Wedding Costs....

   / Wedding Costs.... #21  
Sharon and I had a simple wedding 44 years ago. The ceremony was in the Presbyterian church around the corner from her parent's home. The reception was in the local Grange Hall. The food was homemade and brought to the reception by family friends. No music, no spirit beverages.

I don't think either one of us has ever felt like we missed out on something or that our wedding wasn't 'good enough' in some way or other. The folks who mattered to us were there to share the occasion.

Same here, I think we spent less than $200 for the whole thing. Had it at her parents house, paid the pastor a little, and a few other little things... Went to Branson on our honeymoon... How funny.. we live here now.

Been married 35 years.. We never regretted not spending a bundle of money we couldn't afford.
 
   / Wedding Costs....
  • Thread Starter
#22  
How do most men define a wedding? An expensive way to get laundry done for free. :thumbsup:

Why does the bride always wear white?

Because the dishwasher should match the rest of the appliances.... :eek:

I'll get shot for that one. :rolleyes:

When we got married, we invited 500 people. We set places for 365 that RSVP'd they'd be there. There were only 6 seats empty when we sat down to eat. Many, many more came for the reception after dinner.

Food was $1900
Bar tab was $1100
We had to hire 4 bartenders
4 cops
Polka band was $500 (a discount because they were friends of my wife)
Flowers were about $300
Wife's dress was around $400
My ring was $90, hers was $10 (yes that's only one zero).
We used 4 gallons of wine, 4 kegs of beer and 56 bottles of hard liquor and 1100 plastic cups.
All-in-all it came out to about $5000 in mid 1980s.
However, we received almost that much back in cash and three vehicles stuffed with gifts and valuable prizes! :laughing:

Now for the good part.... I had $50 in my possession when I said "I do." I think my wife had about $1100. We put that wedding money in the bank and never spent it. We didn't need to. We had jobs and paychecks. We were in the black on our wedding day (meaning a positive net worth) and its been growing ever since. The wedding was a great gift from our parents. In today's dollars, that $5000 wedding would cost about $11,000.00. We have two daughters.... I'd better keep saving! :D
 
   / Wedding Costs.... #23  
I'm reminded of when a young neighbour girl was married back home. They passed the hat for cash donations for the bride and groom and they collected a rather large amount of money which they handed over to the bride's father who in turn was to give it to the bride and groom but the old tightwad tried to hang on to the money even after the newlyweds knew he had it! They apparently had quite a job prying it out of his clutches... :laughing:
 
   / Wedding Costs.... #24  
My daughter got married 2 weeks ago. I got off very cheap. But, they had a really nice wedding and it was as they wanted. They were married at his aunt's house under a huge 150+ year old live oak tree. His family did most of the decoration and everyone brought some food. His mom paid for the beer, and I paid for some wine.

I had given my daughter a budget of $6000 for the wedding, and it was coming in at about $2500, so she asked me to pay for their honeymoon cruise. I gladly agreed to that. It was about $1500 for the cruise.

My wife added it all up this week and it was about $4600 including the cruise. Some of my friends were very jealous that I got away so cheap.

There were about 100 people in attendance.
 
   / Wedding Costs.... #25  
One of our daughters was married last year. At an arboretum on the north coast overlooking the ocean. It was really nice. The ceremony was done by old friends of the family. The groom's dad arranged a sit down restaurant dinner for everyone the night before (about 30 - just close family). I spent about $1000 on a barbecue reception dinner at our place after the wedding. My co-father-in-law helped set up the tents the day before. After the reception I loaded my new son-in-law's pickup full of equipment and tools I don't use much anymore, that was my wedding present. Everyone was happy!
 
   / Wedding Costs.... #26  
11 years ago the wife and I did the vows with the local JOP.
We spent a good deal of $$ on the 10 day honey-moon, after all I married my wife and spending time with her was more important than having a bunch of folks watch us say words....

I finally met her mother 3 years after we were married, and she met my parents 4 years after we were married...

So I hate to say it but we married each other, no fan fare, no families, she is my wife and I am her husband, and that is about it folks...
She and I are both military folks from military families, so we are used to moving around a lot, and not being close to family... might just account for our different perspective...
 
   / Wedding Costs.... #27  
My first marriage my wife's second. She had the big gala wedding the first time to the wrong person. When she found the right person the wedding doesn't matter. Celebrating with close family mattered. Perspective.

First time

Married my wife at the jop because she was laid off and I couldn't stand that she had no insurance. We weren't quite ready but we were committed and in love.

Waited 4 months and did it proper with our immediate family family in tow. We had been engaged for over six months. I proposed in front of family at Christmas with my grandmothers rings and blessing. I have a titanium ring I don't wear much because I am/was a mechanic and it makes me paranoid.

We married at my great grandfathers church where he was pastor in front of grandmothers, mothers, fathers and sister and brother. Very modest and very meaningful.

Reception was at Ruth's Chris with said family and was paid for by the fathers. Absolutely the best dam meal/time. Cannot place an emotional value but it was very cheap for us. We were starting a family and buying land.

Here we are 6 years in, 2 kids and getting ready to build a house on family land that we bought. I am very lucky.
 
   / Wedding Costs....
  • Thread Starter
#28  
I was at a wedding last year and the rehearsal dinner was a tad over $10,000! :eek:
 
   / Wedding Costs.... #29  
A friend of mine spent $22,000 on his daughter's wedding about 6 years ago. They were separated at 4 months and divorced at 10 months.
 
   / Wedding Costs.... #30  
I was at a wedding last year and the rehearsal dinner was a tad over $10,000! :eek:

Wow......that include drinks? That's ridiculous!
 
 
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