what do weddings cost the couple overall??

Dakota Dan · 24-06-2018 07:36PM

Larbre34 wrote: »

We spent 27k on the day, 15k on a 7 week honeymoon some months later and netted 15k in gifts including our parents contributions. So I guess it cost us 27k. We had the gaff bought 7 years beforehand

What age were you when you married?

bear1 · 24-06-2018 07:51PM

We kept ours as simple as possible.
In the end the whole day cost I think about 3k? Went on our honeymoon the very next day which was about 3k I would guess.
Got about 5k in gift money from everyone.
Why anyone would spend 27k.. going a years salary for some on 1 single day is beyond me but if you can afford it then have at it.

_Dara_ · 24-06-2018 08:00PM

iamwhoiam wrote: »

The per head price is in fairness not just for the actual food . Its for the venue , the room and tables and staff . For the decorations and flowers etc . The venue for a family member will put up the lights and flowers and lantern etc

Well, some people use the ‘cover your plate’ rule of thumb. So if you use that as a guide do you deduct for decorations? As for staff, well, in a restaurant you get that service too as well as better food.

It highlights really why the ‘cover your plate’ notion is a silly one.

iamwhoiam · 24-06-2018 08:02PM

_Dara_ wrote: »

Well, some people use the ‘cover your plate’ rule of thumb. So if you use that as a guide do you deduct for decorations? As for staff, well, in a restaurant you get that service too as well as better food.

It highlights really why the ‘cover your plate’ notion is a silly one.

Must say I have never heard that phrase used . Maybe I am sheltered from all that nonsense !

_Dara_ · 24-06-2018 08:06PM

Pauliedragon wrote: »

They should start a system where people put money in sympathy cards. Funerals are bloody expensive. At least with a wedding you can plan in advance. Uncle Billy dies suddenly of a heart attack his wife doesn't work, he has 3 school aged kids and it has to be taken care of in a few days. A wedding is by choice. Let's start a movement. No more wedding gifts keep your hard earned cash for funeral cards.:D

My funeral will be happening in the next few years and I have basically no money to pay for it. And when I bring it up with loved ones (inc. hubs) that I need to start saving for it and cutting other stuff out to do so, they tell me not to talk like that because they don’t want to think about it. Don’t they realise that they’ll be paying for it if I don’t and it’ll probably be €5000 or more? I want to be sensible and plan for it but I’m being hamstrung. And they’re not flush, they’ll struggle to afford it.

This funeral gifts notion might not be a bad idea... :pac: :pac: :pac:

24-06-2018 08:09PM

I've contributed many times to a funeral 'whip round' fund for people who have a death in the family and wouldn't be too flush. I'm sure it's commonplace in situations like yours.

I agree with your hubs, Dara. It's not something for you to worry about or feel guilty about. You've enough to worry about, let them do the heavy lifting for afterwards and don't fret about it yourself.

DrPhilG · 24-06-2018 08:32PM

The food at my wedding was bloody fabulous. And I'm not just saying that because it was my wedding, I've been to 2 others in the same hotel and they always nail it.

Graces7 · 24-06-2018 09:27PM

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

They were Irish. All of them. My word but what a snarl!

eviltwin · 24-06-2018 09:30PM

My wedding cost about 1000 euros, we didn't have gifts so we didn't recoup anything.

Graces7 · 24-06-2018 09:31PM

facehugger99 wrote: »

Most recent weddings I've been to, the wedding couple already have children and obviously their kids are involved in the day as they should be.

I think it's quite nice to see children at a wedding. I guess it depends how you see a wedding. For me they are family celebrations but some people seem to view them as a multi-day piss-up - wouldn't be my scene.

At the first irish wedding I attended the couple's nine year old son was the best man...

awec · 24-06-2018 09:32PM

lalababa wrote: »

Just struck me today looking at a wedding like something out of hollywood :rolleyes: if everybody that comes gives 50 or 100 euro say at a big wedding- that is 275* (-euro75ave.) = 20k and so on. Is it a break even type of thing or what?

Nah, you'll lose money for sure even with the gifts, unless you have been incredibly frugal and your guests are exceptionally generous.

Spanish Eyes · 24-06-2018 09:39PM

I usually pay to NOT attend a wedding lol!

Does anyone absolutely LOVE weddings so much that they will willingly pay for outfits, overnights, drinks galore, a humungous hangover AND a wedding gift. Jayzis.

I am a fkn grinch, decline all wedding invites apart from immediate family but will still give the same amount as we would if attending. So much easier.

Anyway, the big bling weddings are ridiculous. Smaller, more intimate ones are best. I like them.

But obv just me being a fkn GRINCH

And yes, Weddings cost a fortune even factoring in the moolah with gifts. The majority of guests would prefer to be at home watching Netflix. Really they would if they were honest about it.

24-06-2018 09:43PM

I'd be happy paying out a lot for a honeymoon but not for a party. 27k on a day is unfathomable to me unless i were a multi millionaire and even then

Spanish Eyes · 24-06-2018 09:47PM

bluewolf wrote: »

I'd be happy paying out a lot for a honeymoon but not for a party. 27k on a day is unfathomable to me unless i were a multi millionaire and even then

Wealthy people are wealthy precisely because they do not spend money on silly frippery. Footballers excepted!

OK if you are very rich you can spend what you like, but 27k for a wedding is just unreal to me and probably to people far more wealthy than I am too.

Rich people can be very frugal, and get value for their money, that's how they remain rich!

24-06-2018 10:00PM

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Wealthy people are wealthy precisely because they do not spend money on silly frippery. Footballers excepted!

OK if you are very rich you can spend what you like, but 27k for a wedding is just unreal to me and probably to people far more wealthy than I am too.

Rich people can be very frugal, and get value for their money, that's how they remain rich!

That's what i was thinking ha

GoneHome · 24-06-2018 10:05PM

Larbre34 wrote: »

15k on a 7 week honeymoon

Jesus H Christ, 15k was the deposit for our house a year before our wedding, that was an unreal sum to fork out for a honeymoon, we spent less than €1000 on ours and had the time of our lives

Malari · 24-06-2018 10:13PM

Candie wrote: »

Weddings provide catering, not cuisine. Unless there's an a la carte menu it's not going to be particularly special nor cooked to order.

We had a la carte. Free bar all day/night. Few people...very close family and friends. It was a wedding in the sense that it was a celebration of our marriage but there were few of the things people may usually associate with a 'wedding' - no bridesmaids, groomsmen, flowers, church, cars, band, dj, speeches, etc. But we held it in a venue that all but 2 guests were within 20 mins drive of.

I'm all for the attitude of 'we are getting married and this is how we are celebrating - please join us' rather than having the traditional "wedding" with the expectations associated with that and people being disappointed.

We spent about €6k I guess, which we had in savings. People were astonishingly generous. We were grateful for everything we were given. Even a couple of gifts we hated! But that didn't matter, because they took time to choose a gift and they came and spent time with us. My siblings didn't give me anything (yet?!lol!) but it honestly doesn't matter.

Aidric · 24-06-2018 10:20PM

It's a shame to see a woman's special day being reduced to a conversation about money. When it comes to marriage there should be no talk of a budget. Anyone disputing that is not worthy of the privilege of marriage.

GoneHome · 24-06-2018 10:20PM

Malari wrote: »

I'm all for the attitude of 'we are getting married and this is how we are celebrating - please join us' rather than having the traditional "wedding" with the expectations associated with that and people being disappointed. We spent about €6k I guess, which we had in savings.

We were the same as that, that's why I can't fathom a couple spending 27k on the wedding and 15k on a honeymoon, that's off the wall

Eggs For Dinner · 24-06-2018 10:25PM

Aidric wrote: »

It's a shame to see a woman's special day being reduced to a conversation about money. When it comes to marriage there should be no talk of a budget. Anyone disputing that is not worthy of the privilege of marriage.

Why would you consider it to be just a woman's special day?

24-06-2018 10:28PM

Aidric wrote: »

It's a shame to see a woman's special day being reduced to a conversation about money. When it comes to marriage there should be no talk of a budget. Anyone disputing that is not worthy of the privilege of marriage.

I don't think i could possibly disagree more with all of this

HappyAsLarE · 24-06-2018 10:33PM

Eggs For Dinner wrote: »

Why would you consider it to be just a woman's special day?

Ive never met a man the really gives a fcuk about their big day.

Dr_serious2 · 24-06-2018 10:36PM

Weddings tend to come at a very expensive time of life.

Personally I think money spent on your house, or your own or your childrens education, is far more worthwhile.

There is a very large wedding industry built up around this occasion which needs people spending huge sums to break even. Videographers, wedding planners, classic car hire companies. All of those things are patently bull**** and unnecessary but the bridal magazines will convince you that they are a 'must-have.'

It's just one day. My advice to anyone would be to elope, or else do it on a small scale, and spend your money on the house that your family will be raised in.

gmisk · 24-06-2018 10:40PM

Aidric wrote: »

It's a shame to see a woman's special day being reduced to a conversation about money. When it comes to marriage there should be no talk of a budget. Anyone disputing that is not worthy of the privilege of marriage.

It's only special for a woman?
What a load of nonsense!
What about the men?
Or the two men.

Ah and yeah sure money grows on trees doesn't it why would anyone need a budget?!?

Dakota Dan · 24-06-2018 10:51PM

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Wealthy people are wealthy precisely because they do not spend money on silly frippery. Footballers excepted!

OK if you are very rich you can spend what you like, but 27k for a wedding is just unreal to me and probably to people far more wealthy than I am too.

Rich people can be very frugal, and get value for their money, that's how they remain rich!

Like the old saying, a fool and his money are soon parted. I suppose they forget to mention the 5k engagement ring on top of the 27k.

LirW · 24-06-2018 10:53PM

Will come in at around 3,5k.
A third of it is just for the photographer, we decided to go for someone really good because we only get to do it once and I was trained in a related field and worked with plenty of them years ago.
22 guests, could have saved more at the food which is in a private function room of a fancy restaurant, but screw it we love food.

Personally I'm overwhelmed by Irish weddings, they seem too big and impersonal for me, I don't like the 3 day extravaganza but maybe I'm just not a person for fuss and come from a place with a very different wedding culture.

Also we have our own kids there and my sister's since she's travelling from abroad and she's a single mother. Wouldn't want my only sibling to miss the day.

GoneHome · 24-06-2018 10:59PM

LirW wrote: »

Will come in at around 3,5k.
A third of it is just for the photographer, we decided to go for someone really good because we only get to do it once and I was trained in a related field and worked with plenty of them years ago.
22 guests, could have saved more at the food which is in a private function room of a fancy restaurant, but screw it we love food.

Personally I'm overwhelmed by Irish weddings, they seem too big and impersonal for me, I don't like the 3 day extravaganza but maybe I'm just not a person for fuss and come from a place with a very different wedding culture.

Also we have our own kids there and my sister's since she's travelling from abroad and she's a single mother. Wouldn't want my only sibling to miss the day.

That sounds lovely, the ideal way to do it and not spending a fortune

Dakota Dan · 24-06-2018 11:01PM

These 3 day weddings are a new gimmick also the same person getting married more than once and they have to have the same big extravaganza second time round. You'd think they'd learn from the first time.

LirW · 24-06-2018 11:03PM

GoneHome wrote: »

That sounds lovely, the ideal way to do it and not spending a fortune

There were a few things that we both wanted: good pictures, good food, a nice setting but no fuss around it and only the people that we really want there and that would like to be there with no pressure. Ceremony is just in the registry office.
There we were willing to splash out.

If we'd have a big wedding I'd be a stranger at my own wedding since my family is literally only 8 people. And the friends are poor students and very far away.

eviltwin · 24-06-2018 11:03PM

Aidric wrote: »

It's a shame to see a woman's special day being reduced to a conversation about money. When it comes to marriage there should be no talk of a budget. Anyone disputing that is not worthy of the privilege of marriage.

Couldn't disagree more. It's an expense and needs to be budgeted for. And cheap doesnt mean less special. I spent feck all on mine but still had a great day. I just couldn't justify spending so much on one day when I have children to consider. As for the last sentence, utter rubbish. In the real world couples have to think of their finances, I'd say that makes them more ready for marriage than someone who spends recklessly.

what do weddings cost the couple overall??

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