So, I'm the father of the bride

[Table 5]

What, too far?

[Art Vandelay]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Her wedding night?

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Her wedding night?

That is sick!

[Table 5]

Sorry bout that, sometimes the little sensor in my brain doesn't know when to activate.

[You Need a Thneed]

We used the church we attended - Free - just had to give an honorarium to the audio guy.

I think we spent $200 on all the flowers - they were very nice.

Videography, my aunt used my camera, my dad edited - Free

Photography, - we asked a family friend who was just getting into photography - Free

String Quartet - a friend of my wifes was in it, and got it organized - pretty cheap

Vocal Quartet - Also a friend who organized it - cheap.

Some of my aunts did a bit of decorating in the church the day before - Almost Free.

Another Aunt arranged the reception dinner - who has some experience catering.

Church ladies all baked potatoes in their ovens. Some of my dad's friends BBQed the chicken breasts.

Neither a dance nor alcohol are common in my heritage, and are not expected, plus we didn't really want either.

We didn't get a fancy wedding cake, just got the bakery down the street from the church to bake enough cakes - probably about $300-400.

Total costs:
About $500 for wedding rings
Tux rental - $75
Dress - $600 ish (I think)
Honorariums - Minister and Audio $150
Quartets - $400 (I think)
Flowers - $200
Food purchase for 240 guests - about $1500 I think.
Cakes - $400

Slurpees for the wedding party in between the ceremony and the reception - $10

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Her wedding night?

Inappropriate, man.

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Sorry bout that, sometimes the little sensor in my brain doesn't know when to activate.

Okay, I replied before seeing this post. Thanks.

[DOK]

Well, if you have the money, I'd say $20 - $25,000 is a really good number for one side, or the whole thing. I'm only saying because you asked!

Also, from experience, a destination wedding isn't always cheaper. We didn't have many people and it was just as much as a big at home wedding. You have to add hotel, food, entertainment to the bill, basically your paying for a honeymoon as well as the wedding.

For $25,000 they can have pretty much what they want quite easily. If the other side puts in any then that's great, matches it? Then they are set and then some.

My sugesstion in planning is to choose a couple of things to splurge on. I chose my dinner and hotel room (destination wedding). Some women choose their dress and transportation, or flowers, etc. If they go full force on everything it'll break the bank, but if you give more to what's important, then it makes choosing everything else that much easier. Don't care about table centerpieces, then don't do them, love them, then spend $200 a table. Just don't spend $100 on a table because they look like they'd be nice to have, if you see what I mean. I could go on as I'm just fresh out of this!!

[dre]

The one thing I really wanted to do is have a great party for my friends and family. It sounds like you daughter wants to the the same. I think its hard to give them that much cash and not have a say into how they spend it. I think food alone can be 20k, so we had a BBQ. Good luck to you and your family Money Guy. If it gets to chaotic between the ladies, PM me and we will go for a beer.

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by dre

The one thing I really wanted to do is have a great party for my friends and family. It sounds like you daughter wants to the the same. I think its hard to give them that much cash and not have a say into how they spend it. I think food alone can be 20k, so we had a BBQ. Good luck to you and your family Money Guy. If it gets to chaotic between the ladies, PM me and we will go for a beer.

I may need you to buy as I may be tapped out by then.

[Teh_Bandwagoner]

Originally Posted by TheyCallMeBruce

It only works if both are asian. Then both family and friends will contribute only money which is sometimes enough to cover both wedding and honeymoon, AND extra spending money. Doesn't work too well if one partner is of another race.

But it still permits you to have a dragon at the wedding.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

Actually, I'm about the best wedding MC around. My little girl says I can't do this one, however. I'm also a photographer but can't do that either. I think she is saving me for something more important.

Too bad she won't let you emcee her big night.

So just PM me my flight details and the hotel I'll be staying at and we'll be all set

[Clarkey]

Mine was $11k with honeymoon. I am a wheeler dealer (read cheap) and was able to get a tonne of stuff at discount, free or borrowed. Several years ago the average Canadian wedding cost was $26,000, I heard that stat on the radio so take it for what it's worth.

[Cgy Girl]

Since you asked...from my experience, 15K to 25K will get you a nice wedding in calgary provided you have a guest list of around 150 or less and will enable you to have an open bar at an established facility (ie. hotel/golf course) and splurge on one or two things that are really important, whether it be the dress, the photography or flowers, etc.

Like others have said, it's important for your daughter & her fiance to figure out what's important to them & since you're footing most of the bill, anything that's really important to you!!

[4X4]

Here's a question: can anyone really tell the difference between a $1,000 dress and a $5,000 dress? How? What's the difference? Bragging rights?

[RedHot25]

Originally Posted by Cgy Girl

Since you asked...from my experience, 15K to 25K will get you a nice wedding in calgary provided you have a guest list of around 150 or less and will enable you to have an open bar at an established facility (ie. hotel/golf course) and splurge on one or two things that are really important, whether it be the dress, the photography or flowers, etc.

This sounds like our wedding, but about 5 to 15 k less

Anyway, I think ours was around 10 - 11 K. Both parents chipped in about a grand plus one grandma bought our flowers. Her buying our flowers made her day. We found a great place that was for a very good price, and had some friends help out (e.g. we have a friend who is a chef who did our cake).

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Here's a question: can anyone really tell the difference between a $1,000 dress and a $5,000 dress? How? What's the difference? Bragging rights?

Off the rack versus custom made.

[DOK]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Here's a question: can anyone really tell the difference between a $1,000 dress and a $5,000 dress? How? What's the difference? Bragging rights?

From my perspective, it's like buying buying shoes at Wal Mart or buying them at the Lecost (sp) store. Same thing, but it feels different when you buy from the best (brand name vs. no name kind of sort of). There is a huge difference in quality between the two prices, but you may be hard pressed to actually visually see those differences. Things like real crystal beading vs. plastic beads, hand sewn seams vs. machine, and of course, name brand. Some brides need to wear a certain designer to say they did. The more you sell the better you get treated as well, kind of like buying a car a VW vs. a Bently.

Funny enough no one is going to tell a bride she looked like crap or her dress didn't fit right, or it sat funny on her, EVER. That being said, she can wear a garbage bag and who would speak up?

[4X4]

So a $1,000 dress is equivalent to buying at WalMart? Of all the weddings I've been to, not once have I looked at the wedding dress and thought it looked cheap. Slutty? Yes. Ridiculous? Absolutely. But cheap? Nope.

When I grow up, I'm gonna marry a girl that wants to wear street clothes to the JP.

[dre]

I got this off of a friend of mine. I told my wife she should use AC/DC Highway To Hell as her walking up the aisle song. It was a no go.