| Big weddings are pretty tacky. If you aren't very rich, I assume you are money foolish. |
Traditionally and currently the bride's parents take on the lion's share of expenses - up to 60% of costs. Why? Its a historical custom related to dowry and proving your daughter is worthy of joining the son's family. Now? It's just stupid. But it is what it is. I know of families were the bride's parents helped with the wedding - to the tune of five figures and the groom's parents helped with the housing - to the tune of five figures. Evens out if done right. |
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2002. 28k wedding (160 guests), 14k rehearsal dinner (140 guests roughly). Does not include bridesmaids lunch or breakfast the day after which DH's family picked up. Parents on both sides contributed a total of about 27k. Awesome honeymoon too, which we paid for all of.
Loved the whole darn thing, still quite happily married. |
| 1990 while in grad school. Prob 3500 to 4000. We had a picnic at the graduate student bar and played volley ball. |
| 1996 - 150 people - 25-30K |
| $60,000, 2009 wedding at a luxury hotel downtown Chicago. It was way too much money- what the heck was I thinking- don't make my mistake- save your $$! |
| $6k in 1994 at the Bleu Rock Inn, 130 people, |
| 2015, DC, 50-some guests, all told including tips, accessories, attire, and odds and ends, probably $35k. |
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1983 100 guests less than 2K included room in hotel with nice buffet and beer, drinks, cake, flowers, church wedding, band at reception. Small town in Wisconsin. I paid for my dress and we paid for the rings (probably about $600 total). Had a great photographer (probably around $200). Six attendants plus flower girl and ring bearer. It was a great wedding and we'll be married until we die. We didn't have much money so we our honeymoon was camping and biking, swimming, etc. in the UP of Michigan. |
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2009, 110 guests, Airlie House in Warrenton, VA
Approx. 25k, which covered housing for the weekend for about 10 ppl we paid for, afternoon ceremony, cocktail hour/plated dinner w/ open bar, brunch the next morning. We paid it all ourselves, didn't go into debt to do it, have never spent so much on anything other than a car or a house before and we don't regret it at all. |
| $1000, Hawaii (doesn't include the honeymoon cost, just the ceremony, "clothes" and a videographer). No guests. |
| 2014, 30k, 100 people |
| 2k, 50 people, Seattle (basically just good and a case of bubbly). |
Food! |
| $25K for 220 people in a Bethesda ballroom. 10 years later and people still tell me how much fun they had at our wedding! |