How much?

**Paul in NZ** · 24th April 2006, 08:37

We self catered our wedding (with help from rellies), Vickis mother made the dress, family supplied the cars etc and it cost bugger all really.

I'm a big fan of sensible weddings. If you want to bring family together involve them in the wedding. Help with the food, photos entertainment etc. Make it byo and forget the cheesy gifts etc. The whole megga princess wedding for 'ordinary' folks is a recent invention and a sad one IMHO!

You can use our garden if you want etc etc.. Easy!

**Colapop** · 24th April 2006, 08:44

Originally Posted by kro

It doesn't work that way dude, my Mum and Dad were married for 35 years, split up, and two years later got back togther, even the "solidest" of relationships suffer sometimes. What I am saying is you spend mega bucks on one day in your life, and then the meaning of that day is bunkered by a break up, then the money seems like a waste. We have so many friends in this boat its not funny, and they all regret spending big coin on marriages (one of them in excess of 50K) its a damn shame if you ask me.

Granted not every marriage will last forever but if more people took a little more time in deciding and were a lot more compromising then there'd be a lot more marriages last a lot longer. We compromise all the time.. she tells me what to do and I do it if I know whats good for me!!

**jaybee180** · 24th April 2006, 17:18

Man what a heap of cynics you all are.

Aitch and I are in the process of planning our wedding as we speak. Not a cheap exercise I grant you, but it's gunna be a cracker! We don't think we are going overboard with the three prime requirements being "good food, good wine, and a good photographer". We are both in our 40's, own our own home, don't have any kids together............so what are we gunna do with the money! No point being the richest person in the graveyard!!!

Doing the whole thing in one place. But we have still budgeted for fifteen grand. Recently went to a wedding that would have had to be the all time worst. Felt really sorry for the couple. The food was just horrible, no wine for the tables and no opportunity to buy any, the DJ was stuck in last century, and I'm sorry, but disco balls just do not yank my chain! Whilst it was great to see the couple and share their day with them, everyone had gone by 9pm! Do what you can afford - but do it well!!!

**Highlander** · 24th April 2006, 22:28

Originally Posted by froggyfrenchman

I refuse to wear a suit (its just not me)

I wore jeans to our wedding much to Mother In Law's disgust.

**kickingzebra** · 24th April 2006, 22:53

Our wedding, a year and a half ago probably cost about 10 grand... Father in law paid the vast majority of that.

I suggested to my wife eloping, but she wasn't keen, it all depends on the type of family you have I suppose.

To be honest, though our wedding was very nice, on the day, there are soo many people etc, it is a bit bewildering to try and do everyone justice, and all of the nice touchs go right out the door.

One thing we did was to have our photos before the ceremony, it saved a lot of bother.
We had people travel from like as far as germany, so leaving on a 6 am flight to Aussie the next day was not a bright move... no jiggy jiggy on wedding night, when we got to the hotel near the airport, my wife had slept all the way, I woke her, she took long enough to go to the room, and get into bed before falling asleep again.

What an exhausting day... The boys were out mucking around lighting fires in stupid places etc till 4:30 am, and wifey wanted a special private ceremoney to exchange rings at 6, then 630 into makeup etc...

In hindsight, a quiet ceremony by yourself (kept hush hush) and honeymoon, then have the wedding party when you come back, then you can pay your friends full attention, that would be the way I would do it now.

Also, a low key thing with friends will cost WAY less than a full wedding. 3 to 4 grand should hire a nice venue, with everthing laid on, then you can entertain in style, but no wedding paraphenalia means less inflated costs.

my 2cents, oh wait, its a wedding, $20.00

**Biff** · 24th April 2006, 23:02

Waikuki beach - free
Celebrant - $120
Spit Roast Company (40 people) - $1500 ish
Piss - $500

Dropping the Biffbird while doing 10kmph while taking a tight right into a hotel car park in front of a bus load of Asian tourists, in Queenstown, with the new Mrs on board, on your honeymoon - Priceless.

**soundbeltfarm** · 25th April 2006, 09:34

got married in 2000 cost about 7-8k.
married in gardens cost 50 bucks was primo there to we took a few kegs and chips and all that finger food.
for after we were married we went had photos they cost 400 but now the same photographer costs over 1500 ( our wedding was the second she'd done but are good photos.)
I wanted a BBQ but inlaws wanted to pay for a proper feed so that was all good. about 32 dollars a head.
hired the local hall 150 dollars hired the local lions as piss pourers cost us 50 dollars.
DJ was a mate so cost me petrol for him to get out to the hall.
had 3 wedding cars and again all friends so we just got them a car care set each and fuel.
all classic chevs.
hired suits and trace got her and her bridesmaids dresses made by a family friend for sweet F.A
and we just had kegs and bubbly for the tables and spirits for top table and family tables and a bit behind the bar for the others . and all the usual non alcholic stuff too.
had still wine that was made by grandad and that Fucd anyone that dared drink the potent shit.
we had 150 people at wedding and another 40 to the after wedding.
best part was the next day at my olds .
during the week before me and dad went out hunting and got a nice sized deer and a young sow. (im not for killing sows but for this day we did)
my uncle went out and got some shellfish and we had some T-bones from a little red vealer we reared for the day.
was a wicked day. borrowed a spit for the pig, the mum and her sisters made venison rissoles and kebabs, BBQ the scallops and Tbones, and dad made the paua fritters and we cleaned up all the piss from the night before and had to go to the pub for a 2 more.
so was good for all to catch up (we have big families 11 kids on mums side and 11 on dads too)
not many on trace's side.
was the last time all trace's uni mates caught up at the same time.
and a few of my mates from scotland came over for it also so that was way cool i thought.
flowers were done from the local CWI and then they just went to a local church somewhere for the church services so that made them pretty cheap at 200 dollars.
so i reckon it was well worth it .
and im still happily married.
so its all good

**froggyfrenchman** · 25th April 2006, 09:49

Originally Posted by Highlander

I wore jeans to our wedding much to Mother In Law's disgust.

Yeah, my mother out law dosnt seem too happy at the idea. The father outlaw seems to think that wearing my leathers would be the best bet. The missis dosnt seem to care either way, wants a dress though, dosnt want to wear her leathers

**MSTRS:Me** · 25th April 2006, 09:55

Spend what you can afford. A little or a lot makes no difference to the meaning of the affair. Shop around, use your contacts and don't be pressured into 'this or that' by anyone - whose wedding is it, after all?
Yungatart and I got married in 1997. We had 50-odd guests, a piper and a full haggis party, a photographer and a fully catered function with a band at a winery. Total cost was under $3000.
Admittedly we achieved this borrowing some things, the wedding dress was the seamstress's (a friend) gift, the photograher was a start-out who did it for the practice and the cost of the film, the floral arrangements were another friend's gift....you get the picture

**Aitch** · 25th April 2006, 14:53

There are a lot of people of here with no romance in their souls.
First up, a wedding costs what it costs. No two weddings are the same (unless you go for one of those Rev Moon jobbies), just like no two funerals are the same, or no two first birthday parties are the same. Everyone has their own tastes.
Second, the "hens" only take over when the groom lets them, or when the couple are a pair of starry eyed 20 somethings who let their mummies and daddies pay for the wedding, and so have no real say in who what where when or how. Grown ups plan their weddings together, and the groom has plenty of say in everything from the venue to the menu.( But probably not the dress, but that's a relief for me anyway!)
And bloody hell it's hard work finding the right venue!!!!!!!!!

**Sniper** · 25th April 2006, 15:24

Cheers Aitch, thats some wise words.

**onearmedbandit** · 25th April 2006, 16:39

Got married last year Sniper, cost just less then $20,000. Limited our guests (mostly my friends and family as most of her side were in Japan, yes we had two weddings, but the one in Japan we made a profit from, see people pay you to come to your wedding!!!!!) to about 85. Did we count the dollars, nah not really. We had the best day of our lives, many people (suprisingly) said the same, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Oh yeah, I'll mention it again. People pay you to come to your wedding in Japan. Cost us about $11,000 to do in Japan, and we still made a profit.

**Deano** · 26th April 2006, 14:32

Originally Posted by vtec

Haha, sounds like there's a lot of smart dudes on here who know that an expensive wedding is just an imagined necessity that many women think proves your commitment.
.

Every situation is different.

My bike cost more than the wedding

.......who am I to say she couldn't have the wedding she wanted.