Average wedding cost in 2014: $31,213

[brahmanknight]

Man, **** all that noise.

The findings showed that 70 percent of weddings rang in somewhere
between $10,000 and $65,000, suggesting the more affluent bride drove
the average higher. But the uptick in spending was represented across
all income levels and regions, said Dhanusha Sivajee, executive vice president of marketing for The Knot's parent XO Group.

"I think it goes beyond inflation," Sivajee said. "We've seen the amount
of guests go down but the amount of spend per guest go up."

Along those lines, the trend toward more casual celebrations is on the
rise. Whereas 20 percent of couples had formal, black-tie events in
2008, that dropped to 16 percent last year. Similarly, the number of
people who described their wedding as casual increased to 18 percent
from 12 percent.

link

 

[Dmarino110]

its much cheaper if you only pay for sangria...

 

[UCFRogerz]

Originally posted by Dmarino110:
its much cheaper if you only pay for sangria...

Damnit Dmarino, this is not how this is supposed to work!

 

[Game_Day_Sports]

Originally posted by UCFRogerz:

Originally posted by Dmarino110:
its much cheaper if you only pay for sangria...

Damnit Dmarino, this is not how this is supposed to work!

That's not how any of this works

 

[YouSeeEffer]

When people know how lame you are and how sucky your wedding will be, they won't want to come. That makes it even more cheap!

 

[HuffyCane]

Magua understands that the white man is a dog to his women.

 

[DHodges34]

It's Pinterest's fault.

 

[Bob the Citronaut]

All for half a day most people won't remember. What a waste.
Posted from Rivals Mobile

 

[Whataknight]

I'll pay for 2 weeks anywhere if my daughter elopes. Just invite the parents to the courthouse, do the thing, and then fly off. I'll still come out waaaaaaay ahead

 

[HuffyCane]

Originally posted by Whataknight:
I'll pay for 2 weeks anywhere if my daughter elopes. Just invite the parents to the courthouse, do the thing, and then fly off. I'll still come out waaaaaaay ahead

I've come close to getting married three times now. One of those times, we shopped for rings, I talked to her Dad, etc. I never formally asked her, but in preparation for doing so there were a few sticking points that I knew would lead to bigger problems.

My brother had a small wedding by choice and did not ask my parents for help paying for his gig. His wife and her family were penniless, so they made do with a small ceremony, even though he is a doctor and could have spent or borrowed a fortune. From my family's perspective, this is what would be expected of me. Its just the way our family dynamic works -- dysfunctional or not.

So I told the future Mrs. Huffy that my family would pay for the rehearsal dinner and I would pay for the honeymoon anywhere in the world. However, the rehearsal dinner would be capped $25 a head, including booze and the honeymoon would not last more than 10 days, excluding flight time. She understood that "my family" meant me and that spending big on the rehearsal dinner would diminish the amount available for the ceremony. In addition, the ceremony could not exceed the cost of the honeymoon. She initially agreed, but when she saw how people would be gouging her as she started to make informal plans a roller coaster of associated problems came rolling out so I broke it off.

So happy I did. I couldn't go through life being one of those dudes that spends $50,000 on their wedding or their daughters wedding and then watch it go up in smoke a year later or so. I wouldn't be able to live with myself.

This post was edited on 3/16 1:21 PM by HuffyCane

 

[CommuterBob]

Originally posted by DHodges34:
It's Pinterest's fault.

And TLC. And WE.

 

[USFSucks]

Mine was over $30k, but in our budget we factored in our honeymoon and we spent a LOT of money on pictures.

 

[fabknight]

It's even worse when you consider the current divorce rate. Most parents will still be working off the debt from the wedding long after the marriage is over.

 

[UCFWayne]

Spent $9k on my wedding and then $5k on the honeymoon. Our wedding kicked arse and so did the honeymoon. We got some help from our families, but nothing that we couldnt have covered ourselves.

Dont know why people feel the need to spend so much money on essentially a big party with friends. Especially when it helps to put them in bad financial spot to start off a life together which only magnifies their real problems.

 

[Game_Day_Sports]

I pretty much don't like anybody enough to watch them get drunk on my dime at $8 a drink. If I am buying you booze to get shit faced and hook up with my future sister-in-law, I am heading to BJ's and seeing what is on special by the case and that is what your drinking and when I am out, you are leaving.

And Aunt Ethyl, you couldn't spare $5 to send me for my birthday, no way are you getting Lobster Thermidor. You are getting, where's my gift, there's the door.

And all of the little 18 year old brides maid's friends who show up get wasted on a coor's light and start shaking your titties in my face thinking that just because I am married, I am not going to motor boat the hell out of them, you are wrong so go pass out and puke at somebody else's party.

Yes, we got married at the Justice of the Peace, had dinner with some friends and close family and then headed out on our honeymoon. I don't regret a minute of it. My wife wishes now, that we would have had a bigger church wedding but it was more her idea than mine at the time to do it.

I think we spent $1,500 - $2,000 on the whole thing not including ring and honeymoon.

 

[Dmarino110]

Originally posted by UCFWayne:
Spent $9k on my wedding and then $5k on the honeymoon. Our wedding kicked arse and so did the honeymoon. We got some help from our families, but nothing that we couldnt have covered ourselves.

Dont know why people feel the need to spend so much money on essentially a big party with friends. Especially when it helps to put them in bad financial spot to start off a life together which only magnifies their real problems.

This, I spent a little less on each and we paid cash...her mom and dad kicked in some cash to help too but just like my time at UCF, i came out without any money on a credit card...thanks to sangria...

This post was edited on 3/16 2:07 PM by Dmarino110

 

[UCFEE]

I'm curious what the distribution looks like. I would hope it's top heavy with increases in the number insanely extravagant weddings, and not increased across the board with dumb people taking on too much debt because their TVs told them how a wedding should be.

 

[goodknightfl]

This just points to the utter stupidity of the American people. 30k for 2 years marriage, than 10'sK for Divorce.

 

[UCFWayne]

Originally posted by Dmarino110:

Originally posted by UCFWayne:
Spent $9k on my wedding and then $5k on the honeymoon. Our wedding kicked arse and so did the honeymoon. We got some help from our families, but nothing that we couldnt have covered ourselves.

Dont know why people feel the need to spend so much money on essentially a big party with friends. Especially when it helps to put them in bad financial spot to start off a life together which only magnifies their real problems.

This, I spent a little less on each and we paid cash...her mom and dad kicked in some cash to help too but just like my time at UCF, i came out without any money on a credit card...thanks to sangria...

This post was edited on 3/16 2:07 PM by Dmarino110

Too be fair, you probably could have done more than 1 pitcher per table and still came out ok.

We had a half keg of yueng ling, 20 some bottles of wine, and one of the gatorade coolers full of fruity rum drink we made ourselves. I think all that was left over was 2 bottles of wine.

And in Sir G style, my wife and I left the wedding in a boat.

 

[Dmarino110]

Originally posted by UCFWayne:

Originally posted by Dmarino110:

Originally posted by UCFWayne:
Spent $9k on my wedding and then $5k on the honeymoon. Our wedding kicked arse and so did the honeymoon. We got some help from our families, but nothing that we couldnt have covered ourselves.

Dont know why people feel the need to spend so much money on essentially a big party with friends. Especially when it helps to put them in bad financial spot to start off a life together which only magnifies their real problems.

This, I spent a little less on each and we paid cash...her mom and dad kicked in some cash to help too but just like my time at UCF, i came out without any money on a credit card...thanks to sangria...

This post was edited on 3/16 2:07 PM by Dmarino110

Too be fair, you probably could have done more than 1 pitcher per table and still came out ok.

We had a half keg of yueng ling, 20 some bottles of wine, and one of the gatorade coolers full of fruity rum drink we made ourselves. I think all that was left over was 2 bottles of wine.

And in Sir G style, my wife and I left the wedding in a boat.

we did 2 pitchers per table, 1 of white, one of red, and we had champagne for everyone as well...

 

[MACHater02]

My wife and I went to the courthouse. We did rent a house on Clearwater beach for the week and held a reception there, but relatives stayed with us and split the cost of the house. A friend who is a photographer took photos at no charge. I don't get why people spend so much on one day, or engagement rings for that matter.

 

[Good Knight Sweetheart]

Too many focus on spending lots of money on one single day. Everything becomes about showing off. They spend too little time focused on the marriage.
.
Posted from Rivals Mobile

 

[UCF-icenhl-06]

Spent a bunch of money on our wedding. No regrets. Everyone had a great time. If you spent $10 on a plastic ring and courthouse ceremony, good for you but that doesnt make you or your marriage any better than those of us who decided to have fun and spend some cash.

 

[Dmarino110]

Originally posted by UCF-icenhl-06:
Spent a bunch of money on our wedding. No regrets. Everyone had a great time. If you spent $10 on a plastic ring and courthouse ceremony, good for you but that doesnt make you or your marriage any better than those of us who decided to have fun and spend some cash.

doesnt make yours any better either...JMO...

 

[UCFWayne]

Originally posted by Dmarino110:

Originally posted by UCFWayne:

Originally posted by Dmarino110:

Originally posted by UCFWayne:
Spent $9k on my wedding and then $5k on the honeymoon. Our wedding kicked arse and so did the honeymoon. We got some help from our families, but nothing that we couldnt have covered ourselves.

Dont know why people feel the need to spend so much money on essentially a big party with friends. Especially when it helps to put them in bad financial spot to start off a life together which only magnifies their real problems.

This, I spent a little less on each and we paid cash...her mom and dad kicked in some cash to help too but just like my time at UCF, i came out without any money on a credit card...thanks to sangria...

This post was edited on 3/16 2:07 PM by Dmarino110

Too be fair, you probably could have done more than 1 pitcher per table and still came out ok.

We had a half keg of yueng ling, 20 some bottles of wine, and one of the gatorade coolers full of fruity rum drink we made ourselves. I think all that was left over was 2 bottles of wine.

And in Sir G style, my wife and I left the wedding in a boat.

we did 2 pitchers per table, 1 of white, one of red, and we had champagne for everyone as well...

Should have nixed the champagne for more sangria, no one drinks that crap. Not trying to put you down, just saw a bunch of people giving you sh:t for it. As long as you had a good time thats all that matters.

 

[fabknight]

Originally posted by Dmarino110:

Originally posted by UCFWayne:

Originally posted by Dmarino110:

Originally posted by UCFWayne:
Spent $9k on my wedding and then $5k on the honeymoon. Our wedding kicked arse and so did the honeymoon. We got some help from our families, but nothing that we couldnt have covered ourselves.

Dont know why people feel the need to spend so much money on essentially a big party with friends. Especially when it helps to put them in bad financial spot to start off a life together which only magnifies their real problems.

This, I spent a little less on each and we paid cash...her mom and dad kicked in some cash to help too but just like my time at UCF, i came out without any money on a credit card...thanks to sangria...


This post was edited on 3/16 2:07 PM by Dmarino110

Too be fair, you probably could have done more than 1 pitcher per table and still came out ok.

We had a half keg of yueng ling, 20 some bottles of wine, and one of the gatorade coolers full of fruity rum drink we made ourselves. I think all that was left over was 2 bottles of wine.

And in Sir G style, my wife and I left the wedding in a boat.

we did 2 pitchers per table, 1 of white, one of red, and we had champagne for everyone as well...

 

[CommuterBob]

We ended up spending about $10K with all the pictures, limo, tux, reception, flowers, etc. included. We got a little more than that as monetary gifts from our family, so it was a wash from a cash flow perspective, but definitely a gain when you factor in all the gifts. My dad was dying of cancer at the time and we had to put everything together in six weeks (we moved the ceremony up six months because we wanted my dad there - and that ended up being the right choice) and we had to pay for some things we initially were not going to have to, like photography, because of that.

I wouldn't spend much more than we did, if I had to do it all over again.

 

[1ofTheseKnights]

Whatever it takes to keep those gays from getting married*
Posted from Rivals Mobile

 

[UCF-icenhl-06]

Originally posted by Dmarino110:

Originally posted by UCF-icenhl-06:
Spent a bunch of money on our wedding. No regrets. Everyone had a great time. If you spent $10 on a plastic ring and courthouse ceremony, good for you but that doesnt make you or your marriage any better than those of us who decided to have fun and spend some cash.

doesnt make yours any better either...JMO...

no shit. but theres a certain 'if you spend $ you wasted it' tone here and it's bullshit. so there.

 

[MACHater02]

Originally posted by UCF-icenhl-06:

Originally posted by Dmarino110:

Originally posted by UCF-icenhl-06:
Spent a bunch of money on our wedding. No regrets. Everyone had a great time. If you spent $10 on a plastic ring and courthouse ceremony, good for you but that doesnt make you or your marriage any better than those of us who decided to have fun and spend some cash.

doesnt make yours any better either...JMO...

no shit. but theres a certain 'if you spend $ you wasted it' tone here and it's bullshit. so there.

I don't think a financial advisor in there right mind would tell you its a sound decision. I know plenty of people who had fancy weddings, but are still paying student loans. Crazy.

 

[UCFRogerz]

It all comes down to a happy balance between quality, frills, and number of guests. I think effer and I found a good balance and we had enough left over for a pretty kick ass honeymoon.

 

[bignow]

That's about what my In-Laws spent in 2001. It was a much bigger wedding than I wanted but it was their tab. My wife did surprise me with a huge UCF ice sculpture which was cool.
Posted from Rivals Mobile

 

[UCF-icenhl-06]

Originally posted by MACHater02:

Originally posted by UCF-icenhl-06:

Originally posted by Dmarino110:

Originally posted by UCF-icenhl-06:
Spent a bunch of money on our wedding. No regrets. Everyone had a great time. If you spent $10 on a plastic ring and courthouse ceremony, good for you but that doesnt make you or your marriage any better than those of us who decided to have fun and spend some cash.

doesnt make yours any better either...JMO...

no shit. but theres a certain 'if you spend $ you wasted it' tone here and it's bullshit. so there.

I don't think a financial advisor in there right mind would tell you its a sound decision. I know plenty of people who had fancy weddings, but are still paying student loans. Crazy.

sure...a financial advisor of a poor.if you are knee deep in student loans you probably shouldnt buy that $2,000 TV either - but that doesnt make it a bad TV. If you can afford it - damn right get the TV.

 

[UCFKnight85]

My wedding is going to be somewhat expensive, and I don't care. We're getting help from both sides and I'm committing some money myself to have the most kickass weekend of my life. You get married once, so if you can pull off a balls out wedding at some cost, why not?

I have no problem with people who do tight budget weddings, just don't go around trying to shit on more expensive weddings.

 

[MACHater02]

Half of you all will get divorced and then feel differently.

 

[goodknightfl]

Originally posted by UCFKnight85:
You get married once,


You only get a first marriage once...

 

[YouSeeEffer]

I like to get invited to other people's really expensive weddings, so keep having them!

 

[Bob the Citronaut]

Absolute insanity but maybe I'm jaded by pretty much everyone I know getting divorced.
Posted from Rivals Mobile

 

[UCF-icenhl-06]

Originally posted by UCFKnight85:
My wedding is going to be somewhat expensive, and I don't care. We're getting help from both sides and I'm committing some money myself to have the most kickass weekend of my life. You get married once, so if you can pull off a balls out wedding at some cost, why not?

I have no problem with people who do tight budget weddings, just don't go around trying to shit on more expensive weddings.

 

[Game_Day_Sports]

There is a point when the spending is just a dick measuring contest, but I doubt anybody on this board had one of those. We didn't spend alot because we moved up the wedding by 9 months because of something else that was coming in less than 9 months. My wife's parents were both dead, her cousins were here and came to the wedding and I have a very small family. It worked out and we went out with friends for a big dinner / booze fest after we got back.

My feeling is if you are happy with the purchase and you smile while you are signing those checks then screw it, have fun. You can't always apply investment banker mentality on memories.