# Wedding costs



## TanyaK (Feb 29, 2008)

I've gotten hooked on "Who's Wedding is it anyway?" on the True Style Network - don't know if anyone watches it. Seems according to the show (and I know it's a TV show so take it with a pinch of salt ) the average wedding is anything from $30 000 (considered to be a small budget) to 
$80 000+  Does the average person really spend that much money on a wedding or do they just choose people with big budgets ? Or maybe it just seems a lot to me as I convert it to South African currency which isn't really worth a lot


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## jkath (Feb 29, 2008)

lol, Tanya.

I've seen so many couples that live paycheck to paycheck, but the bride seems to think she needs a 50k wedding. What is that all about? I've never understood it. 
Or, the gal on "Deal or no deal" who'd already been married once, who was playing the gameshow to win the million dollars for her "dream princess wedding". Um, I'll take the cash, Howie....

For the record - our wedding was a whopping $99 elopement. And we're still together after 17 years.


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## NAchef (Feb 29, 2008)

Mine was about $150 a couple years ago in Vegas. No way I would want all that fancy stuff, everyone forgets about it after a month anyway.


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## auntdot (Feb 29, 2008)

If there is anything that has increased at a rate greater than inflation it is the cost of a wedding.

I gotta couch that because we have been to many weddings that were very modest, and quite classy, that cost very little. The class was in the people, not the cost of the flowers or dinner.

When my sil got  married, she held the wedding and reception in her home.  It was catered, but nothing extravagant.  It was lovely.

If folks want to toss an extravaganza and can afford to pay for it, I have no problems with it.

I feel sorry for the families who go into great debt for one day for reasons I do not understand.

Our thirtieth is coming up soon.  How we got married I doubt made any difference in how we are today.

We were far away from family and with almost no money for a few years.  We learned to handle whatever came out way and became a unit, himness and herness.

We are still that today.

I think that folks who feel forced to pay money they truly cannot afford for a wedding should not do so.

It is understanding, love, caring, and shared experience, no matter how hard, that make an enduring marriage.

It ain't the walk down the aisle.

Just my two cents.


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## ChefJune (Feb 29, 2008)

Beautifully put, Aunt Dot.  When I was catering, I often watched sadly as families took out loans and scrimped to put on a "really big shew" (as Ed Sullivan used to say).  There's far too much emphasis on the ceremony, so much so that I think many couples lose their focus on the marriage.

There is not one woman in the world who _NEEDS_ a TEN THOUSAND dollar dress to wear ONE time.  Just think of all the hungry children that could feed?  (and yet that is a common price for wedding dresses in 2008 America). Scandalous, I think.


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## pdswife (Feb 29, 2008)

In our case it was a big wedding or a new beautiful house.

I love our house.  I think we paid 75 dollars for a judge to marry us.


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## sattie (Feb 29, 2008)

$300.... I don't see the point in spending all that money on something that could practically be null and void several years from now if not months.  Seems anyone I knew that spent a fortune on their wedding ended up divorced a short time later.  I say save the money and spend it on your new home or something that your really gonna need.

My dress cost me less than $50... got it at Ross.  Wedding bands were about $75 a piece.  J of P... can't remember, but it was next to nothing.  I figure a 60K ring is not going to garuntee that my marriage will last.  But, I guess it would be a nice parting gift eh???


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## designmea (Feb 29, 2008)

I agree. If the main reason you are getting married is for the big wedding, dont get married. Its stupid to get yourself in financial trouble for one day!


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## expatgirl (Feb 29, 2008)

I totally agree with all of you so far!  My brother -in- law's first wife's family refinanced their home to thrown one wing-ding of a wedding for her---it was beautiful and it was lavish right down to the champagne flowing out of a fountain and Jeannette was gorgeous.  Mine in comparison was a cheap economy fare..I knew that my parents couldn't afford much and luckily I was marrying into a frugal family as well, so no one minded the plastic eating utensils at the reception.  But my brother-in-law's marriage was over within a year--actually 6 months and they limped along for about a year and a half.  All I could think of was what a waste of $$$$.


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## jkath (Feb 29, 2008)

I think one of the best ideas for a frugal, small wedding was one I attended almost 20 years ago. The bride and groom asked that instead of wedding gifts, if guests would bring potluck food, paper plates, beverages, etc. (and help with the clean up!) My gift was doing the bride's hair.  They're still married, now with 7 kids.


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## GB (Feb 29, 2008)

An obscene amount of money was spent on our wedding, but I am not sorry that we went that route. We have been married 5 years now and people still constantly comment on our wedding. 

We had a band that cost a ton of dough and they blew everyone away and made the reception one that our friends and family just had so much fun at.

We got a photographer and videographer who captured the moments in a very artistic way.

We had an open bar so our guests did not have to spend any more money than they already had on gifts, hotel, clothes, travel, etc. 

We picked a place in which the chef was someone who takes food very seriously. At the tasting it felt like we were eating at the White House or something because they brought us so many interesting and delicious dishes. 

A lot of people usually say they do not remember their wedding. That is went by in a flash. That is not the case with my wife and me. We completely remember it and loved every second of it. Our guests remember it as well. So many times when we see someone we have not seen in a while they will mention specific things from the wedding.


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## Fisher's Mom (Feb 29, 2008)

I can't really relate to the idea of a big, expensive wedding either. Catered, sit-down receptions, gowns that cost thousands, live doves, etc. It seems to me that all that kind of takes away from the couple who are starting their lives together.

I had a very small and inexpensive wedding but it was fun. If I had it to do again, I'd probably get married on the beach. No diamond ring - just a plain gold band. Now that I could afford a diamond, it's still not anything I want to spend lots of money on.

None of my kids have gotten married yet but when they do, my money will be going to help them buy a house. That said, if a couple has money and they really want to spend it on a huge shindig, it's OK by me. I just hate to see parents going into debt for huge weddings that are over in a few hours but they are paying on for years.

As a side note, a young couple we knew wanted to get married but had almost no money. We helped them plan and pull off a charming little wedding. I made her wedding gown and I can't tell you how much I enjoyed that. I hope someday my daughters or daughters-in-law will allow me that pleasure again.


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## expatgirl (Feb 29, 2008)

My son and his wife had a very nice wedding for very little.  Her grandmother made her a beautiful dress and we paid for the the flowers (probably one of the most expensive items of a wedding) and the tuxes, but family and friends fixed up the reception hall and cleaned up afterwards.  Though I would gladly have paid the $50 for the janitors to have cleaned up if I had known about it. They are still very much married 5 years later.  Her mother just recently put together a beautifully designed scrapbook for me detailing their dating, marriage, and our funny, little 5 year old granddaughter.


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## DietitianInTraining (Feb 29, 2008)

I agree that weddings have become rediculously expensive.. I have 4 older brothers, and i'm the only girl, so I think that was mostly why they paid as much as they did.

By far, the most expensive part of our wedding was the photographer. I had the option of having my DH's aunt take the pictures, but to me, the pictures were VERY important. I wanted to have nice pictures that I could look back on throughout my life, and show my children and grandchildren... I know to alot of people, a picture is a picture, but I don't know.. it was just important to me. I can't remember exactly how much it was, including the photo album and all... but I know it was a little over $2,000..

Aside from that, I had our wedding cake done at a local grocery store that did an AmAzInG job! I think I might've paid a little over $100, and it looked like it should've been $1,000. I also got my bouqet done at this grocery store. I can't remember at all what I paid for it, but I know it wasn't much, and was absolutely beautiful..

I got my dress at Davids Bridal and paid around $800 for it. My dress was the only other thing I really cared about, besides the pictures. If I could go back, I would've gone even cheaper (with everything) because alot of it, I know now, was unnecessary. 

My biggest regret was how much I paid for the invitations... Why on earth did I think I needed such fancy shmancy invites, with fancy ink, and R.S.V.P. cards, and return envilopes.. and who knows what else... I also got them done at Hallmark which I later found out was my first mistake.... But.... They sure were perty!.... I also got napkins with our names on them, champagne glasses with our names, fancy knives for the cake.... I really think you get caught up in it all, and start thinking you *need* these things.. They're all sitting in boxes now.. Just kinda silly.

My husbands ring was just a couple hundred dollars, but it was very important to him that I had a nice ring.. He made really good money when he was single, and he knew that it would probably be a while until he could afford something like that again. (He even sold his street bike that he loved so much to help buy it! ) He won't tell me exactly how much it was, I know he got a bit of a deal on it because he was friends with the guy who worked there.. I absolutely love it, and it means alot to me that he gave up his bike and everything, but... I mean... Any ring would've been special to me... (Just don't tell him that!!)

Anyways, that's just an overview of our wedding. Might've been more than anyone cared to know!

I definetly would've gone cheaper if I could go back..


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## suziquzie (Feb 29, 2008)

Weddings irritate me. I didn't get married for 7 years and 2 kids, just because I don't see spending that much money to impress everyone, while at the same time all those people will only pick out the flaws in you and your wedding. 
We went to the JP with only immediate family, had a big BBQ in our new house and huge yard when we could afford it. I cooked most of it, with MIL's help.... 6 months pregnant. (Me, not MIL!)
1 day of being queen costing thousands is stupid if you know you will be treated like a queen every day for the rest of your life.... for free!!!!
Plus there's my "I hate people watching me" issue.......


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## 2belucile (Feb 29, 2008)

I have wonderful remembrances from my wedding.  The reception was in the house of a friend, and for the closest friends (both my DH and my families were in countries continents away). A nice dinner prepared for her, I bought the cake, a friend that loves photography gave us the photo album as a wedding gift, and everybody had a nice time. Our wedding lasted 26 years, all very happy.....


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## DietitianInTraining (Feb 29, 2008)

We did a "pot-luck" for our reception as well.


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## jkath (Feb 29, 2008)

beginner_chef said:


> I wanted to have nice pictures that I could look back on throughout my life, and show my children and grandchildren.



That's my only regret - we don't have a photo! That's something I really would have paid much more for. (If only I'd known GB - they would've been marvelous!)


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## GB (Feb 29, 2008)

I would have even taken them for free jkath 

One of the best wedding gifts we got was from one of my best friends. During the entire day she walked around with a polaroid camera. At the time I thought it was very weird. Who still uses a polaroid? At the end of the night when the band had played the last song, she sat at a table and was busy doing "something". I walked over to her, but was told I had to get away from her table now.

As we were walking out of the hall she pulled DW and I aside and handed us her gift. It was a photo album that she had put together with all those polaroids. We left for our honeymoon a few hours later and I wife spent the plane ride staring at those pictures. Then when we got to our hotel room she kept flipping through them. It was so nice to have something like that immediately after the event. It was the most thoughtful gift we could have imagined.


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## Toots (Feb 29, 2008)

Has anyone seen "My Redneck Wedding" on CMT?  I was clicking around one day and I came across it.  I howled with laughter and Tom Arnold is the host.  
I had a huge, expensive and beautiful wedding when I got married the first time (and yes, I felt like a princess).  When I got married to Mr Toots, we did it in our living room with a JP and a few friends, spent less than $200.  When I married Mr. Toots I didnt care about the wedding, I just wanted to make it legal with the person who I'll be with forever.


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## Katie H (Feb 29, 2008)

Buck and I had a wonderful wedding.  About 125 guests at an historical 1700s-type home that was used as an event facility.  We had a live band, wonderful food, lots of champagne, etc.

After it was all said and done, I made my gown, all the gowns for the bridesmaids, all the flowers, all the favors, and the cake and the non-alcoholic punch.  I bought the invitations at a discount, we paid the photographer for his film only (developed the pictures ourselves), paid a local high school home ec class to do all the serving at the reception as well as the clean-up, found a liquor store that sold champagne (not $$$$ kind, but good) at a fine price, and paid a local grocery store to prepare the food for the buffet reception.

All  the tuxes for the men in the wedding party were  rented from a  big department store and, because there was a certain number of men, we got them at a substantial discount and received Buck's for free.

When it was all said and done, our total expenses for our wedding, including paying the minister, was less than $2,000.  That was in 1983 in Washington, DC, so I think we did okay.


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## expatgirl (Feb 29, 2008)

My daughter-in-law's mom had disposable cameras at every table and we  got some incredible pictures that might not have been taken otherwise..............good and not so good but appreciated nonetheless.......


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## expatgirl (Feb 29, 2008)

Ah, that's nice, KatieE.  Thanks for sharing--you two are like two peas in a pod........


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## sattie (Feb 29, 2008)

I will have to say that even tho my wedding was cheap, there is no money in the world that could buy the memories I have from it.  Like when the bird pooped on my mom as we were fleeing the scene (I have it on tape and I cry laughing at it every time I watch it.), getting to see my aunt Judy the first time is years, spending time with family and friends that I knew and loved... I know at some of these shin-digs, you look through the crowd and wonder who in the heck some of those people are!!!


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## Wart (Feb 29, 2008)

Yep, the event passes and I remember little about it.

I forget how much the license cost, and if there was a cost for the Judge to marry us.

I do remember ,  we were the second couple wed between arraignments, the first bride was pregnant and looked as though she were going to give birth at any moment. I'm guessing the two older couples were the parents, no one looked happy.

We had a great time.

It's only been 16 years, probably won't last. 


I've always wondered about the pathology behind the need/ desire for expensive weddings.


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## TanyaK (Mar 1, 2008)

When we got married last year we decided upfront we're spending most our budget on food and wine as we love it so much We wanted meze/tapas style food on the table all night long but we were only 45 people so it wasn't too expensive(hired a caterer who was just starting out) and we had an open bar but we could buy our own liquor and take it to the reception venue. We e-mailed our invites, I didn't have a wedding cake or a bridal party, a friend did the photographs as his wedding present to us(came out beautifully) and we compiled a playlist of songs on DH's laptop. I bought a dress that wasn't a wedding dress but looked like one - thus a LOT cheaper(+/$300) - and we made my bouquet the morning of the wedding by just tying lilies and greens together with a chiffon ribbon - looked to me exactly like a bridal bouquet. It was SUCH fun - we got married at 2 in the afternoon and the wedding ended around 2 in the morning - most people stayed over as you could hire chalets at the venue - everyone says it's the best wedding they've ever been to - and it cost around $5000 (which was of course more than we budgeted - never knew things like hiring table linen and cutlery cost so much :-0 - it's amazing that when the word "wedding" gets uttered vendors just doubles their prices  Oh - and the open bar didn't help the budget either). But we're in our mid thirties so we could afford to go a bit over budget - if we got married when we we're still in our mid twenties (we dated for 12 years) and starting out we would have definitely have had an even more casual wedding .
It did help only having 45 people and what made it so special was that it was only closest family (parents and siblings) and closest friends. But I digress - in the end what people will remember is that it was a fun day - not that they got their invites via e-mail or that there wasn't a wedding cake or bridesmaids. And with not having to worry about the little things I was a much less stressed out bride. It's a good thing though that "Who's wedding is it anyway" wasn't on TV when I was planning my wedding - might have gotten carried away . . . lol . But I'm off to nostalgically go look at my wedding album now


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## ChefJune (Mar 1, 2008)

pdswife said:


> In our case it was a big wedding or a new beautiful house.
> 
> I love our house.  I think we paid 75 dollars for a judge to marry us.



A person after my own heart!  Makes eminent sense to me!


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## ChefJune (Mar 1, 2008)

Wart said:


> I've always wondered about the pathology behind the need/ desire for expensive weddings.



It's known as the "Cinderella Syndrome."


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## GB (Mar 1, 2008)

Wart said:
			
		

> I've always wondered about the pathology behind the need/ desire for expensive weddings.





ChefJune said:


> It's known as the "Cinderella Syndrome."



I am really not sure how to take that statement. Just because someone wants to spend $ on a wedding, it does not have to be a negative.

We spent a lot of money on ours because there were certain things we wanted and we were happy to pay for those things. We wanted to throw a party that our friends and family would enjoy. We wanted to make one of the most special days in our life truly special and memorable. We did not spend money we did not have, but we sure as heck spent a lot. It seems that there seems to be a very negative connotation being placed on that and I really do not understand it. If someone wants to have a wedding for $50 then that is absolutely great and nothing wrong with it at all. Why can the same not be true for someone that wants to spend 50K or 60K or 100K on their wedding???


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## Katie H (Mar 1, 2008)

GB said:


> If someone wants to have a wedding for $50 then that is absolutely great and nothing wrong with it at all. Why can the same not be true for someone that wants to spend 50K or 60K or 100K on their wedding???



Ah, GB, there's  the rub.  In my opinion,  spend  what you wish on your wedding.   Just make sure you HAVE the money and don't have to go into  debt  to  do  it.  There is  nothing  more difficult than starting married  life  together...in debt.

I'm not speaking from experience, but I can't  imagine being newly married  and in debt.  For anything.  It just doesn't seem like the way to start out on the right foot.


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## GB (Mar 1, 2008)

I do not disagree with that at all Katie. I think it is crazy to spend money you do not have on a 5k dress or whatever. It is just that some of the comments in this thread do not seem to be about that, but more about wanting to spend a lot or even spending a lot regardless of ability to pay for it. Warts comment about the pathology of wanting an expensive wedding for instance.


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## Katie H (Mar 1, 2008)

I understand, GB.  I  guess it comes  from my frugality.  Well, being cheap as Buck says.   He  says I can make a penny cry. I've  always been  that way in  spite  of growing up in  a  totally different way.  My birth  mother spent money like water  and often. I never adopted that mindset.

I  loved our wedding and many years later, I'm happy to say folks who were there  still comment on how  much fun they had at it.  Guess we achieved our goal of "putting on a good party."

Two of my favorite  memories are that my little daughter was one of the attendants and was  soooo excited about being  able  to wear  her  first pair of "big  girl  shoes."   Then my youngest son   proudly announced  to anyone who would  listen, "I'm going  to  wear a "duckseedo" in my mom's  wedding."  Priceless.


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## GB (Mar 1, 2008)

And I think they way you did it is great Katie. There is nothing wrong with throwing a wedding for short money. It can be as magical or even better than a wedding that cost a million dollars. Of course the opposite can be true as well. 

We had over 250 guests at our wedding. Just feeding that many people is going to necessitate a certain dollar amount. We obviously would not be able to do that for $50. My wife and I did not know every single person there, but the day was not just about us. It was about our friends and family too. My parents had friends there that I had no idea who they were. It meant a lot to my parents they they were there though. My in laws had family there that we had never met before. It meant everything to my in laws to have them there though. We did know the majority of the people there though and every single person there were there because we wanted them to share in our special day. There is no way we could have done that for $50 or $75 or whatever. 

I guess my point is that there is nothing wrong with spending as much as you want on a wedding if you want to.


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## Toots (Mar 1, 2008)

Speaking as someone who had a lovely, fancy big wedding and also someone who had a $200 wedding in her living room, let me say this.  I LOVED my fancy wedding, I loved having the big bash, the beautiful gown, seeing my new hubby in a tux, all my friends and family being together for a big party.  But looking back on it now, it was a lot of planning, stress and money.  I don't think there is anything wrong with a big wedding.  I'm the kind of girl who loves a good wedding.  I didn't want to ever go through the planning, stress or the money to have a second fancy wedding, so when I married Mr Toots, we got hitched as quickly and easily as possible. 
I think age has a component to this.  I was 26 the first time around and 38 when I got married the second time.  I think when you are younger or if you've never been married before, the wedding is more of a big deal, especially for the woman.  I wanted to wear that big fancy gown and I sure did wear a tiara.  I have beautiful memories from both weddings, so in the end I think it really should only matter to the bride and groom.


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## GB (Mar 1, 2008)

DW and I have talked about it often and have both agreed that if we were ever to do it again for whatever reason we would do it with just our closest family and friends. Probably on a beach somewhere in bathing suits. The way I see it, as long as the parties involved are happy then who cares what it cost be it a lot or a little.


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## Fisher's Mom (Mar 1, 2008)

Absolutely GB. The wedding should be what the bride and groom want and can afford. After all, they're the ones getting married. Money means different things to different people but clearly most people have very strong feelings about it hence the strong opinions about wedding costs. But I don't think anyone would begrudge you the obvious pleasure you and your bride got out of your big wedding. It sounds like it's something ya'll get a kick out of to this day!


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## Toots (Mar 1, 2008)

Well said Fisher's Mom.


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## GB (Mar 1, 2008)

Toots said:


> Well said Fisher's Mom.



I couldn't agree more.


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## Michael in FtW (Mar 1, 2008)

To borrow from that credit card commercial:

Wedding clothes: $150
Chruch, flowers, reception: $250
Divorce and Child Support: endless!


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## Katie H (Mar 1, 2008)

Michael in FtW said:


> To borrow from that credit card commercial:
> 
> Wedding clothes: $150
> Chruch, flowers, reception: $250
> Divorce and Child Support: endless!




Yep.  Been there.  Done that.  Got it right the second time.


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## Katie H (Mar 1, 2008)

GB said:


> And I think they way you did it is great Katie. There is nothing wrong with throwing a wedding for short money. It can be as magical or even better than a wedding that cost a million dollars. Of course the opposite can be true as well.
> 
> We had over 250 guests at our wedding. Just feeding that many people is going to necessitate a certain dollar amount. We obviously would not be able to do that for $50. My wife and I did not know every single person there, but the day was not just about us. It was about our friends and family too. My parents had friends there that I had no idea who they were. It meant a lot to my parents they they were there though. My in laws had family there that we had never met before. It meant everything to my in laws to have them there though. We did know the majority of the people there though and every single person there were there because we wanted them to share in our special day. There is no way we could have done that for $50 or $75 or whatever.
> 
> I guess my point is that there is nothing wrong with spending as much as you want on a wedding if you want to.



I would have loved to have had a larger wedding the  second time but, by the time  Buck and I got  married, most of our  family (sadly)  was dead. Really.  Only  Buck's mother was living. My youngest brother  gave me away.  So we didn't have  any  family friends we were  not  familiar with, etc.  That would've been fun when  the pictures were developed.  Trying to figure out who  the people were.  There are always some "mystery" people.

I had the gown of my  dreams  and I have worn it  several times since the wedding because  of  the kind of  gown it is.

Fortunately, we had the venue until late at night and all the wedding party and about half of the  guests spent hours   sitting in the library  talking and laughing and drinking champagne.  We  all  kicked off our shoes and had a ball.

Good times!


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## Fisher's Mom (Mar 1, 2008)

Everyone's weddings sound wonderful!!! Anyone wanna post a picture?


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## LadyCook61 (Mar 1, 2008)

When I married the first time in 1964, it was a cheap wedding, only closest relatives were invited. dad couldn't afford something lavish.  When I remarried to 2 nd husband, who paid for our wedding , it was cheap too, held in a firehouse, food was catered.  When my younger son got married, it was a big Italian wedding, the works ! Must have cost son's father in law thousands.   When my older son married first time, the wedding was at my home, we provided the food.  When same son remarried to 2nd wife, the wedding was at his house, and his wife made some of the food, some guests brought food.


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## Katie H (Mar 1, 2008)

Fisher's Mom said:


> Everyone's weddings sound wonderful!!! Anyone wanna post a picture?



Mine  was so long ago, the pictures could've been taken by Matthew Brady.


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## Fisher's Mom (Mar 1, 2008)

Yeah, mine was almost 36 years ago. The mini-skirts and long hair on the guests look funny now. But I'll show you mine if you'll show me yours.


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## expatgirl (Mar 2, 2008)

Katie E said:


> Mine  was so long ago, the pictures could've been taken by Matthew Brady.



I can just picture you in a Scarlett O'Hara petticoat dress, Katie!!


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## expatgirl (Mar 2, 2008)

Hey, if money is no object then have a nice wedding---just try and make things work out (keeping a marriage intact is a partnership and involves hard work and plain idiocy at times) and if counseling is necessary then take advantage of it. Now if there is emotional and physical abuse, alcoholism, gambling, other addictions,  etc., that's different.  No one should have to put up with that if the spouse refuses to get help.  Ok, knock the soapbox from underneath my feet...I'll chill for awhile


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## Dodi (Mar 2, 2008)

6 month ago I was looking at some wedding stuff on the net, I needed inspiration for articles.
This is what I found:

The world's most expensive wedding was thrown by  Lakshmi Mittal for his daughter Vanisha Mittal and  and her fiancée Amit Bhatia on June 22 2004.

The wedding was held at Vaux le Vicomte a 17th-century French chateau on the final day of a 6 day celebration.

The estimated reported cost of the wedding celebration came in at a mere $60 million USD.

Glimpsing a fairytale wedding
It is one of the biggest events on the Indian social calendar this year. The only trouble is, it is taking place in France, and journalists are strictly banned. Read this just for a laugh

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Martin Katz Jewelers and Renee Strauss, a bridal couture designer, have created a $12 million dress that is the Most Expensive Wedding Gown in History.

*No it is not, this one is the most expensive dress!!!*


Stunning designs and sparkling jewellery will be turning heads at the first Dubai Fashion and Diamonds show being held in the emirate next week.

The elite event is to be showcased at the Burj Al Arab’s Al Falak Ballroom on November 23 and 24, for royalty from region and invited VIPs only. Members of the public will then have the chance to glimpse the exhibits at the Dubai Ladies’ Club on November 25.

Among the most anticipated items on display is the world’s most expensive wedding dress which is encrusted with multiple gems and carries a price tag of a mere 1 billion Japanese yen (Dh31.2 million).

Its designer Yumi Katsura will be in attendance to meet guests and discuss her record breaking triumph.


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## expatgirl (Mar 2, 2008)

You know I just can't help but try and erase the memory of thousands of Indians living on the streets (the naked children and babies would tear your hearts out) of Mumbai that could benefit from 60 million dollars.  I'm sorry---it's just obscene  that so much is spent on very two young people.........I really had to gag at their pasted on smiles......no warmth whatsoever.......but that's me.......


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## Katie H (Mar 2, 2008)

expatgirl said:


> I can just picture you in a Scarlett O'Hara petticoat dress, Katie!!




You're close.  Think more like the red one Rhett made her wear when she faced Miss Melanie.


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## expatgirl (Mar 2, 2008)

haha---yeah, I can imagine you in the red dress..........too funny.....


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## Barbara L (Mar 2, 2008)

I have been to some beautiful weddings, which I'm sure cost a pretty penny. I just don't understand why people would go in debt (sometimes many years worth) to pay for a wedding. My daughter's wedding was nice but not fancy. She had a really pretty (used once) dress that someone gave (or loaned) her. Family and friends decorated the little fellowship hall of the church where they were married. The biggest expense was the caterer and the cake, and I don't think they were much (someone else paid for them). 

James and I were married (5 years ago this month--the 21st) in a little local chapel. The judge who married us charged $50 but said we didn't have to pay (we suspect James's boss at the time might have paid it--he was a friend of the judge). Our pastor and his wife were there as guests, and she took pictures for us (with our camera). I made my "wedding" dress (a regular dress of white fabric with a tiny red print--I finished hemming it that day during a break at work!). After the wedding (which was at 6:00 p.m.) we went to a Mexican restaurant with a few of the friends who had come. My friend Sandee had made a sheet cake. We all had some after our meal, and we brought the rest of it to Myrtle Beach with us.

Not money related, but one of the best memories I have of our wedding was that even though my daughter couldn't be there for it, she was still there in a way. We called her and the phone sat on the altar during the ceremony!

Barbara


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## pavellina (Mar 2, 2008)

i got married on 7-7-07.
we spent quite a lot, about 30.000 $ (less in euro).
it's a lot, not really a low budget, but we just had home and everything because we were yet living together, no need of a new car or anything else so we decided to have a beautiful party with all our friends and relatives.
to tell the truth we didin't spend a lot in clothes or cars or anything, the only things we care was catering (it was more than perfect) the location and music.
as favour we made a donation to a local society which take care of terminal cancer persons and it was more appreciated than everything else.
i loved my wedding, it was a dream but it's not the budget the thing that make different.
if we had less money we had a more little party, no matter, just love


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## GB (Mar 2, 2008)

We did the donation thing as our favors as well pavellina. We made a sizable donation to the Jimmy Fund. Each guest got a very nice card saying a donation had been made in their name.


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## DietitianInTraining (Mar 2, 2008)

I've never posted a picture on here before.. so don't know if this will work....


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## Katie H (Mar 2, 2008)

beginner_chef said:


> I've never posted a picture on here before.. so don't know if this will work....



Very, very pretty.  Your bouquet is lovely.  Real or silk?


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## DietitianInTraining (Mar 2, 2008)

It was real. I just went to Hobby Lobby and picked out flowers and colors I liked (with their fake flowers) and took it to the grocery store we went to, and they did the best they could to copy it with real flowers. I was very impressed.


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## Katie H (Mar 2, 2008)

They did a beautiful job.  What time of the year was the wedding?


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## DietitianInTraining (Mar 2, 2008)

November. No particular reason why.. He proposed the day after Valentines Day, while I was still in cosmetology school. I knew I wanted to wait until I graduated, So I just planned it for a month after my graduation date. We had a cold wedding and a cold honeymoon!! We went to Colorado for a week. I told him on our 10 year wedding anneversary (if we can) I'd like to go to Hawaii!!!!!!!!


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## expatgirl (Mar 2, 2008)

They are beautiful!!!


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## Barbara L (Mar 3, 2008)

How beautiful!  

Barbara


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## Maverick2272 (Mar 3, 2008)

DW and I got married at the courthouse. Her mom made a cake for us, one of her friends showed up as a witness, and her dad spent the entire time glaring at me.
Fun!


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## CharlieD (Mar 3, 2008)

All I can say weddings are crazy. Even if one doesn't try to make something crazy it is still is.


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## Wart (Mar 4, 2008)

Maverick2272 said:


> DW and I got married at the courthouse. Her mom made a cake for us, one of her friends showed up as a witness, and her dad spent the entire time glaring at me.
> Fun!




This reminds me, neither of us told either of our families we were getting married.


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## darlenemt08 (Mar 4, 2008)

I grew up poor. My family didn't have the money to go all-out for an expensive weddings. Don't know what my oldest sister paid for hers in 1977. She borrowed a cousin's dress. Made her maid-of-honor & bridesmaid dresses and my mom made my younger sister & my dresses (gift carriers). The gifts were opened by the ladies who cared for the gifts. The wedding was in the afternoon and the reception was held in the church annex. It was a simple reception with the usual cake, punch, coffee, & tea.

My younger sister's first wedding in 1990 was also simple. Hers was in the same church with a cake/punch-type reception in the church annex. She borrowed my sil's dress which had to be shipped from Germany where my older brother was stationed in the Air Force...wife is German/Italian with family over there. The maid-of-honor dress was one of my sister's prom dresses which was made by my oldest sister about two or three years before. The tuxes were rented. Her second wedding was held in a church that she wasn't even a member of but the minister had counseled her & her husband though. The wedding was held in the church basement. This time though, she had a meat/cheese tray for sandwiches, chips, & salads along with the cake & punch. Her 2 step-daughters were her maid-of-honor & bridesmaid and her son & her step-sons were the best man & groomsmen. She bought the dresses for the girls and rented the tuxes for the guys. Her wedding dress was store-bought suit with a long skirt. She wears it for other occasions. The cake for both of her weddings was made by our oldest sister who was a cake decorator. My younger sister bought the cake mixes & ingredients for the cakes. She had help in making all of the bouquets & groomsmens' flowers. The first wedding's rehearsal meal was at a restaurant and paid for by the groom's family. The second wedding rehearsal meal was potluck at our mom & dad's...simple foods.

I have no idea how my 3 brothers (2 older & 1 younger) paid for their weddings. I was a part of my oldest brother's & younger brother's weddings...other older brother was married in Germany. All I had to do was wear a dress and to both of those weddings and show up.

My older sister isn't married and I share a house with her & our 3 small dogs. Don't know what her plans are for her future.

I plan to get married one of these days and I'm almost 42 yrs. old. Thought I had somebody but things didn't work out with him. I've been gradually planning my own wedding. I thought that since I currently don't have the money to spend on a wedding, I can do one cheap but nice though. I'm a crafter and I've been gathering things together to make my own stuff. I know what I like and what I want. I just gotta gradually start making my stuff. My mom sews and will help me out. Don't get along with my oldest sister and so, she won't have anything to do with my wedding. I believe in a simple wedding with a simple reception...nothing fancy. It would make a little difference if my future husband had some money but I'd still believe in a simple wedding with a meat/cheese tray & finger foods along with the cake & punch. IF I'm allowed...I'd like my dogs to be a part of my own wedding. LOL My dogs are my kids and will live wherever I live.

I've gone to many weddings where there are dances. I've seen many people leave the tables around the dance area to keep from being dragged out onto the dance floor. The last one I went to, the DJ announced some sort of a dance thing and for people to get out on the floor. A big group of people quickly left the room to go into another room or outside. Also, there's so much drinking going on. I could care less about the alcohol since I don't drink. The last wedding I went to, it was for my cousin's daughter. I found out at the family reunion the next day that when the father-of-the-bride was paying for the food & beer at the end of the night, he got a big surprise. The total was a LOT bigger than what he had planned to pay. He FORGOT to tell the bartender that his limit was 1 keg and anything after that, the bridal party & guests would have to pay for. He ended up paying for 7 kegs. LOL Served him right since he loves to drink. The bridal party & guests had to pay for their own drinks at the bar.

I'd like to know why do people seem to think they've gotta have such expensive weddings? Why can't people have simple weddings? It's like they've gotta out-do their friends or whomever. You can have a nice wedding without going in debt or, too far in debt.

Darlene


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## ChefJune (Mar 4, 2008)

GB said:


> I am really not sure how to take that statement. Just because someone wants to spend $ on a wedding, it does not have to be a negative.
> 
> We spent a lot of money on ours because there were certain things we wanted and we were happy to pay for those things. We wanted to throw a party that our friends and family would enjoy. We wanted to make one of the most special days in our life truly special and memorable. We did not spend money we did not have, but we sure as heck spent a lot. It seems that there seems to be a very negative connotation being placed on that and I really do not understand it. If someone wants to have a wedding for $50 then that is absolutely great and nothing wrong with it at all. Why can the same not be true for someone that wants to spend 50K or 60K or 100K on their wedding???



GB, I wasn't (and I don't think the others commenting here were) referring to people who have the money to spend.  There are, sadly, folks who take out additional mortgages on their homes to pay for a fancy wedding for their child(ren).   But the "Cinderella Syndrome" refers to young women (and some not so young) who view their wedding as a show of sorts -- whether consciously or not.  and feel this show is essential to getting married.  In other words, it's not about the marriage as much as it is about the wedding. A case of misplaced emphasis...  

Gee, I hope I haven't made myself _completely_ misunderstood here!


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## GB (Mar 5, 2008)

Thanks ChefJune. My comment was not so much directed at you although I did not know what the Cinderella Syndrome was so that is why I quoted you. My comment was aimed at one other person who made a pretty nasty comment and it did not seem to have anything to do with who could or could not afford to spend the money.


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## mattmac (Mar 18, 2008)

I'm getting married April 5th.  The total wedding cost is just under $9,000.  We're having about 50 people, catered food, cake, a DJ, and the reception is at a beautiful manor house.  Our photographer is amazing - one of the best in VA.  He was featured in The Knot, but his pricing is definitely reasonable.

My finacee and I made the invitations on our own.  MUCH cheaper and it was easier than I thought.  We have on-line RSVP, so no need for that added cost.


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