How much did you spend on.....
- Thread starter Donzo
- Start date
Lot's of super frugal types! Good for you. Not the case here. We did the traditional thing. We found a reception local in an old historic schoolhouse with private grounds that we had to ourselves the whole day. We did a lot to keep the cost down - first by inviting only 74 people ( the place would have to make special arrangements to hold more so we used that as an excuse). All told, the rings, reception, food, and honeymoon ( the Poconos, yeah baby, welcome to the land of love!) cost under $10k which we were happy with. We made our own centerpieces by buying small fishbowls, potpurri, doilies, and ribbons at a store called Micheal's - arts and crafts store. potporri in the bowl, doily covers it, ribbon ties around the edge to hold it down - wala - tasteful centerpiece that people can see over to talk at the table. I still remember digging through the bargain bin there to find enough matching doilies until we realized no one would notice. Costs that stood out - the dress was $600, her engagement ring was $1,500, and the photographer was $1,000 ( our one big indulgence). All things considered, we were happy to get the wedding, reception, and vacation for under five figures, especially since we had friends who blew 60k.
Oh, and it was <10k in 1999.
Oh, and it was <10k in 1999.
saluki9
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
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- Feb 23, 2005
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I had 3 sisters who all $50K+ weddings and my wife was never one of these girls who dreamed of a big wedding.
We shocked the family and told them we wanted to get married in Maui. I guess I should have thought more about my parents because it probably cost them $20K to get them, my sisters, husbands and kids to maui.
The ceremony was at the Grand Wailea which cost about $9K including dinner for 20 after the ceremony which my FIL picked up.
It wasn't the cheapest wedding, but we did have fun.
We shocked the family and told them we wanted to get married in Maui. I guess I should have thought more about my parents because it probably cost them $20K to get them, my sisters, husbands and kids to maui.
The ceremony was at the Grand Wailea which cost about $9K including dinner for 20 after the ceremony which my FIL picked up.
It wasn't the cheapest wedding, but we did have fun.
circa 2000
food: <$500. Table of a big cake, couple of smaller ones, fresh fruits: strawberries, cherries, etc. Table of Italian/Chinese foods: basically went to favorite restaurants and said "we would like 15 servings of this dish on this day."
flowers: $400. This equalled two packed to the gills Saab-loads of roses, orchids, and 2 miniature gardenia trees from the downtown flower district. Friend and I trimmed flowers and arranged them the night before. I would guess this would have cost thousands had it been professionally done.
dress: <$150 for fabric, thread, pattern. was in residency at the time, working 120+ hr/wk, no time for fittings or even shopping since most of the time I was off work, stores were closed. So parents arrived the night before, mom bearing beautiful Italian silk fabric (bought on sale from G street fabrics), and my best friend and I made the dress the night before.
wedding program: $75. Spent on beautiful vellum paper, silk ribbons, printing by MIL.
a lifetime's hoarding collection of fabrics and ribbons used for decoration
ring/diamond: don't know, dh bought it from the "best" jeweller where he lived at the time. But let me put it this way, it is of a size that matches my small bone structure, and that I never need to be embarrassed of in front of less financially fortunate persons. Every year, I find it more and more beautiful.
in a big old house, family owned.
food: <$500. Table of a big cake, couple of smaller ones, fresh fruits: strawberries, cherries, etc. Table of Italian/Chinese foods: basically went to favorite restaurants and said "we would like 15 servings of this dish on this day."
flowers: $400. This equalled two packed to the gills Saab-loads of roses, orchids, and 2 miniature gardenia trees from the downtown flower district. Friend and I trimmed flowers and arranged them the night before. I would guess this would have cost thousands had it been professionally done.
dress: <$150 for fabric, thread, pattern. was in residency at the time, working 120+ hr/wk, no time for fittings or even shopping since most of the time I was off work, stores were closed. So parents arrived the night before, mom bearing beautiful Italian silk fabric (bought on sale from G street fabrics), and my best friend and I made the dress the night before.
wedding program: $75. Spent on beautiful vellum paper, silk ribbons, printing by MIL.
a lifetime's hoarding collection of fabrics and ribbons used for decoration
ring/diamond: don't know, dh bought it from the "best" jeweller where he lived at the time. But let me put it this way, it is of a size that matches my small bone structure, and that I never need to be embarrassed of in front of less financially fortunate persons. Every year, I find it more and more beautiful.
in a big old house, family owned.
bssc
Moderator Emeritus
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- Dec 27, 2005
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- 10,125
I forgot to mention that I won our honeymoon to Aruba in a contest.
