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When Mrs. Kowalski and I tied the knot, we each had two attendants. My men wore a church suit. Her ladies wore a nice dress they already had. We were married in a chapel, and I think I paid the minister $100. I wore my military uniform and she bought a very nice knee-length white dress that suited her tastes. I doubt it cost $200.

The ceremony was short and sweet. Probably 15 minutes from her walking up the aisle to man and wife departing.

Good friends (they were both attendants) hosted the reception in their back yard. We had an excellent country western 2-man band that played at a bar I liked, plywood laid on the grass for dancing, sandwiches ordered from the grocery deli, and a keg in the garage. The wedding cake was from a local bakery... maybe $200.

To this day, I have never been to a wedding/reception that I enjoyed more. Our guests had a wonderful time (they passed the hat among themselves to keep the band another hour... when we booked, we only got the guys for 3 hours, thinking it would be more than enough), we didn't break the bank for our church wedding and reception, and it was relaxed and fun. I'd guess that all expenses were MAYBE $1200.

We specifically asked for no gifts, buy our friends were so generous. We still have many nice things that we received as wedding gifts, and we use them.

Of course, Mrs. K and I were in our 30's when we hitched, so we were past the starry-eyed phase where girls dream of the Sound of Music wedding. Even today, I wouldn't trade our memories for a cathedral wedding with pipe organs, a sit-down banquet, and an orchestra at the reception.