Weddings and Receptions

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  • princesshoagie
    princesshoagie Posts: 34 Member
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    It's perfectly acceptable! Heck, we're having pizza and wings at our wedding reception this summer. We're getting married barefoot on the beach too.

    If you are worried about doing things that aren't "traditional," you should check out offbeatbride.com. It's an awesome site with a private forum you can join and discuss all kinds of wedding stuff without the traditional Wedding Industry Complex expectations. I love it!
  • dlaplume2
    dlaplume2 Posts: 1,658 Member
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    I think it is tasteful. The thing with wedding is almost anything goes. I think a small intimate wedding is better. The only reason I said almost, is you don't want to charge people to come to your wedding. I have heard of that happening.

    Best wishes and congratulations.
  • princessmikayla5
    princessmikayla5 Posts: 140 Member
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    Money shouldn't define tasteful or tacky. As long as you follow wedding etiquette, no one can find fault with your wedding. I'm betting your wedding will be lovely :)

    P.S. I'm getting married June 2012, and my fiance's parents have also made it clear they will pay for nothing but the rehearsal dinner (and that they're not altogether thrilled we're getting married even after 7 years together). My parents have been very gracious, and I'm so thankful. I'm sorry for the loss of your parents.
  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
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    What the wedding consists of will be (or if not yet done, SHOULD BE) clearly stated on the invitation i.e. cocktail reception to followig, cash bar.... whatever so people can reduce their gift accordinly if they see fit.

    My reception was $200 per person and most people did NOT give anywhere close to $400 per couple or they RSVP'D + 1 and showed up dateless which still costs money so people should give as they see fit. We never expected to make money on our wedding it was about having your friends and family celebrate you, it's a bragging day about your love no matter what you spend.
  • crystal10584
    crystal10584 Posts: 334
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    Money shouldn't define tasteful or tacky. As long as you follow wedding etiquette, no one can find fault with your wedding. I'm betting your wedding will be lovely :)

    P.S. I'm getting married June 2012, and my fiance's parents have also made it clear they will pay for nothing but the rehearsal dinner (and that they're not altogether thrilled we're getting married even after 7 years together). My parents have been very gracious, and I'm so thankful. I'm sorry for the loss of your parents.

    ours is June 2012 as well. his parents adore me (thank goodness!) but they also understand that I don't have a lot of money to spend.

    I just hope everyone who attends is as understanding.
  • Triquetra
    Triquetra Posts: 270 Member
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    A wedding is about enjoying the ceremony and celebrating the love...not about who can buy the most. I have gone to $50,000 weddings and have enjoyed myself as much as the pot-luck wedding (yes, I actually had a friend who did their wedding dinner pot-luck) and it was a blast. There is too much focus on the money aspect now of weddings.
  • princessmikayla5
    princessmikayla5 Posts: 140 Member
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    Money shouldn't define tasteful or tacky. As long as you follow wedding etiquette, no one can find fault with your wedding. I'm betting your wedding will be lovely :)

    P.S. I'm getting married June 2012, and my fiance's parents have also made it clear they will pay for nothing but the rehearsal dinner (and that they're not altogether thrilled we're getting married even after 7 years together). My parents have been very gracious, and I'm so thankful. I'm sorry for the loss of your parents.

    ours is June 2012 as well. his parents adore me (thank goodness!) but they also understand that I don't have a lot of money to spend.

    I just hope everyone who attends is as understanding.

    They like me, they are just an extremely overdramatic family. They make everything about them. We were considering having a pseudo-destination wedding (about 3 hours away) and keeping it very small. My family was very excited, but they were very unhappy. It caused me a lot of heartache and tears, and we finally decided to get married about 25 minutes away from home.

    I am so glad his parents love you! That's half the battle. Why do you think they don't want to help out? Is it a "traditional bride's family pays" type of thing?
  • amelia_atlantic
    amelia_atlantic Posts: 926 Member
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    I think whatever makes you happy! Weddings get so hyped up, so expensive and so stressful. It's easy to get lost up and that and forget you're preparing a MARRIAGE, not just a wedding.

    Do what you can!

    Keep everything low key from invites to dress so no one shows up dressed for a black tie evening wedding and feels awkward.

    Ultilize friends and family! Check DIY wedding sites to see how many options there are! Maybe you know someone who has an amazing piece of land and you could just set up tents?

    In any event, congrats and good luck!
  • MyNameIsNotBob
    MyNameIsNotBob Posts: 565 Member
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    Tasteful. My uncle's wedding was just that (his bride's parents were not around anymore and they did the whole thing themselves at their church).

    My wedding was also very simple (in my parents' backyard). We had lots of food & booze, but that's how we roll. We saved $$ by having it at my parents' place and I ordered my dress for less than $300 from a catalog. We had about 30 guests.

    No biggie. Your wedding is for YOU, so do it how you like.
  • knittnponder
    knittnponder Posts: 1,954 Member
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    I've done several wedding cakes for exactly this style of wedding. One had bowls of nuts and mints placed around to compliment the cake and punch but others didn't. Especially since you plan to keep it at a time that isn't "meal" time it's completely tasteful. The people who will be there are there to celebrate your marriage anyway. Do what you need to do and don't feel guilty about not having what you can't afford.

    ETA: Check out craigslist for used wedding items. There is always someone on there who just got married and is selling off the un-needed decorations. Be savvy and remember it's craigslist but you can often find a good deal for less.
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
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    Tasteful, I'm in the same boat (although my parent's are still alive, my fiance and I are on our own financially)...we do what we can afford, and where our priorities are. You'll be fine...it's a celebration of your love, anyone that b!tches is just jealous that you found your soul mate...congratulations and good luck in the future.
  • crystal10584
    crystal10584 Posts: 334
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    Money shouldn't define tasteful or tacky. As long as you follow wedding etiquette, no one can find fault with your wedding. I'm betting your wedding will be lovely :)

    P.S. I'm getting married June 2012, and my fiance's parents have also made it clear they will pay for nothing but the rehearsal dinner (and that they're not altogether thrilled we're getting married even after 7 years together). My parents have been very gracious, and I'm so thankful. I'm sorry for the loss of your parents.

    ours is June 2012 as well. his parents adore me (thank goodness!) but they also understand that I don't have a lot of money to spend.

    I just hope everyone who attends is as understanding.

    They like me, they are just an extremely overdramatic family. They make everything about them. We were considering having a pseudo-destination wedding (about 3 hours away) and keeping it very small. My family was very excited, but they were very unhappy. It caused me a lot of heartache and tears, and we finally decided to get married about 25 minutes away from home.

    I am so glad his parents love you! That's half the battle. Why do you think they don't want to help out? Is it a "traditional bride's family pays" type of thing?

    Yeah, that's exactly it.

    Besides, we intend on buying a house shortly after, so we'd rather spend the money on that.
  • ♥_Ellybean_♥
    ♥_Ellybean_♥ Posts: 1,646 Member
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    Personally I spent over 35K on my wedding and wish I hadn't... it was such a big deal.. and people I didn't even know.. and my hubby had no clue... I didn't taste my cake cuz I was too busy, the open bar we HAD to have because we wanted to please our guest was an additional $4000 and I didn't even have 2 drinks! ...

    I've been to weddings that were in VFW, filled with a small amount of family and friends, and thought to myself, now this feels like home...
  • cbratthauer
    cbratthauer Posts: 228 Member
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    First off, congratulations! When is the big day? I am getting married in 4 months and 1 day! We're both students and own our own home so neither of us have the money to pay for a wedding either, but I am lucky and my dad is paying for it. However, if he weren't paying for it I can say we would probably be doing what you are doing! I don't think it is tacky at all. It is your big day, and about your love and becoming husband and wife. Since you're having it in the afternoon and not at a meal time it is ok. People who are going to come to your reception are coming to celebrate your love for eachother. If they complain, then they are just rude and should not have come!

    Congratulations again!!!!!!!!!
  • crystal10584
    crystal10584 Posts: 334
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    First off, congratulations! When is the big day? I am getting married in 4 months and 1 day! We're both students and own our own home so neither of us have the money to pay for a wedding either, but I am lucky and my dad is paying for it. However, if he weren't paying for it I can say we would probably be doing what you are doing! I don't think it is tacky at all. It is your big day, and about your love and becoming husband and wife. Since you're having it in the afternoon and not at a meal time it is ok. People who are going to come to your reception are coming to celebrate your love for eachother. If they complain, then they are just rude and should not have come!

    Congratulations again!!!!!!!!!

    June 9, 2012 is the tentative date. If anything we'd only push it back one weekend if need be.
  • RoniDoll
    RoniDoll Posts: 262
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    If you live anywhere near the Houston area I will make you a wedding cake for free to save you money!
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
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    anyone who would think it is tacky is a pretentious jerk. Economy is down, people are getting more and more real about what matters and what is wasteful. Celebrate your day as you see fit, and listen to naysayers NOT

    <
    See my wedding picture? The only money we spent on getting married was $50 for the license (a necessity), $20 for the ceremony (Heart of Reno Wedding Chapel) and $4 for the tulle I pinned into my hair. We used rings we had, clothes we already owned, we actually spent much more afterwards at PF Chang's for lunch than the entire cost of the "wedding"

    The point of that is, we are 12 years together, happily married, and the low low cost of our wedding/elopement had no bearing on the success of our marriage.

    Best wishes :)
  • NeuroticVirgo
    NeuroticVirgo Posts: 3,671 Member
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    As someone who works in the wedding biz, I think it sounds very tasteful. But you need to do what feels best for you and your future spouse, and don't worry to much about what everyone else thinks. This is about celebrating love between two people, not about impressing everyone. :)
  • crystal10584
    crystal10584 Posts: 334
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    If you live anywhere near the Houston area I will make you a wedding cake for free to save you money!

    Is Dallas close enough? Too bad you aren't in Austin, my bridesmaid lives there and I'm sure i could have asked her to bring it with...

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