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Ours was expensive - upwards of $18K all in. This includes dresses, tux rentals, reception, church - everything. On one hand it does seem like an obscene amount to spend on one day. My brother and his wife just went down to the beach with a photographer and a JP, and suprised us all the next day with a phone call.
On the other hand, friends and family are still talking about it and how much fun they had. Our family is spread across the country, and a lavish party sure beats a funeral for bringing them together. A friend who got married last summer even modelled his own after ours.
It was held outdoors in a tent, surrounded by a hedge on a heritage farm in in the country. The greatest expenses were for catering with a full buffet and a pre-dinner barbeque while we were having our photos done. (Washroom trailers where also expensive but worth it!)
In addition to how successful it was, it might well be the only wedding our two families will have for a very long time, so we try not to look back too much on the hard cost.
Believe it or not we cut costs like crazy and did most of it ourselves:
- We did all the flowers (bought them wholesale with my wife's vendor permit)
- Made centerpieces in the weeks ahead of time using dried flowers, etc...
- Hired a photographer who gave us the negatives so we could develop them ourselves.
- Rented a white volkswagen Beetle for the weekend rather than a limo (they were still pretty novel at the time)
- The wedding dress was made by a friend of ours , modeled after a name designer's
- The Bridesmaid dresses were simple off-the-rack sundresses,
- Bought our own fabrics wholesale for decorative swags - (donated afterwards to costume designer friends and also used in a quilt)
-I rented my own lighting gear for the dance portion of the evening (set it up and tore down myself)
- Made our own invitations with japanese paper, and some other fine materials bought in bulk.
By all means, save your money, and focus on creating an enjoyable, meaningful event, rather than details, details, details. You're bringing your loved ones together to celebrate, and that is what is at the heart of it.
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