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 20,000 years | 
| I came to the US from Vietnam at the age of five, and my wife was born and raised in the US, she is white.  I didn't meet my wife until I was 30 years old and already well established financially.  The difference between Asian and American weddings is that American people tend to give gifts for weddings and Vietnamese give cash at the wedding, usually $150 per person, relatives will give much more.  At the end of the day, you will break even, or slightly positive cash flow, with an Asian wedding and in the red with an American wedding. In my situation, I came away with $5k in positive cash flow after all expenses were paid for. Since I already budget about 40K for the wedding, I used that 45K to buy my MIL a brand new Toyota Highlanders. She is a high school teacher and is not making a lot of money. YMMV. | 
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 Ok 20,000 years ago Americans were hunter gatherers and wedding was a feast outside, man went and hunted a bear to prove his worth Women gathered berries | 
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 That easy start point to split was learned from great aunts, their friends, aunts, parents, grandmother. Given who had what relatives bride family food-groom alcohol. Music flexible. Many weddings could be small luncheons or even larger potlucks [rent a hall-food brought by one or both sides]. So considering my age and when the oldest of that group was born in late 1800's? As an adult I've been to those buffet weddings where families brought the food. Last one was about 15 years ago. | 
| We give a set amount and I don’t care if it’s a son or daughter. It’s 2022 people. Stop perpetuating a stupid tradition. |