Its seriously a function of venue and number of guests.
If you're out in the country on an acreage that is owned by one of the attendees and have the local church ladies catering your event and/or a guest potluck you can get away with a really inexpensive but great event.
If you're doing it at a high demand facility and really feel the need to invite your 5th cousins and their children you're going to pay out of your arse.
I think a lot of it comes down to how much you, as the parents, want this to be a showy event. Lets just say that I think there is a strong relationship between the amount of money a parent gifts to the wedding, and how much "input" said parents have.
You gotta ask yourself... how satisfied was your wife with her wedding??
