[MrPiper]

The average American wedding costs almost $29,000

I call BS!!!! I seriously doubt that is the average cost. That makes the rest of the article suspect.

I eloped, it cost $20 gas money and $20 for the court house filing fees. The honeymoon was WAY more than that ;-)

[vladimir998]

“On average, US couples spend $20,398 for their wedding. However, the majority of couples spend between $15,299 and $25,498 while their wedding budget is typically 50% less than the amount spent. This does not include cost for a honeymoon or engagement ring. Understanding average wedding cost now can help you with your wedding budget later.”

http://www.costofwedding.com/

Then again:

“The average cost of a wedding drops another 14% from $19,212 in Q1/2009 to $16,546 in Q2/2009. Results are based on 909 survey samples of both couples and wedding vendors across the US, a 3.25% margin of error. Average cost based on weighted average demand.”

http://www.theweddingreport.com/m/post.cfm/the-average-cost-of-a-wedding-drops-another-14-in-q2-2009

[Angry_White_Man_Syndrome]

While you only spent $40, I have know couples that have spent over $50,000 of mom and dad’s money. A justice of the peace can run $200 easy.

[constitutiongirl]

My sister-in-law is a wedding planner and 30k would be considered average. Really, people have gone insane. The last wedding I attended was a small affair (less than 100 people) and wasn’t very fancy (the food sucked and the wedding cake was a joke). I learned that the mother of the bride spent close to 20,000.

[nascarnation]

I ante’d up for two lately.
They were 30 grand each, and not all that upscale, and in a low cost midwest locale.

Of course both sets of prospective in-laws were in “financial difficulty” and couldn’t help out.

But both SILs are class guys and I was happy to do it. And I believe they both learned from their poorly financial managing parents and are on a much better path.

And the grandkids seem like a hundred to one payback.
:- )

[dalereed]

“The average American wedding costs almost $29,000”

I would say it’s an understatement.

52 years ago my father in law offered my wife $5,000 to elope, she refused and i’ll guarntee you it cost him a hell of a LOT MORE THAN $5,000.

Today that $5,000 would be well over $50,000 due to inflation.

[Tired of Taxes]

My relatives were spending $20,000 to $30,000 on their weddings 15-20 years ago. Big, beautiful weddings.

But, I never did do anything like anyone else: I was unwilling to go into debt, so my husband and I spent maybe a couple thousand, maximum. We married at a church and met a small group of guests at a restaurant later. A month later, my family insisted on throwing a reception for us. They rented a spot at a veterans club where my father was a member. I helped do dishes, along with my family, and then my husband and I walked home because there was no room in the car with all the stuff that had to be hauled back. I sure wasn’t the star of the show, like most brides. I never did find the right dress, and I wasn’t the prettiest bride. The band was old-school, complete with an accordian, if I remember correctly. But, the guests all had a good time dancing, and family members were saying it was the most fun they’d had at a wedding reception in a long time.

And, the best part is, the wedding didn’t drive us into debt. ;-)

[Salvation]

But if you are a Catholic, you do not have a valid union/wedding.

Plus you have missed all the benefits of the sanctifying grace that go with the Sacrament of Matriomony.

[Former War Criminal]

My wife & I were married 42 years ago. We paid $2 for a marriage license.

$2 down and the rest of your money for the rest of your life.

That’s what a wedding costs, and it’s worth every penny.

[Miss Marple]

Our daughter's wedding cost us almost $20,000. That was with a clearance dress, bargain rates at the reception area and with the caterer because it was a slow time of year, cuts in flowers because we had floating candles instead of flowers for centerpieces, and an amateur photographer who gave his services as the wedding gift.

Could it have been cheaper? Yes...if it had been an afternoon wedding we could have done with hors d'ouevres instead of a buffet, but our daughter wanted an evening wedding and my opinion is that if people are driving in for an evening wedding you should FEED them.

I don't regret spending the money, because she is our only daughter and most of her friends had never been to a nice wedding.

Anyway, the point of this is that if you are having a wedding ceremony with guests, as opposed to en elopement, you are likely to spend more than you think. And I live in the Midwest, not in a coastal large city.