Wedding Costs

all other things being equal, depth of feelings, friends and family there
etc, you will have a better wedding with more money. People who say different are engaging in over the top PC nonsense. SHow me a couple who rather spend €5k on a wedding than €25k and I will show you some who are starting their married life not being truthful!
 


What a load of boloney, who in their right mind wants to get themselves into all that debt just for one day. Surely its what happens after the wedding day that is important ie the marriage and noody wants to start off that up to their eyeballs in debt and just because you spend ridicolous money on a wedding does not guarantee that it will be better than someone who has spent half of that.
 
Portboy, are you for real? I'd rather spend 5K then 25 K on a wedding and use the 20K for something more substantial/important. My wedding cost 2K IEP about 15 years ago. 30 people to a top hotel for a sit down meal, 100 to party/disco afterwards and honeymoon of 3 nights in a cheap Dublin hotel. It wasn't showy or flashy but we spent what we could afford, we did not borrow or have credit cards (very hard to come by back then) but we did buy a house before we got married. Actually 45K would buy you a house back then. I still have my dress, it was made from a pattern and cost 80 IEP.
 

well Portboy - your wish is my command - I am one half of a couple who would MUCH rather spend €5k than €25k on my wedding. So consider yourself shown - as to whether or not Im starting my married life being truthful - the truth of the matter is Id much rather use that other €20k on a house, an investment for both of our futures or a piece of art even - something that we will have, and not just on what amounts to a one day drinking session for a lot of people.

I personally find it bizarre that people think more money = better event. Some of the most memorable events/moments of my life have not cost a penny - its the lens through which an event is viewed that makes it a good memory - not how much money is spent on it.
 

show me a couple who'd spend 25k on a wedding and I will show you a couple who will be depending on the guest's gifts of money to pay for it
 
I have been reading this thread with interest and just had to reply. I am getting married next year and if my budget is correct I will be spending roughly around €30,000. All of this money, and I do mean all is from hard saving!!!!! We are not relying on gifts from guests to cover the cost. Around €10,000 of this will be spent on the honeymoon, €5,000 on rings and the rest on a reception for 200 people, dress, suits etc etc. The wedding will by no means be a flash affair but we decided to go with the big "traditional" wedding as we both have big families (150 out of the 200 guests are family) that we are close to and want them there with us. I will be making the invitations, a friend is doing the church music, flowers from a friend, cake from a friend, we won't be having a car etc etc.
We have been saving mad for the last 9 months and will continue you to do so for the next 11 months. Neither of us have wealthy parents so don't expect them to pay for anything.
Our honeymoon and rings probably are costing over the odds but the honeymoon is a once in a lifetime holiday and the rings will be with us for a lifetime.
Just because because we are choosing to have the big traditional wedding does not mean we are getting into debt to do so (and we are by no means loaded) and it does not mean we are showy etc.
 
Im not against people spending a lot of money on their weddings - I just personally wouldnt want to. I would prefer a private small wedding that didnt cost a huge sum. I personally wouldnt enjoy a 'traditional' style wedding for myself.

What I disagree with is the idea that the more money spent the better the wedding. The more money spent the more people can be invited, the more choice available for food, the more lavish the clothes, cars, cake, honeymon, rings etc...etc...... but to me that is NOT what makes a good wedding.
 
Married 2 years ago, 77 guests. 18k euro. That covers everything - the day itself, cost of flights, honeymoon, brides dress, mother of the bride's outfit, all rings. We had tried to do it with 15k but unfortunately some costs creeped up/in. We didnt know people who could give us reductions but we did knock out a lot of stuff (bridesmaids, groomsmen, cake, car, veil, very basic flowers - just a small bunch for me). All money was saved, everything was paid for before hand. We didnt expect much in the way of cash gifts and didnt really receive cash gifts (not everybody likes to give a cash gift so its dangerous to depend on it).

All in all a great day, with great, great memories.
 
what everyone seems to be saying is they dont want to spend €25/30/35k on a wedding not because they dont want to but because they cant afford to and that is fine. All I have suggested is 1) they would prefer to spend it if they had it 2) the more you can spend the more you are likely to enjoy it because you have been able to afford everything you want
 
Interesting thread! As someone who got married 7 years ago and made the mistake - some very good advice - Don't skimp on the photographer! He/She is the pivotal link between the great day, and remembering that great day in the years to come!
(PS - That doesn't mean pay a fortune - just don't pay peanuts, because you will get monkeys!)
 

You obviously haven't bothered to read the replies so.
 
I am getting married and some of the things I have read here are laughable. Sure, I'd love my wedding to cost 5k, but would someone mind showing me how this is possible. I don't want a big flashy wedding but I do want a traditional Irish Wedding with a church ceremoney and a sit down meal for 150 guests followed by entertainment (we have 2 large families and lots of friends). I will be cutting costs whereever I can and don't plan on having the most expensive of anything, but after doing my sums the wedding will cost in the region of 30k (including honeymoon). The reception alone (food and drink) will be in the region of 14k. I have looked at about 20 venues near me (I'm from Dublin) and they are all in this price region. Then when you include dress suits rings band dj, photographer, invitations, flowers, etc etc...it all ads up. No point in people saying oh my wedding only cost 10k when it turns out mammy and daddy foot the bill for the rest. Myself and my fiance will be paying for our big day ourselves and we will be saving every penny of our hard earned money to do so.
 

I am getting hitched in 09 and whileI couldnt afford to spend 30k on a wedding I certainly wouldnt want to. I personally thinks its an absolute waste of money and would prefer to have it for something better ie a few hols or pay off mortgage etc etc.
 

if you want the traditional irish wedding with white dress, church ceremony, big sit down meal for 150 people then yes - it is going to cost a lot of money!!

The distinction that is being made here is that some people spend much less for a different type of day because that is what they want to do. Probably for a number of reasons. Personally I would not like the type of wedding you describe - and that has nothing to do with cost.

i dont think anyone is suggesting that you could have the type of wedding you describe for €5k.
 

I don't believe that you will get what you want for 5k. I also don't believe anyone above has said it was possible either. However 14k for food and drink works out at roughly €90.00 a head that's a bit steep (Unless you are covering all the drink). From my reseach earlier this year when we were deciding what to do Meal and wine in most hotels in Dublin was roughly €65 per head. That would be a saving of almost 4K and every little helps.

Mammy and Daddy never paid for any of my wedding.
 

Yep 90 euro unfortunately. To cover tea and sambos when people get there, the meal plus wine and something small for the evening reception, 2009 prices tho
 
65 euro possibly for just your dinner. Add in wine, a drink on arrival and afters (which cost us €9 per head for cocktail sausages and sandwhiches) and you are looking at close to €90 a head. We never asked people for money or gifts. Some people are very generous, some people gave us nothing at all.
 
Got married 4 years ago, total was €25K, 120 guests, best of everything - from honeymoon in US for 10 days to importing glass holders for candles!!! We saved for approx 2 years before this and had ample amount put aside to cover the above and had a tidy sum left over as we started out in married life.

Money well spent, wouldnt change a thing!

Only thing I would say is that I would not have got married if I had to borrow for it! People dont seem to want to save for anything anymore, they just borrow!
 
you see, Aimee is right, had best of everything and didn't scrimp on anything and had a ball...exactly what I have been saying all the way along. Long live Aimee and her type
 
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