My youngest boy and his lady were going to elope, but I knew they really wanted a wedding. I held it in my yard and it still cost me a few hundred. I worked out chair arrangement on the patio and figured a maximum of 70 armless chairs would fit with a center aisle so that was guest limit (with unlimited additional friends (and all the neighbors) invited for cake and open bar after ceremony and dinner. I rented the chairs and (7) tables of 10 + 2 for serving and a sm square one for the cake. Bought tons of flowers at commercial market (and an old frig in the basement to keep extra prep). Made tablecloths and swags for the arch of a whole bolt of flowered fabric and constructed centerpieces and favors. Roasted an oven full of pork tenderloins (roast pork recipe-yum) and had fresh fruit salad and other sides. Bought 2 cases of sparkling rose and a 1/2 keg of beer (and a whole table of other standard drink stuff). We played our own music on a good stereo out there and his brother and sis (who both had photog classes) did video and stills. I made the cake for 300 in stages, freezing layers until assembly. Basement rec room was very cool and final cake rested there (and flowers). I planned and rented everything myself alone (tables, chairs, ivory china plates and glass goblets both with gold rims and matching cutlery. I arranged brides bouquet, all centerpieces, corsages and boutonnieres the night before. It went well. Photo here shows couple with me and my friend (and Cuddles) in 1991.
On Facebook, Tony said the average cost of a wedding in the U.S. is $28,400. I would be starting the ‘eloping is so romantic’ talk at a very young age.
My first wedding had the reception held in the church reception hall. There was no alcohol for reasons of belief. One of my guest expressed surprise in the fact that he enjoyed himself despite the lack of booze.
Back in 95’ it cost about 8k to get married in Hawaii. That covered air fare, the wedding and 2 weeks in 5 star accommodations on 2 different islands. I wouldn’t trade that trip for a single day/night wedding, for nothing in the world. It sure beat spending that much to watch uncle….insert name here….getting trashed and trying to dirty dance the DJ. That poor DJ.
Landlord got married, I was invited. The reception favors were three-inch tall candles from the dollar store (your choice of a parrot or a toucan), and the food was unsweeetened iced tea and cookies from the round blue bin with the old-fashioned Main Street laminated on the lid. One bin for twenty people. And I bought them two place settings. They were divorced about a year later.
Well, my father-in-law paid for his second daughter’s first wedding — but apparently, fearing a repeat of what happened to her marriage (and subsequent relationships: She’s on her third husband), he didn’t cough up a penny when his first daughter married me — some 15 or so years later, when it was her, and our, first marriage.
paha_siga almost 11 years ago
Never knew that girls’ parents in USA were that desperate.
GROG Premium Member almost 11 years ago
Maybe he’s thinking a small in house wedding.
vldazzle almost 11 years ago
My youngest boy and his lady were going to elope, but I knew they really wanted a wedding. I held it in my yard and it still cost me a few hundred. I worked out chair arrangement on the patio and figured a maximum of 70 armless chairs would fit with a center aisle so that was guest limit (with unlimited additional friends (and all the neighbors) invited for cake and open bar after ceremony and dinner. I rented the chairs and (7) tables of 10 + 2 for serving and a sm square one for the cake. Bought tons of flowers at commercial market (and an old frig in the basement to keep extra prep). Made tablecloths and swags for the arch of a whole bolt of flowered fabric and constructed centerpieces and favors. Roasted an oven full of pork tenderloins (roast pork recipe-yum) and had fresh fruit salad and other sides. Bought 2 cases of sparkling rose and a 1/2 keg of beer (and a whole table of other standard drink stuff). We played our own music on a good stereo out there and his brother and sis (who both had photog classes) did video and stills. I made the cake for 300 in stages, freezing layers until assembly. Basement rec room was very cool and final cake rested there (and flowers). I planned and rented everything myself alone (tables, chairs, ivory china plates and glass goblets both with gold rims and matching cutlery. I arranged brides bouquet, all centerpieces, corsages and boutonnieres the night before. It went well. Photo here shows couple with me and my friend (and Cuddles) in 1991.
Perkycat almost 11 years ago
On Facebook, Tony said the average cost of a wedding in the U.S. is $28,400. I would be starting the ‘eloping is so romantic’ talk at a very young age.
jbmlaw01 almost 11 years ago
My wife and I were married in the pastor’s study; she hasn’t kicked me out yet, after 35 years. My son did it even cheaper, at a university arboretum.
kaecispopX almost 11 years ago
My first wedding had the reception held in the church reception hall. There was no alcohol for reasons of belief. One of my guest expressed surprise in the fact that he enjoyed himself despite the lack of booze.
Jkiss almost 11 years ago
Back in 95’ it cost about 8k to get married in Hawaii. That covered air fare, the wedding and 2 weeks in 5 star accommodations on 2 different islands. I wouldn’t trade that trip for a single day/night wedding, for nothing in the world. It sure beat spending that much to watch uncle….insert name here….getting trashed and trying to dirty dance the DJ. That poor DJ.
rubinocreative Premium Member almost 11 years ago
Did you know that the average cost of a wedding in the U.S. is now $28,400? (via CNNMoney)
emjaycee almost 11 years ago
Landlord got married, I was invited. The reception favors were three-inch tall candles from the dollar store (your choice of a parrot or a toucan), and the food was unsweeetened iced tea and cookies from the round blue bin with the old-fashioned Main Street laminated on the lid. One bin for twenty people. And I bought them two place settings. They were divorced about a year later.
cdward almost 11 years ago
My dad told each of my sisters, “I’ll pay for your wedding up to and including the white-painted ladder for your elopement.”
K M almost 11 years ago
Well, my father-in-law paid for his second daughter’s first wedding — but apparently, fearing a repeat of what happened to her marriage (and subsequent relationships: She’s on her third husband), he didn’t cough up a penny when his first daughter married me — some 15 or so years later, when it was her, and our, first marriage.