids and need more space.

"Simply put, wedding expenses have escalated to the point in which they are excessive for almost everyone not named Kardashian. Given the abundance of young couples saddled with debt from college loans, coupled with the nationwide increase in rent costs that makes buying cheaper than renting in most places these days, why not invest in a home with your partner rather than splurge on a wedding?

"Americans who have purchased a home in the last two to three years have experienced a median gain of $30,000 in the value of their homes, according to NAR. So which sounds more practical: Dumping $31,000 for the wedding or adding to $30,000 to your net worth?

"The numbers don't lie: Putting your savings toward purchasing a house is a much more sound investment than using those funds toward an extravagant wedding. And your greatest wedding investment should be spent on inviting your family and best friends, who won't care about the per-plate cost. Those folks will dance the night away with you at your wedding, and will be excited to visit you in your new home."

WEDDING -- Leila Lewis, wedding expert:

"Being the founder of a wedding-centric company, I have seen it all -- weddings that are large and extravagant and those that are more intimate and simple. It is an indescribable feeling to watch a bride and groom on their wedding day, surrounded by the love of their family and friends. While it is just one day, it's also a ceremonial beginning of a new life together, and should be given lots of thought and care.

"Sit down with your fiance and discuss your expense priorities together. The most important thing is to be on the same page when making big decisions that will affect your joint future.

"If you do decide to scale back the wedding and save up for your first home, take advantage of the abundant resources online in order to plan your wedding for less. And remember that your first home doesn't have to be your dream home. Homeownership is typically a building block of investments. Don't try to overreach your first time around; there will be many homes to come.

"Ultimately what makes sense for you, as a couple, will be different from what works for other couples. Take the time to have these discussions, keeping an open mind and ear to your partner's opinions.

"Whether you choose to spend a little more on your wedding day or scale back in order to save for a home, it will be the right decision as long as you and your spouse are on the same page. That's the most important start to any marriage!"

If you're serious about purchasing an energy-efficient house -- and surveys indicate that more and more people are -- you'll want to download a copy of the Checklist for Home Energy Efficient Attributes.

Produced by the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP), a regional nonprofit started a decade ago to accelerate energy efficiency in the building sector, the checklist is part of a suite of resources the group is building to assist buyers, renters, appraisers and realty agents in working with energy efficiency.

It is meant to allow real estate professionals to make "a fairly quick assessment" of a home's efficiency. But there's absolutely no reason a would-be homebuyer can't use it to do the same.

The list is organized into seven categories: lighting, appliances, HVAC, water usage, building envelope, fenestration and third-party evaluation. For those who want efficiency but have no clue about the terminology, it also has a glossary of energy efficiency terms.

You can find the checklist at NEEP's website: www.neep.org. Search for it, and then click on the big green dot.

Meanwhile, here's a sampling of what homebuyers should look for:

-- LIGHTING. Compact fluorescent bulbs use 25 percent of the electricity used by a standard incandescent bulb of the equivalent brightness. And light-emitting diodes use only 10 percent.

Of course, you can change the bulbs once you move in. But you can't change whether the home you like has natural lighting.

Here you want large, south-facing windows with large overhangs, which can keep the sun's rays out in the summer and allow them in during the winter when the sun is lower in the sky. Deciduous trees, which have a full complement of leaves in the summer but shed them in the winter, work the same way.

-- APPLIANCES. Energy Star-certified appliances are designed to save energy without sacrificing performance. A certified refrigerator is 9 to 10 percent more efficient than federal standards, dishwashers 10 percent more efficient, dryers use 20 percent less energy, and washing machines use 20 percent less energy and 35 percent less water.

These, too, can be changed out once you move in, but that is a much more expensive proposition.

-- HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING. The yellow label attached to the HVAC system -- the "V" stands for ventilation -- will tell you how efficient the system is and give you an idea of the cost to operate it on an annual basis.

Also look for a programmable thermostat and sealed and insulated ductwork. Operated properly, a programmable thermostat can save about 10 percent on your heating and cooling bills. But unsealed or uninsulated ducts can lead to an energy loss of up to 20 percent.

-- WATER. If there is a hot-water system that heats water on demand rather than a whole tank 24 hours a day, it should be certified. Again, look for the yellow label.

Other things to look for include insulation on hot water pipes and water tanks, and low-flow faucets, showerheads and toilets.

-- ENVELOPE. Check for insulation and sealing around windows, doors and any other places that enter or exit the house, such as pipes and wires. The proper sealing and insulation can cut your total energy costs by a whopping 30 percent -- and increase your comfort.

-- FENESTRATION. Known to regular folk as windows, doors and skylights. You want to look for high-performance windows, hopefully those with a coating that reflects radiant heat. Doors should be weather-stripped properly.

-- EVALUATIONS. Many utilities and private entities offer free or inexpensive energy audits that will tell you where the house falls short and make recommendations for improvements. Some utilities also offer rebates for energy-efficient appliances and other items.

New companies and new technologies are continuously breaking ground in the housing sector. Even "old" real estate science is getting better and better.

Here's a look, in no particular order, at some of the fresh and promising tech ideas that have entered the space recently, or are about to.

-- BoostUp. This free social savings platform helps people save for a downpayment by offering a dollar-for-dollar match on their savings from brand-name partners such as Quicken Loans, as well as from family and friends. Hence the name "Boost."

Savers create an account, set a goal and automate deposits to reach that goal through responsible savings.

-- HomeTrackr. Some 40 percent of all houses have serious issues. This free service aims to tell would-be buyers about them.

While there is loads of information available about houses, it is largely scattered about and driven by advertising dollars through listing sites. This site, which hopes to become the "Voice of the Home Buyer," provides critical, property-specific data that can make or break a sale -- but only if the buyer knows about it.

-- Solo. Want to go it alone, but need some help? This community platform will connect you to agents who offer specific unbundled services -- writing up a contract, for example, or building a comparative market analysis -- for a small fee.

Most buyers use all the services agents have to offer, or none at all. But one size does not fit all. Agents aligned with this site offer their services on an a la carte basis, so you can customize the level of services you need. And you save up to half the commission in the process.

-- Sindeo. Claiming that the mortgage marketplace is broken, antiquated and inefficient, this service has a lofty goal: to become the trusted place where buyers can plan, shop, qualify for and close their loans, and receive expert, unbiased service along the way.

This site takes buyers through a four-step process, including helping you come up with a personal plan to afford your first or next house, and guiding you every step of the way until the loan is funded. Rookies will learn about first-time buyer programs such as downpayment assistance, and receive a personalized action plan to improve their eligibility for financing.

-- Homes. A long-running online search destination with some 3 million property listings, this site has added a "School Search" feature that allows purchasers to make more informed decisions by determining the caliber of schools in their search area.

The technology is calculated from state test data for public schools and assigns a letter grade, from A+ to D, based on their performance.

To determine the ranking, state test scores from one school are compared to those of other schools in the same state with the same education level.

-- Automatic. This $100 accessory plugs into any automobile made after 1996 and allows you to sync it to your iPhone or Android device. It then becomes an app store for your car, offering 20 functions so far, including home automation.

It will link to your Nest app, for example, so that when you turn on your car when you leave work, it will tell your house to be at the right temperature when you arrive 30 minutes later. Or warn you that you forgot to close the garage door when you headed out for the day.

Futuristic stuff.

-- EMTransfer. Set to launch this month, this site intends to facilitate the electronic collection and deposit of your earnest money, and track it online so you will know that your agent or builder isn't dipping into the cookie jar illegally.

-- ReaLync. This is a web/mobile platform that facilitates virtual tours and pre-recorded videos so you can see and hear about specific houses at your leisure, at any time and from anywhere.

At this site, you can interact live, capture photos, view local details and send messages. Better yet, all tours are automatically saved in the cloud so you can watch them again and again and share them with friends and family.