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My complaint about wedding photography is not about the cost, it's about the disruption of photographers who make the event more about the pictures than the wedding. Two hours of pictures, and the vows feel like an afterthought. Millions of poses with all the combinations of attendants and family, it's silly, tiring, and detracts from the actual wedding, usually, by taking all the suspense out of the bride and groom coming together for the vows. I would like to see more photographers shoot good pictures of the actual wedding, and quit with the pre-wedding poses. Take a few poses of the bride and groom afterwards, and then get on with having fun. Let the photographer mingle and take candids, and then also collect all the pictures everyone else took during the reception on a facebook page in the days afterwards. There are often some gems in these
Since weddings are about a Couple and not some girl's princess party, invite people over for dinner, surprise them with spoken vows. They will thank you for not wasting their time on some gift and outfit.
I would recommend not having that big bang wedding, with hundreds of people. Many parents push this on their adult kids, as some form of tradition.
Me and the s/o did not want to shell out and plan this spectical. We prefered city hall for vows, over a church wedding, since we hardly attend mass weekly.
As for a reception, it was a toss up over a catering hall or booking half a resturaunt. We picked a Spainiard style resturaunt, with a tasty, different menu. Paella, tapas, seafood and sangria, plus open bar. Our guest were digging the sangria pitchers.
The location also had a show put on, for everyone. And a small dancefloor, with live music.
Different, interesting, and all had a good time in our business casual event. Even the kids were invited.
Our invite list consisted of closer family and friends who we get along with. No reason to invite people we dont like. Some feeling might of got touched, people expecting all the extended families to attend, but not on our bank.
Weddings should be fun, different, memorable, and managable. It is what the couple wants, not what is dictated to them. The days of the $25-$45 k wedding is not as popular as it was.
Our guest were able to come with individual style, and not have to resort to buying a suit/ dress for a formal event. Many of them commented on how comfortable they were, not having to be so spiffy, howdi towdi.
So our party cost is under $3k, for a party of 50-65 people.
I was able to pull some favors, like floral decorations, and a classic convertable to drive us around for the day. So pull those favors if you can.
My complaint about wedding photography is not about the cost, it's about the disruption of photographers who make the event more about the pictures than the wedding. Two hours of pictures, and the vows feel like an afterthought. Millions of poses with all the combinations of attendants and family, it's silly, tiring, and detracts from the actual wedding, usually, by taking all the suspense out of the bride and groom coming together for the vows. I would like to see more photographers shoot good pictures of the actual wedding, and quit with the pre-wedding poses. Take a few poses of the bride and groom afterwards, and then get on with having fun. Let the photographer mingle and take candids, and then also collect all the pictures everyone else took during the reception on a facebook page in the days afterwards. There are often some gems in these
You are blaming the photographers for this? No way. The fault lies with the bride and groom for requesting this. I told my photographers that I wanted 100% photo-journalistic style and zero posed pictures. It's what I got and I have the most beautiful wedding album, and I didn't even see the photographers at all.
Don't give your budget on items...I know it may waste their time and they will in all likelihood ask- but inevitably the vendor will reach that mark or close to it whether they need to or not.
You don't have to be a skilled negotiator to get multiple quotes.
I wasn't impressed with the suggestions in the link....not good enough.
It really depends on the couple.
I've been to weddings at private homes where the cooking is done by the bride and mother starting a couple days ahead. Those are always the best...I think....they don't cost huge money, almost everyone there is someone you know, and the bride and groom don't start their new life together in debt....guests can be comfortable in whatever they feel are their good clothes, and the bride doesn't foolishly spend thousands on a one day gown and venue....what a huge waste.
The last wedding I went to costed the brides father 15,000 dollers and he thought it was a steal.
Too bad they've since broke up and will soon divorce...
It's crazy that some people feel that if a lot of money is not spent on a wedding it must mean that the couple don't take it serious or don't care for each other as much....so stupid.
If it's real love, the amount spent on the wedding means nothing.
Be frugal....one expensive day does not a life time of happiness buy.
I am watching a TLC show about weddings and just saw a really sweet affordable cake idea. Only the top part of the cake was a traditional but small layer cake, balanced on a tier cake holder, with the bottom circular rows holding individual cupcakes.....the overall shape was typical wedding cake shape....it was adorable.
I cannot help but believe you could buy the top portion, and then bake the cupcakes on your own.
If you really want to save money go to the courthouse, get married there and then go out to a nice restaurant with family & close friends. It's not the wedding that is important, it's the marriage.
Exactly. How much money do you want to spend?
Mine was $500 (excluding the travel, which was a college graduation gift to my wife), all legal stuff and photographs included. No dress as we were married on a beach, though I guess the bathing suit was $100 for her and I just wore what I had. Flowers were part of the $500 (Hawaii, so leis). The only people who attended were Immediate family, 9 people other than my wife and I, and they took better photos than the "paid photographer" (though I now have a high $$$ wedding photographer in the family and she works her butt off for the $10~20k charged) ~ but honestly, 17 years on and I don't think we've ever looked at the pictures after getting them initially.
We did the big celebration part with Receptions, 2 of them (since our respective family centers were thousands of miles apart). Even those were under $1k combined, with hall rental, catering and DJs.
I know, some people just have to have the "traditional" approach and those sorry folks will always be stuck with big cost weddings. If you don't need that though? No reason to go that route..
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