tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8358039.post6937119797410290880..comments2024-03-25T15:17:04.488-07:00Comments on Captain Capitalism: Empirical Costs of WeddingsCaptain Capitalismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620212946121617985noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8358039.post-72015004582654645962009-08-31T14:31:44.579-07:002009-08-31T14:31:44.579-07:00If weddings are a spending contest, I think the ru...If weddings are a spending contest, I think the rules ought to be written in such a way that whoever gets closest to matching John's budget wins.Ryan Fullernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8358039.post-25359017683733681092009-08-31T04:47:06.100-07:002009-08-31T04:47:06.100-07:00we spent 5000 on our wedding, that included our Ho...we spent 5000 on our wedding, that included our Honeymoon.<br /><br />the honeymoon was 3000 hahaVacuero!https://www.blogger.com/profile/15972026493069825039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8358039.post-4862322756432585102009-08-30T11:01:51.557-07:002009-08-30T11:01:51.557-07:00You're dead on. I have a friend who swears $20...You're dead on. I have a friend who swears $20,000 will just cover the catering costs of her wedding. Me? I'm aiming for under $5,000, and that's including the honeymoon. <br /><br />And for your question on how much is the mark-up on weddings: a customer of a friend is a wedding planner, and she makes 10% off of whatever you spend on your wedding. If you spend %15 grand on your wedding, you have to add another $1500 on top of that for her fee. Insane.Angelahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05482059575782529730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8358039.post-28314412758876058122008-05-19T04:16:00.000-07:002008-05-19T04:16:00.000-07:00But the 20-30k figure is all about making the woma...<I>But the 20-30k figure is all about making the woman happy. Totally. The fantasy production they've looked forward to for their whole lives. Perhaps the gays will be able to side-step this madness?</I><BR/><BR/>Two things: first, you're dead on about the fantasy production and making the woman happy. We're taught from an early age, however unintentionally, that our wedding day is going to be the ONE PERFECT DAY in our WHOLE ENTIRE LIVES, and we simply MUST have a floaty white snowbeast dress with a zillion-layer veil, and be sure to consider a tiara, dear, because you KNOW you are a PRINCESS...<BR/><BR/>I saw a first communicant at church yesterday who not only had a tiara, but also a bride-like updo that was totally inappropriate for an 8-year-old. And I'm pretty sure she was wearing make-up. I just thought "hoo, boy, talk about missing the point of the Sacrament. Bet you and your family are going to go NUTS when you get married..."<BR/><BR/>Second: I think gay couples will probably vary on this as much as straight couples do, i.e. some will be at 20 - 30 K and some will be down closer to John's $85 plus dinner. But at the beginning, when there's the novelty, I'd say it's more likely to average near the higher end than the lower end.Kasiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12252276821520357094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8358039.post-49197185515540916632008-05-18T20:13:00.000-07:002008-05-18T20:13:00.000-07:00I got married this fall (second for both of us) an...I got married this fall (second for both of us) and spent $85. $35 for the license, $50 for the judge. Then we went home and told the kids we got married. We went for dinner so I should add that in. One week from decision to date.<BR/><BR/>We're gonna get rings sometime., we keep saying...Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09749260349116845928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8358039.post-48425119768055840322008-05-18T15:55:00.000-07:002008-05-18T15:55:00.000-07:00Before Queen Victoria showed up, people were much ...Before Queen Victoria showed up, people were much more practical regarding weddings (buying dresses suitable for re-use and such). It was she who introduced the concept of a white wedding dress and other eccentricities that now form the modern marriage ceremony.<BR/><BR/>(Not to mention DeBeer's marketing strategy for selling diamonds in the 1920s to 1940s.)<BR/><BR/>If I remember correctly, catering services usually charge much more for weddings than business events/meetings, even if it is the same food.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8358039.post-41495369102481746422008-05-18T14:36:00.000-07:002008-05-18T14:36:00.000-07:00This is one way that marriage will hurt the gay co...This is one way that marriage will hurt the gay community in California. They'll be hurting gay couples, known for their disposable income, right in the pocketbook.<BR/><BR/>Before you say, "OH SHI---, I could make some big money planning gay weddings!!" keep in mind that the gays already have the wedding planner business covered. Totally. <BR/><BR/>But the 20-30k figure is all about making the woman happy. Totally. The fantasy production they've looked forward to for their whole lives. Perhaps the gays will be able to side-step this madness?Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11010315915080539513noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8358039.post-88241893907991370102008-05-18T09:45:00.000-07:002008-05-18T09:45:00.000-07:00Great post...you've been reddited, deservedly so.I...Great post...you've been reddited, deservedly so.<BR/>I got married in 2000. It cost me just over six grand and that included the honeymoon. <BR/>And I'm still married.Ken Breadnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06011875491441644513noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8358039.post-40616457429602801512008-05-17T18:10:00.000-07:002008-05-17T18:10:00.000-07:00You are most definitely NOT overthinking this. You...You are most definitely NOT overthinking this. You are dead on.<BR/><BR/>I'm planning my wedding now. Between our two sets of parents, we've got about $7,000 in budget (slightly flexible) plus whatever we want to put into it. We would've eloped, but we're practicing Catholics and want to get married in church. (And if you do that and don't invite anybody, you can bet your buttons people are going to be ticked at you.) And I did want a wedding dress and veil - hey, I'm a chick, what do you expect? :-p<BR/><BR/>I got my dress on clearance for under $200. My groom and the groomsmen are wearing suits (since they will still HAVE those after the wedding, as opposed to spending who knows how much to RENT tuxes). Since our wedding is at noon it would be kind of rude to not feed people, so we're having a luncheon at a local restaurant. Local halls didn't have lunch prices - this place has lunch AND kid prices, which is good b/c we're inviting our friends' kids.<BR/><BR/>All told, we will probably run about $7 or 8K with the whole thing. About half of it is food. The church doesn't cost anything, strictly speaking, but they do ask that you make a donation (which is more than reasonable, since it's costing them money for utilities and whatnot), and we do have to pay the music director for her services (again, reasonable).<BR/><BR/>I still think $7K is pretty ridiculous for one day, but now that I've done the research I at least know where most of it goes. I could have a cheaper wedding if I wanted to cut my guest list dramatically, but I'd rather make my sacrifices elsewhere (have an inexpensive dress, have lunch instead of dinner, we're using a freelance florist who has virtually no overhead, a friend is making the centerpieces, etc).<BR/><BR/>Ugh. Weddings give me hives!!! How anyone can spend $30K on a wedding is totally beyond me...Kasiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12252276821520357094noreply@blogger.com