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What planet are you living on where a wedding only costs $2,000, and no more than $10,000? In the US, the average wedding cost is $30,000 (http://money.cnn.com/

What planet are you living on where a wedding only costs $2,000, and no more than $10,000? In the US, the average wedding cost is $30,000 (http://money.cnn.com/2015/03/12/pf/planning-for-wedding-costs/ http://money.cnn.com/2015/03/12/pf/planning-for-wedding-cost...) now. That being said I personally think that's ridiculous and I'll do my damnedest to try to keep mine under $5k, but I know it won't be easy, and there will have to be many things sacrificed. If they're even wanting to have a modest wedding with 80-ish guests nowadays, I can't imagine paying less than $15k (which is why I'm going to try to make it less than 20 people for mine. Hell, I'd be happy with 2). That being said, I wouldn't want to eat out at a $50/person restaurant with a family of four once every week. You could take them to a bbq or pita or chinese restaurant and they'd eat well for under $15 per person. I don't really disagree with your main point, just your numbers seem to be bad estimates to me.

MatthewMcDonald 11y ago
> What planet are you living on where a wedding only costs $2,000, and no more than $10,000? In the US, the average wedding cost is $30,000 The idea of spending $30,000 on a wedding seems insane to me, and it reminds me of the Dave Ramsey quote “If you will live like no one else, later you can live like no one else." > That being said I personally think that's ridiculous and I'll do my damnedest to try to keep mine under $5k, but I know it won't be easy, and there will have to be many things sacrificed. My wedding (2 years ago, in the midwest) had about 100 guests and cost us about $5000 total (doesn't include the rehearsal dinner or the bar tab, which our parents covered). There were probably some things that we could have spent even less on, but it would have required us doing more things ourselves. A few things we did that might be different than the norm: * My wife, mother, and grandmother made many of the decorations themselves * The reception venue was less expensive because we had the wedding in April, because it wasn't during "wedding season" * We had the grocery store make our cake for us * We didn't pay anything for the ceremony location (there are many beautiful public venues that you can book for free) * My wife chose a dress that was beautiful, but wasn't obscenely expensive. She also recovered about half of the cost by selling it afterwards.
scarface74 11y ago
Our "wedding" cost $25 at the court house and we had a reception later on for around $3000.
true_religion 11y ago
> If they're even wanting to have a modest wedding with 80-ish guests nowadays, It's kind of funny. I've been to six weddings in the past five years and none of them had over 50 people. I guess some people just have more friends and family or are under some kind of custom wherein they invite 2nd or 3rd cousins or minor acquaintances to their weddings. My best friend's wedding was 40 people, total cost to the bride and groom $1000. Location: a beautiful beachhouse owned by his aunt. Food and the such done by the family, and everyone who flew in stayed in houses of relatives. Photography done by my wife, music by his brother. Save money on your wedding, spent it on your honeymoon. > I wouldn't want to eat out at a $50/person restaurant with a family of four once every week. I like exotic food with ingredients and cooking conditions I can't replicate at home, so $50 a plate it is. > I don't really disagree with your main point, just your numbers seem to be bad estimates to me. Right :) That's really the issue at heart. Everyone makes choices that X is worthwhile, and Y isn't worthwhile. Some people choose no luxury at all, save all their money and cash out at 35 to retire.
PhantomGremlin 11y ago
What planet are you living on where a wedding only costs $2,000, and no more than $10,000? Oh, come on! When a friend decided to get married, he and his fiancee went downtown and got married by a judge. Just the two of them. They fed each other french fries at the nearby McDonald's. They're still married 30 years later. And, partially as a result of that frugality, they recently had the enviable problem of how to invest $1,000,000 cash, when they sold their big house after their kids grew up. They're currently living in a simple 3 bedroom, 2 bath tract house because they don't need more. Another friend also got married downtown by a judge. I was there as best man, there was also a maid of honor. That totals 4 people. That was 1990. They're still married. Weddings don't have to be expensive.

MatthewMcDonald 11y ago

> What planet are you living on where a wedding only costs $2,000, and no more than $10,000? In the US, the average wedding cost is $30,000 The idea of spending $30,000 on a wedding seems insane to me, and it reminds me of the Dave Ramsey quote “If you will live like no one else, later you can live like no one else." > That being said I personally think that's ridiculous and I'll do my damnedest to try to keep mine under $5k, but I know it won't be easy, and there will have to be many things sacrificed. My wedding (2 years ago, in the midwest) had about 100 guests and cost us about $5000 total (doesn't include the rehearsal dinner or the bar tab, which our parents covered). There were probably some things that we could have spent even less on, but it would have required us doing more things ourselves. A few things we did that might be different than the norm: * My wife, mother, and grandmother made many of the decorations themselves * The reception venue was less expensive because we had the wedding in April, because it wasn't during "wedding season" * We had the grocery store make our cake for us * We didn't pay anything for the ceremony location (there are many beautiful public venues that you can book for free) * My wife chose a dress that was beautiful, but wasn't obscenely expensive. She also recovered about half of the cost by selling it afterwards.

scarface74 11y ago

Our "wedding" cost $25 at the court house and we had a reception later on for around $3000.

true_religion 11y ago

> If they're even wanting to have a modest wedding with 80-ish guests nowadays, It's kind of funny. I've been to six weddings in the past five years and none of them had over 50 people. I guess some people just have more friends and family or are under some kind of custom wherein they invite 2nd or 3rd cousins or minor acquaintances to their weddings. My best friend's wedding was 40 people, total cost to the bride and groom $1000. Location: a beautiful beachhouse owned by his aunt. Food and the such done by the family, and everyone who flew in stayed in houses of relatives. Photography done by my wife, music by his brother. Save money on your wedding, spent it on your honeymoon. > I wouldn't want to eat out at a $50/person restaurant with a family of four once every week. I like exotic food with ingredients and cooking conditions I can't replicate at home, so $50 a plate it is. > I don't really disagree with your main point, just your numbers seem to be bad estimates to me. Right :) That's really the issue at heart. Everyone makes choices that X is worthwhile, and Y isn't worthwhile. Some people choose no luxury at all, save all their money and cash out at 35 to retire.

PhantomGremlin 11y ago

What planet are you living on where a wedding only costs $2,000, and no more than $10,000? Oh, come on! When a friend decided to get married, he and his fiancee went downtown and got married by a judge. Just the two of them. They fed each other french fries at the nearby McDonald's. They're still married 30 years later. And, partially as a result of that frugality, they recently had the enviable problem of how to invest $1,000,000 cash, when they sold their big house after their kids grew up. They're currently living in a simple 3 bedroom, 2 bath tract house because they don't need more. Another friend also got married downtown by a judge. I was there as best man, there was also a maid of honor. That totals 4 people. That was 1990. They're still married. Weddings don't have to be expensive.