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Married Folk

  • ZWICK 4 PREZ
    Fab4Runner;1743085 wrote:Photographer is our biggest issue right now. Cheapest I can find that isn't shitty is about $2,000. I would have absolutely no problem spending way less as long as they are good. I am trying to get info on the photography programs at nearby colleges so I can contact students there. I do not want to spend a fortune, but I refuse to settle for someone sub-par. Wedding pics are one of my top priorities.

    The whole timeline thing is another issue. Fiancé thinks I am being a bit crazy because I want to do things now (wedding is 9/24/16), but a lot of vendors are already booked. I make him sound like an ass, when truthfully he is the best person I know. He is just pretty clueless when it comes to shit like this.

    Best of memory

    we paid 2 grand to photographer
    250 to priest
    150 to pianist
    100 to servers
    750 to the dj
    8 grand for food and alcohol
    cake was a few hundred.. cant really remember exactly.
  • Ytowngirlinfla
    On the beach in St Thomas, VI. It cost $300 for the licensing, pastor and witness.

    Had a reception in Ohio about 6 months later. I think the cost for food and drinks was about $500
  • Al Bundy
    Fab4Runner;1743085 wrote:Photographer is our biggest issue right now. Cheapest I can find that isn't shitty is about $2,000. I would have absolutely no problem spending way less as long as they are good. I am trying to get info on the photography programs at nearby colleges so I can contact students there. I do not want to spend a fortune, but I refuse to settle for someone sub-par. Wedding pics are one of my top priorities.

    The whole timeline thing is another issue. Fiancé thinks I am being a bit crazy because I want to do things now (wedding is 9/24/16), but a lot of vendors are already booked. I make him sound like an ass, when truthfully he is the best person I know. He is just pretty clueless when it comes to shit like this.
    That was smart to pick a Buckeye's bye week if you are having a fall wedding.
  • Fab4Runner
    ZWICK 4 PREZ;1743095 wrote:Best of memory

    we paid 2 grand to photographer
    250 to priest
    150 to pianist
    100 to servers
    750 to the dj
    8 grand for food and alcohol
    cake was a few hundred.. cant really remember exactly.
    None of that seems too unreasonable to me. Our food and booze should be less, though. We are able to provide both instead of having to go through a caterer. Our alcohol will be no more than $1200, but not sure on food yet. We are using fair food stands/food trucks. We will have a small cake for us to cut, but dessert is going to be funnel cakes and elephant ears. Maybe ice cream, too.
    Al Bundy;1743098 wrote:That was smart to pick a Buckeye's bye week if you are having a fall wedding.
    We knew we wanted September, and there were no other stipulations. That seemed like good enough reason to choose the date we did.
  • Commander of Awesome
    I hope I never have to get married, outside of tax breaks I don't understand why anyone that's not religious would even bother.

    Most women aren't rationale about this shit (some guys too, thanks Disney!) I would do a potluck wedding. Churches can GFT, so it'd be at the reception place and I'd provide booze. Couple hundred bucks for kegs, wine, and food provided by guest. ZFG about place mats, tables, etc.... Any idiot with a laptop or a phone can DJ, so I'd let the guests trade off choosing songs. Significance of a wedding day to me is close to 0, wedding photos would be provided by FB.
  • ts1227
    If you want your DJ to serve as an emcee too, then you have to make sure your person with a laptop isn't too much of an idiot, and has a mic to hook in as well
  • raiderbuck
    Got married last November at the Baltimore (National) Aquarium. Total was probably mid $30s. Wife's family footed the majority of the bill. But the wife and I paid for rings, the DJ, planner, photographer and videographer.

    I would say don't skimp on photos. We paid good money for our photos and video and it was well worth it. My wife knew the photographer from a previous job, and ended up negotiating a sweet package. Two day engagement session in Chicago (photog is based in Baltimore) for the price of airfare ($250), free photos for our engagement party, and around 2000 photos of the big day. Our videographer was referred to us from our planner, and he cut us a deal as well.
  • power i
    My oldest daughter got married 2 years ago. She had almost 2 years to plan. Get your venue and vendors booked ASAP. Then you have time to do everything else at a leisurely pace and can actually enjoy the process.

    Her wedding was at The Old Stone Church in Cleveland and the reception was at the House of Blues. 150 guests with open bar. We splurged on the photographer, food booze and band. The flowers and cake weren't as important to her so we saved some money there. RTA has a 'trolly' we rented to take the wedding party around the city for pics before the wedding. It really was a beautiful wedding, and everyone had a blast. It was just over $40,000.
  • Commander of Awesome
    ts1227;1743101 wrote:If you want your DJ to serve as an emcee too, then you have to make sure your person with a laptop isn't too much of an idiot, and has a mic to hook in as well
    No I'm good without an MC. The introductions of the wedding party, awkward shitty speeches that no one wants to give/listen to, the oldest married dance shit is tired and played out. Treat it more like a party. Food, drinks, dancing (I guess. I could do without the dancing).
  • Commander of Awesome
    power i;1743103 wrote:My oldest daughter got married 2 years ago. She had almost 2 years to plan. Get your venue and vendors booked ASAP. Then you have time to do everything else at a leisurely pace and can actually enjoy the process.

    Her wedding was at The Old Stone Church in Cleveland and the reception was at the House of Blues. 150 guests with open bar. We splurged on the photographer, food booze and band. The flowers and cake weren't as important to her so we saved some money there. RTA has a 'trolly' we rented to take the wedding party around the city for pics before the wedding. It really was a beautiful wedding, and everyone had a blast. It was just over $40,000.
    LOL, that's a house in Cleveland. She'd be much better off financially using that as a down payment, investing, etc.... That just seems CRAZY to me to spend that much for a day.

    This wedding shit is insane.
  • power i
    Commander of Awesome;1743105 wrote:LOL, that's a house in Cleveland. She'd be much better off financially using that as a down payment, etc....What a waste, but I guess there's one born every second.

    This wedding shit is insane.
    No sucker here. She's my daughter, we have the money. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. As her and her husband both are college grads with good jobs, there was no need for us to help them with a down payment on their house. It's all good here.
  • iclfan2
    If it were me, I'd have just eloped and had a big party bag in our home town. If we had to pay it all, never would have had the kind of wedding we did either, but thankfully we probably only had to drop a couple grand. I would never go into debt or have to worry about paying my bills for a reception.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  • sleeper
    Commander of Awesome;1743105 wrote:LOL, that's a house in Cleveland. She'd be much better off financially using that as a down payment, investing, etc.... That just seems CRAZY to me to spend that much for a day.

    This wedding shit is insane.
    $40k is nothing. One of my co-workers spent $40k just to rent out a venue here in the city. Their wedding was in the high $100k's total as my best guess but wouldn't be surprised if it went into the $200ks.

    My thoughts; I've had just as much fun at a ~$20k wedding as I had at a ~$100k wedding. The most important thing is not having a bunch of boring people at your wedding and having a decent mix of single men and women for some mingling.
  • Automatik
    I went to one in Ohio last July. It was 75% senior citizens. It sucked.

    I used to think they were somewhat selfish and dumb, but after going to one in Jamaica, destination weddings are awesome. I'm most likely going another next June.
  • sleeper
    Automatik;1743123 wrote:I went to one in Ohio last July. It was 75% senior citizens. It sucked.
    This is spot on. If you look at your invite list and it contains more than 50% old people, your wedding will blow. Sure, you might get more $$ if gifts from old people but your wedding will suck and I will leave as soon as possible.
  • Automatik
    I left early. Only time in my life I can recall leaving an open bar wedding before they shut it down.
  • Commander of Awesome
    sleeper;1743121 wrote:The most important thing is not having a bunch of boring people at your wedding and having a decent mix of single men and women for some mingling.
    Spot on, if your invite list is mostly coupled/married people, the party will be over EARLY. Single ppl keep the party alive and fun.
  • Fab4Runner
    sleeper;1743121 wrote:$40k is nothing. One of my co-workers spent $40k just to rent out a venue here in the city. Their wedding was in the high $100k's total as my best guess but wouldn't be surprised if it went into the $200ks.

    My thoughts; I've had just as much fun at a ~$20k wedding as I had at a ~$100k wedding. The most important thing is not having a bunch of boring people at your wedding and having a decent mix of single men and women for some mingling.
    Automatik;1743123 wrote:I went to one in Ohio last July. It was 75% senior citizens. It sucked.

    I used to think they were somewhat selfish and dumb, but after going to one in Jamaica, destination weddings are awesome. I'm most likely going another next June.
    sleeper;1743125 wrote:This is spot on. If you look at your invite list and it contains more than 50% old people, your wedding will blow. Sure, you might get more $$ if gifts from old people but your wedding will suck and I will leave as soon as possible.
    Not worried about boring people. Our friends are legit and love to party. We do have large families, but they are also a solid group. Mine especially likes to drink, dance and have a good time.

    I went to one destination wedding (7 day cruise) and had a blast. As long as the couple understands not everyone can go, and they don't get upset about it, I think it's awesome.
  • Automatik
    I went to Jamaica for 7 days. Can't beat it for the price and it was amazing overall. 7 days was a big long though, I'd go for 5 the next time around.
  • Fab4Runner
    Oh, and we are having a no kids wedding. So even married couple and others with children will still be able to enjoy the party and have a good time.
  • Scarlet_Buckeye
    ptown_trojans_1;1743072 wrote:We eloped.
    Best decision we have made.

    Went down to New Orleans in October 2014. Went to a courthouse across the river, paid $130 and got hitched by the Judge on a balcony overlooking the city.
    Told all of our friends and family afterward. We hinted we would do that (as we have been together 10 years beforehand).

    We held 3 parties for each our families and friends. One in my hometown, one in her's and one for our friends here in DC.
    All told, costs for the trip to NOLA, costs of the parties, and fees, about $2K, which we have already paid off.. And....no family drama!
    Can't believe I'm actually going to say this, but... this actually sounds BRILLIANT.
  • Scarlet_Buckeye
    ts1227;1743091 wrote:Our photographer was a college student, definitely good bang for the buck
    Does this mean you banged your wedding photographer?
  • Scarlet_Buckeye
    power i;1743103 wrote:My oldest daughter got married 2 years ago. She had almost 2 years to plan. Get your venue and vendors booked ASAP. Then you have time to do everything else at a leisurely pace and can actually enjoy the process.

    Her wedding was at The Old Stone Church in Cleveland and the reception was at the House of Blues. 150 guests with open bar. We splurged on the photographer, food booze and band. The flowers and cake weren't as important to her so we saved some money there. RTA has a 'trolly' we rented to take the wedding party around the city for pics before the wedding. It really was a beautiful wedding, and everyone had a blast. It was just over $40,000.
    Jesus... who in the world has $40,000 to spend on a wedding?!?! Are you a Hilton or a Kardashian?!
  • Automatik
    Scarlet_Buckeye;1743142 wrote:Jesus... who in the world has $40,000 to spend on a wedding?!?! Are you a Hilton or a Kardashian?!
    You live in Orange fucking County and you're baffled by a 40k wedding?
  • ts1227
    Scarlet_Buckeye;1743140 wrote:Does this mean you banged your wedding photographer?
    I mean there was a solid hour where I was there and my wife wasn't yet beforehand...

    Ignore the fact that there were 10 other people in the same room