How much did your wedding cost? (Page 4)

seriously, thats my dream wedding!  Love it!

That is awesome!  Did you guys meet from BT on a trip to Chicago in 2010?

I had to ask (it will be 20 years ago in May, and I did VERY little of the planning). So, $4-5k.  Family catered the reception (great idea), used a family friend for pics (bad idea) and the honeymoon was a night at an Embassy Suites.  

Can't say that I would have done anything different.  Most of the money was spent on renting a hall, and buying the food that the family cooked.

I can only hope that my daughter is as frugal.

Just got married in June and it was an amazing experience.  We had about 175 and my mom generously offered to pick up the tab.  We had just lost my dad unexpectedly right before I got engaged so I think helping me plan it gave her something happy and exciting on which to focus.

We picked a unique locale, an old restored building on a lake at a vacation resort in SE Michigan.  The food and liquor was the biggest cost.  Like others have mentioned, photography pricing and service varies by location and around here it's tough to find a great photog under $2500.  We shopped around and the ones priced below a grand, well their portfolios looked like your buddy's photo album.  I figured if I'm not having a buddy do my pics, I don't want it to look like a buddy did my pics.  We chose someone with an artistic style so he was closer to $2500 but this is the going rate for someone good around here.

All in all, perfect day, about $35K.  Yes, still married, it's not even been a year   Seriously though, we are blissfully happy together.  But we would be just as happy today had it been a $25 visit to the justice of the peace.  Having the big affair though, those moments I will never forget.  They are priceless.

(ceremony small.jpg)

(down the aisle small.jpg)

(top view small.jpg)

(Amy Small.jpg)

(in the weeds small.jpg)

Maaayyyyyyybeeeeeeee... 

Dude, I was so supposed to go on that trip.....I knew something great was brewing between you two   So happy for you.

Ha!  No way!!  I had no idea that one little weekend trip to Chicago was going to completely change everything, but I'm so glad it did! 

I absolutely LOVE your dress in your pictures - it's gorgeous 

Really pretty location/dress/photos. Congrats!

another sidetrack question...when will this father of the bride paying tradition stop?  it began because you were offloading a burden (in nicer words, of course) which is not really the case in modern-day america....i certainly don't feel obligated to pay for a wedding for any future children, while i have no problem giving them money for important things...i dunno.

Thanks   It was a destination collection dress so much cheaper than a more lacy, girly, fru-fru type dress which can be gorgeous but is not quite me.  I wanted to cut off the train but mom and bridesmaids wouldn't let me!

Ours was right around 10k (I think a little over- I never saw the flower bills or the time extension for the venue, bar and DJ that my dad authorized and paid for- b/c everyone was having fun.)

We picked a cancellation date at a venue that was out of our price range, but did really good deals on last minute cancellations.

We had I think 10 weeks to plan it- but most of it was already planned - we took most of the vendors at a big discount that were already booked.  It was a Sunday in April - so it wasn't like they were likely to get another gig.

It was interesting after 3.5 years of engagement how many people congratulated my husband on the baby when we invited them to our wedding in 9 weeks.  I think both of our parents were disappointed that it wasn't a shotgun wedding.

Add on to that a massive late season blizzard which closed the airport and the Governor threatening to close all of the roads and it's pretty memorable.

Closing in on 8 years and we're still married - and finally have that baby everyone was whispering about

I'm thinking of a Cheesy Vegas Ceremony for our 10th anniversary just for fun!  I figure making it 10 years is something to celebrate. 

We paid for our own wedding, which was about $22,000 - $25,000. I mentioned to my wife that traditionally the family pays for the daughters wedding, and her response was "Why?". According to her, we all share, or no-one does.

Our original plan was to fly to cypress, have a civil ceremony, and enjoy the weekend on the beach. My FIL asked us to do a religious ceremony, since that was his upbringing, and we agreed.

It just occurred to me that when I discussed costs, I am only talking about my second marriage.  The first marriage occurred twice: First one was New York City City Hall, just paid the license, with a friend and the clerk as witness. Then we went back to Israel (on the way to England), where the family insisted on a big religious wedding (In fact, they mostly weren't aware that we were already married), but between them all, they paid for everything, since we were both just out of university, and moving from the US to London. Paying for tickets was hard enough, let alone a wedding that we didn't really need. That marriage lasted about 5 years, including about 3 years of separation. The divorce was relatively friendly, although complicated (mixing religion and two people living in two separate countries...).

Married 11 years. Still can't believe my luck.

Got married at 18 barefoot in blue-jeans and a white tank top in my mom's living room. Cost us the justice of the peace, the marriage license, dinner later that night at a local poboy/seafood place (can't remember if we paid or not) with 4 or 5 friends and family members, and movie tickets to see the opening night of the third Matrix movie. I remember I went to my undergrad classes that day, and my husband went to his high school classes so we had to wait to do everything until late that afternoon. I also remember my English class couldn't believe I was getting married that afternoon and was in class that day (it was a Wednesday). Didn't even remember to take a picture! All we have to show for that day is our rings that we don't wear and 10 years of marriage this November. 

Sometimes I look at pinterest or something and think of how awesome of a wedding dress I could have had but I wouldn't do it differently. We were both in school and broke, I would never expect my parents to pay for a wedding, and his parents were out of the picture. We just wanted to be married. The ceremony was just a formality and a reason to go out to eat. 

I am getting married in September and helping plan the wedding since my Fiance is busy studying for a major test to get a certification at work. We decided to scale down from our Fancy Baltimore Harbor wedding we originally had planned to a gorgeous waterfront venue in the county where we will be moving too. It has the same amount of water views and more space for half the price. So far, I think the entire wedding including everything (photographer, DJ, Cake, Limo, Shuttle Buses for guests, Dress, Tux, hair & makeup, invitations, etc) will cost about $17k. We are sharing the financial responsibility with our parents so it breaks down like this:

My Family- Photo's, rehersal Dinner, Flowers

Her Family- Dress, Hair & Makeup, Reception & bar Tab, Limo & Shuttle Bus, DJ, Cake, other misc items

Us- Invitations & Save the Dates, All table centerpieces.

For us, my friend is a professional photographer and one of the best in our area and he is expensive. He cut us a deal but its around the 3k range which is average. We found photogs for cheaper but you can definately tell the difference and we wanted amazing pictures we can have forever. He is going to throw in a free photo booth for us. Another big purchase was the dress. My fiance found her perfect dress and even though its expensive, its worth it. She might donate it to someone who cant afford a wedding dress after we get married instead of keeping it in the closet forever to never be worn again. Areas we saved some money is flowers, invites and gifts. We are getting the flowers for the event made and delivered from a local high school that has a horticulture/floral program. Cost for everything is like 75% cheaper then regular florists. We are also forgoing giving a gift to everyone who attends and making a donation to our 2 favorite charities. We made our own Save the Dates and Invitations and got them printed for like $0.30 a piece and they look great. This wedding with everything is less expensive then just the reception cost of the place we originally looked at. Through planning this wedding, it is ridiculous the amount of markup people put on goods and services when you attach the word "wedding" to the event. I am excited for our wedding day and I know it will be amazing.

What a freaking disappointment that must have been!

Who's judging?  I don't care what people do.  You realize this is the capital of cheap drive through weddings, right?  Most people I know do that and it's a great time.

IDK, saying "what a bunch of frugal people" seemed a little off color. Perhaps I misunderstood the intent.

$10k last May in Chicago, and that included everything (photographer, rings, dress, suit, rehearsal dinner, reception, etc...) except the honeymoon. Invited 24 guests and 23 were able to attend. Money came from a few family members and I budgeted like crazy.

To some that might acutally be a compliment.  Frugal does not have to equate to cheap.

If anything, I thought people might judge those who spent more, not those who spent less.