Shout!
Thursday, August 26, 2010
I received quite a few responses to the recent blog on weddings. After doing my research, I found that the average couple living in Northern Virginia spends between $23,909 and $39,849 on their wedding. This is according to http://www.costofwedding.com. It seems that no matter what your income is (or your parents’ income), spending beaucoup bucks is typical and so is incurring a large amount of debt in the process.
“Ultimately people don’t care how huge the flower center pieces were or how ornate the wedding cake was. They remember Uncle Bob doing the splits on the dance floor or how great the best man speech was…The best wedding I’ve been to had a small buffet dinner with no DJ or band just an iPod and speakers. The groomsmen and bridesmaids all submitted their top 20 favorite party songs, they put a playlist together with all of the submitted songs and everyone danced the night away to music they liked…So, I agree…saving money for a European vacation or a beach getaway once the winter comes is better money spent than a five course sit down dinner for 100 people who won’t eat but half of the meal anyways and a band who thinks that the 20 and 30 somethings at the wedding enjoy dancing to “Shout! A little bit softer now.” – Holllaaaa!
And you can never control the weather! The last wedding I attended was supposed to be outside but just before the wedding procession began, dark clouds hovered and rain ensued. We all ran inside and, luckily, there was a plan B. Ceremony inside!
“My friend and her husband fought a lot more during their engagement, which centered on the details of the wedding. Her parents ended up paying for the entire thing, which was huge. Her husband’s parents didn’t even offer to pay. That’s just rude.” – Always a bridesmaid
Traditionally, the bride’s parents pay for the wedding. (In a nutshell, it started way back when women didn’t work and had to be provided for financially, so their parents married them off to be provided for by their husbands.) Today, with more individuals waiting to get married until they’re older and with more women who are financially independent, it seems unnecessary for the bride’s parents to foot the entire bill, especially if it’s over budget.
“Wedding Crashers was a good movie” – Mike
“I love weddings, big or small, especially for the cake! They’re fun and give you a chance to meet the couple’s families and friends.” – T.G.
“I don’t mean to lambast a time-honored tradition, but a lot of weddings are so ostentatious. You want a lavish wedding to “show your love” to everyone. Statistically speaking, your marriage has a 50% chance of even lasting.” – Bitter Heart
Weddings are intended to celebrate new beginnings. So when it comes to planning a wedding, remember that you can still enjoy a memorable day and not go broke. Also, plan your day when you’re ready, not when everyone around you tells you it’s time to set the date. Don’t cave into pressure. Finally, with all of the excitement and drama of planning a fabulous wedding, keep in mind that the ultimate goal is making the right decision.
As always, share your funny dating stories and mishaps with me at littleredbook@northernvirginiamag.com.
– Katie
THIS WEEKEND: Don’t miss Crowded Streets playing at Fat Tuesday’s in Fairfax this Saturday at 9:30 p.m. The cover band says it’s “The World’s 2nd Best Dave Matthews Band.” They’re dynamic and the lead singer, Gabe Matthews, looks and performs like Dave Matthews. Knock off, perhaps, but for all of you who have a crush on Dave (like me) this is a good thing. Whether you’re single or in a relationship, you’ll have fun, meet new people, and can get a picture with the band.