How much did you wedding cost?

[mugs]

Our wedding was ~$20k all told, paid for by her parents. We honestly were trying to shoot for an "inexpensive" wedding by today's standards. Our goal was to keep it under $10k, even though her dad didn't care if we spent more. But then we found an awesome location, and even after some cost-cutting measures it was $90/person for the reception ($10k total). And my wife, being a photographer, really wanted to get a great photographer - and I think that makes sense, because when all is said and done your photos are what you have to remember the day. So he cost $3k just to show up and gives us the proofs (but he also gave us the photos on a DVD with the rights to print them ourselves).

I think the best part of the wedding was the location, in a English courtyard (whatever the hell that means) in front of an old stone barn: http://www.hollyhedge.com/1HollyHedge/weddings.html

Edit: I believe the average is ~$26k these days. It's pretty expensive when you have a formal reception for ~200 people like many people do.

 

[tw1164]

<$4000, we had about 100 ppl w/ sit down meal and open bar. The best part was the open bar.

 

[rky60]

About $7 to $8000, not sure exactly

Was an outdoor picnic type setup, casual

We had this and this for the kids.

 

[michaels]

I couldn't think of 20+ people I would want to invite, much less 100+!

 

[waggy]

I gave my wife a choice. a huge wedding with everything or a house. she chose a house. we spent something like $3k on everything.

It was very casual. with maybe 100 people at the wedding and reception.

though we are planning a 10 year anniversary party. with open bar/dj etc.

 

[rh71]

$28k for 230 people + a $4k honeymoon. Made back over 50% of it in cash gifts, interestingly enough.

 

[michaels]

LOL hell yeah, you made out like a bandit!

 

[Snicks]

Considering I threw my wedding together in a month from another state, my cost was really low. I think we spent maybe $500 total. My mom made our cake, a family friend did the invitations, and we had the wedding at my mom's house.

My memorable moment was realizing I'd put the ring on the wrong hand for hubby (oops).

Eleven years later and I still don't regret not having the really big wedding.

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: Snicks
Eleven years later and I still don't regret not having the really big wedding.

On the contrast, I don't regret having a bigger one either. It was good times for sure and the money spent is hardly a thought the more time passes.

 

[Snicks]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: Snicks
Eleven years later and I still don't regret not having the really big wedding.

On the contrast, I don't regret having a bigger one either. It was good times for sure and the money spent is hardly a thought the more time passes.

Doesn't matter how much or how little money you spent, as long as you picked the right person.


Unlike a cousin of ours who's recent divorce is a very sore subject for her parents. Seems they are still paying for the wedding, two years later.

 

[mooglekit]

10-12k looking back...it all just adds up between the reception, photographer, church, etc, etc etc...

Funny thing is, the wedding was a ton of fun and I'm sure we'll remember it and all, but really we were just way more excited (*que sappy music*) about being married and having eachother, the wedding was just part of the process in a lot of ways...

 

[GasX]

I lot of effing money, but the guests had a great time and I assure you it was the best food served at a wedding ever.

 

[kranky]

About $200 which was for her dress and some flowers. Her father married us in their backyard.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: michaels
Like 50 bucks or so.

That's probably about what my parents paid for theirs, at least in the dollar value of the day. They were married over 25 years ago.
I don't remember what my dad said he wore, but my mom made her own wedding dress. She's always done some kind of needlework. Now she keeps busy with various other projects: tote bags made from old clothing, quilts, and knitted rugs made from strips of old T-shirts.

The guests were a few relatives, and I think it was a "pot luck" sort of thing, where everyone brought some kind of food item.
Weddings need not be insanely expensive. They only get that way if you try to have a wedding like those you see on TV. TV is for entertainment, not emulatement.


(I know, I know, it's not a word. But I wanted it to be alliterative, dammit.)

Originally posted by: LolaWiz

Originally posted by: iRONic
$50 tip to the JOP, $10 bottle of sparkling grape juice, $25 license, $200 rings.

Best part - it was on our back deck with just our kids attending on a beautiful fall day.

Vows 1

Vows 2

Vows 3

That is so very sweet! :heart:

Agreed. It just looks like a very calm, low-stress occasion.

 

[SearchMaster]

We paid for ours by ourselves, it was ~$7K IIRC. It was a very simple affair with no bar and simple food, but man that crap adds up quickly. I think my figure includes the honeymoon which was probably a third of the total bill.

I have two cousins that got married within a year of each other, $50K-$60K each paid by my uncle. Each was divorced within two years. Thank God I have three boys.

 

[SlowSpyder]

We rented a small hall, had about 70 people. We had a justice of the peace come to the hall and marry us. The only part that was expensive was the dinner we had. All in all I think we spent about $4k for everything. Very small scale and cheap by today's standards.

 

[Kwaipie]

about $2000. Coolest thing, we had the entire wedding party play kazoos during the recessional. Nobody knew it was going to happen.

Uncoolest thing: after the reception, on the way to the hotel, we had to stop at the grocery store for tampons. In dress and tux. Nice timing.

 

[dullard]

Big expensive wedding - you'll be happy and have wonderful memories.
Big inexpensive wedding - you'll be happy and have wonderful memories.
The ONLY difference is in one case you can afford a house downpayment or a new car.

I had a ~300 person wedding, with full church, and reception hall. Total bill was a few thousand dollars because I chose to keep things simple. A $5 meal is just fine for your guests. Fake flowers work just as well. Etc.

The key is to have a bunch of friends and family there to share your special day. The fact that your cake cost $5000 doesn't matter. Just get a couple of $15 cakes and you'll be just as happy.

Coolest thing? The gifts were more valuable that what I spent. Heck, I got more cash than what I spent. Big inexpensive wedding for the win.

Worst thing? She cheated on me shortly after and all that is gone.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Originally posted by: michaels
I couldn't think of 20+ people I would want to invite, much less 100+!

Oh it adds up fast went you count immediate and important extended family on both side, plus all your closest friends.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: dullard
Big expensive wedding - you'll be happy and have wonderful memories.
Big inexpensive wedding - you'll be happy and have wonderful memories.
The ONLY difference is in one case you can afford a house downpayment or a new car.

I had a ~300 person wedding, with full church, and reception hall. Total bill was a few thousand dollars because I chose to keep things simple. A $5 meal is just fine for your guests. Fake flowers work just as well. Etc.

The key is to have a bunch of friends and family there to share your special day. The fact that your cake cost $5000 doesn't matter. Just get a couple of $15 cakes and you'll be just as happy.

Coolest thing? The gifts were more valuable that what I spent. Heck, I got more cash than what I spent. Big inexpensive wedding for the win.

Worst thing? She cheated on me shortly after and all that is gone.

Yeap! all food for the reception was made by the womens group of the church. cost us like $100 for ton of food. buffet style.

the cake was made by a friend who runs a small bakery out of her house. it cost us $20 for a nice big beutiful cake.

for music we had a CD with a 100 disk changer.

heh Even the church was cheap. we used the church that is across the street from my house (though we did not live here at the time). its a place they send them for training. my wedding was the first he did. It was very informal. the guy was great and it was ver memorable. he still keeps in touch with us.

the most expensive thing was my wife's dress. she paid $400 her dad paid $600 (part of his gift to her) for it.

we were able to put down a bunch on a house. Long before some of oure friends that wasted thousands on a wedding. hell one spent like $80k and got a divirce a year and half later.

 

[blurredvision]

If I pooled all the money contributed by myself, wife, and her family, we spent probably around $5k for everything. The picture package was the most expensive. A nice wedding overall, though.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Originally posted by: blurredvision
If I pooled all the money contributed by myself, wife, and her family, we spent probably around $5k for everything. The picture package was the most expensive. A nice wedding overall, though.

Yeah, our photographer is going to be a sizable chunk of change (relative to the whole cost). But we figure that's probably one of the most important things to spend the money on.

 

[tk149]

Originally posted by: Descartes
It's depressing to think about it, but my wedding is going to cost somewhere around $40k. My wedding will be in India, something like 400 people are supposed to be there and I have to fly in my family from the states.

I never really understood the point of a big wedding. To me, it's about two people, not everyone else involved; sure, it's great to have your family there, but do you really need to have an elaborate setup? I think it should be something unique between two people. I'd like to go back to where we first vacationed, find a cliff against the Pacific somewhere and get married. Simple.. meaningful... and a heck of a lot cheaper.

/rant

So why don't you? It's YOUR wedding. YOURS. Not your parents, and not your extended family's. $40K invested wisely now will net you...a lot in twenty years when you (hopefully) renew your vows.
Don't do something just because everybody else does it and expects you to do it also. Do it because you want to do it.

 

[SuperNaruto]

nyc cost @ 2005

20k - reception + open bar
6k - live band - which I DID NOT WANT
3k - party favors - Pommery pop champagne - DID NOT WANT
6k - 3 photographer w/ 120mm & digital + limo service
6k - video service - DID NOT WANT
3k - cocktail food
2k - theme decorator
.8k - Snoopy ice sculpture - Prob the coolest
.7k - rental for 5 male

dont know how much the bride's maid stuff are... but 5k for the wedding dress and etc,etc...

 

[Excelsior]

Originally posted by: tk149

Originally posted by: Descartes
It's depressing to think about it, but my wedding is going to cost somewhere around $40k. My wedding will be in India, something like 400 people are supposed to be there and I have to fly in my family from the states.

I never really understood the point of a big wedding. To me, it's about two people, not everyone else involved; sure, it's great to have your family there, but do you really need to have an elaborate setup? I think it should be something unique between two people. I'd like to go back to where we first vacationed, find a cliff against the Pacific somewhere and get married. Simple.. meaningful... and a heck of a lot cheaper.

/rant

So why don't you? It's YOUR wedding. YOURS. Not your parents, and not your extended family's. $40K invested wisely now will net you...a lot in twenty years when you (hopefully) renew your vows.
Don't do something just because everybody else does it and expects you to do it also. Do it because you want to do it.

Yeah, and if he tried telling his bride-to-be that, how do you think she'd respond?