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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
   
Location: Phoenix | I'm in the same boat....the only reason Hubby and I aren't married yet is because of the $$$!! I wouldn't mind eloping and doing a reception later on, but the reception is the expensive part. But, I dunno...I just went to my friend's wedding and it was fun but it just didn't seem as magical as I remember weddings being. Didn't seem worth it. |
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 Dr. Ruth
Posts: 9891
Location: Blissfully happy Giants fan!!! | Nope. My husband asked me to marry me 2 weeks before we left for Texas and a week later we were married. He met me at the courthouse after I got off of work with a good friend of ours as our witness and that was that. The next day we did a small ceremony that his uncle officiated with our parents and grandparents and siblings in attendance, had a nice dinner and that was also our send off to Texas. Best decision we ever made. I didn't even want to do that but hubby really wanted to so we did. I have no regrets and I am glad I did it. I told my hubby that when we got married I wanted it to be only about him and I and I didn't need anyone else to be there because it was only about him and I and our promises to each other.
Also, that was my 2nd wedding. The first one we did the traditional crap. I literally hated every. single. minute. of it. May be why it didnt last but I just hate that stuff and that money could have gone to better things. |
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 Cute Little Imp
Posts: 2747
Location: N Texas | turnedout - 2014-02-06 10:40 AM
I have 60 days left in my engagement then this planning nightmare will be over! I was all for eloping, actually wanted it quite badly but my soon to be husband wanted the bigger wedding. We are only inviting family (which is quite large ) and close friends. Still came out to about 120 people and a ridiculous bill.
The stress and financial debt has made this a miserable experience. I still wish I could have just gone out to a pasture with some friends and family, signed the papers and went home to a pot luck.
Through this experience everyone said the same thing "do what YOU want" well it wasn't what I wanted from the beginning so each decision was jaded anyways.
I'm all for eloping after this hell!! 
You sound just like me!! I actually broke down bawling a couple times wanting to call the whole thing off and go to the JP, but we'd already spent so much that I couldn't justify throwing it away. I guess I was lacking the "bride" gene. |
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| ACEINTHEHOLE - 2014-02-06 10:20 AM
Go to the court house, bring your parents and immediate family with you.. then have a large reception party aftwards for all the other people. This way, you get a cheap wedding, and all the family and friends get the party they want. You can provide a few finger foods, like chicken or bbq, and tell who wants to come it's BYOD (bring your own drink).
We also went to the courthouse and then went out to dinner after with our family. I wouldnt have done it any other way. It didnt put a financial burden on us or our family and let us all enjoy the day together. Plus I'm not one to be the center of attention so it was more comfortable for me. |
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Chi Chi Mama
Posts: 11212
Location: Spokompton, Wa | You can still do it for low cost, even with your family involved. I did. I got married in last June. We had a little place called "The Htiching Post" marry us. But we did not do it at the chapel. We got married at the nearby park which happened to have a lake in the background. So, that was free. Standing only for our guests. We rented a couple pillars. I made two vases of flowers I got from Hobby Lobby and the dollar tree to put on them. Also rented some plastic chain to make an aisle. I bought my bouquet at HL as well. Already pre-made. My dress from clearance at Davids Bridal. I did take it to them for alterations but could have had them done for much cheaper.
We had our reception at a nearby "bar. (It didn't turn into a bar until later in the night, so it was all private) They provided a buffet type dinner for our guests. Then that night, entertainment was provided by them because we utilized the band that was already booked. :) We were in less then $2k with EVERYTHING. Dress and all. I'll see if I can attach some pics. Oh and we had a family member take the pictures. :) Good luck to you!
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Location: Saskatchewan | Im not sure if you call it eloping for us because it is somewhat planned lol but a few family members and lots of friends are joining us on a hot holiday to Jamaica in December for week and getting married. No fuss, the resort takes care of it other than some last minute details right when we get there and we all get a gorgeous vacation too. Small fee for the documents per Jamaican gov't, we paid for a weeding package which was quite cheap but we decided no reception when we get back. Stb mother in law wasn't too happy at first but we said no way no how thats the most expensive part. So we are having a big BBQ with everyone the following summer. Talk about no stress right now, everything is done even bought my dress last week out of luck lol. All of us go south anyways in the winter so we thought what the heck!!
Don't let anyone tell you what you want is out of line, it's yours and your stb hubby's day not their's and congrats!!!! |
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 Expert
Posts: 1718
Location: Southeast Louisiana | We eloped and don't regret it at all. It's actually a nice story when we tell our friends and many of them say they wish they had gone that route instead of the headache of a bigger wedding.
We found a place in Vegas that picked us up at the hotel, drove us to get the license, then to the chapel and back to the hotel. Honeymoon at the NFR! |
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 Hummer's Hero
Posts: 3071
Location: Smack Dab in the Middle | I don't regret it for a second. We were in Vegas with our best friends for the NFR...got engaged Friday night before we went to the rodeo, got married Sunday evening before our return flight on Monday. We figureed, what the heck, we were in Vegas.
I paid $100 for a dress off the clearance rack at a David's bridal, and we spent about the same on a sports coat for Hubby at a Macy's. I think those, plus the license, plus the chapel, ran around $1200. It was a blast.
We did have a reception a few weeks after we got home, for which we spent as much on booze as we did on everything else, but, it was still WAY cheaper than if we'd have planned out a wedding. |
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 Vodka for Lunch
Location: Lala Land | I was like you, wanted to have a pretty dress and pretty wedding, but the cost was going to be over 10k for a smaller wedding w/ reception. I went to Vegas...still got a dress and invited a few close friends/family. So much better!! No stress/no mess!! If I could do it over again I would have just went with my husband and I!!! I couldn't imagine spending that kind of money on one day when we were also in the middle of a house deal and had other things going on.
No matter what it's your day, have fun! Congrats! |
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 Perky Gal
Location: On a paint horse... | My hubby and I eloped 35 years ago this month. Have never regretted it and we never had a reception or anything. I love your idea, have a combo party this summer! Things have changed so much, you can pretty much do whatever you want to anymore.
We are renewing our vows at a small cowboy church gathering we go to. No dress or anything fancy, just jeans...thats who we are. Oh, and cake!! |
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Perky Gal
Location: On a paint horse... | Scotch - 2014-02-07 11:10 AM You can still do it for low cost, even with your family involved. I did. I got married in last June. We had a little place called "The Htiching Post" marry us. But we did not do it at the chapel. We got married at the nearby park which happened to have a lake in the background. So, that was free. Standing only for our guests. We rented a couple pillars. I made two vases of flowers I got from Hobby Lobby and the dollar tree to put on them. Also rented some plastic chain to make an aisle. I bought my bouquet at HL as well. Already pre-made. My dress from clearance at Davids Bridal. I did take it to them for alterations but could have had them done for much cheaper. We had our reception at a nearby "bar. (It didn't turn into a bar until later in the night, so it was all private) They provided a buffet type dinner for our guests. Then that night, entertainment was provided by them because we utilized the band that was already booked. :) We were in less then $2k with EVERYTHING. Dress and all. I'll see if I can attach some pics. Oh and we had a family member take the pictures. :) Good luck to you!
LOL...we got married at the Hitching Post 35 years ago!! Coeur d 'alene right?? ...and my folks got married there in 1953!! |
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 Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | I had a traditional wedding. Looking back I wished I would have eloped. Bunch of wasted money. (No, not the marriage itself, we are happily married, but no one cares about the actual wedding and the reception). |
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 Strong Willed Woman
Posts: 6577
Location: Prosser, WA | turnedout - 2014-02-06 8:40 AM I have 60 days left in my engagement then this planning nightmare will be over! I was all for eloping, actually wanted it quite badly but my soon to be husband wanted the bigger wedding. We are only inviting family (which is quite large ) and close friends. Still came out to about 120 people and a ridiculous bill. The stress and financial debt has made this a miserable experience. I still wish I could have just gone out to a pasture with some friends and family, signed the papers and went home to a pot luck. Through this experience everyone said the same thing "do what YOU want" well it wasn't what I wanted from the beginning so each decision was jaded anyways. I'm all for eloping after this hell!!
I sure hope your soon to be has helped you out since he is the one who wanted the big wedding.
My husband wanted a big reception, so we just got married in a park near the river. Beautiful backdrop. My mom, her friends and my husband planned most of it. A group of people brought food. My parents provided the meat since they raise cattle and we had some good friends doing the bar-b-queing. My husband has an aunt that made the cake and a cousin that provided the music (he is a really good singer too). Biggest expense was probably the photographer. It was a lot of fun. I'm glad my husband talked me into it because I just wanted to elope. The bridesmaids and I even went in on a wagon. My parents neighbors have percherons and they travel all over with them and wanted to do it at no cost. It was pretty cool.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1034
| I did it and loved it. We figured out that for the same price as feeding all our relatives and friends, we could fly to Maui and do it EXACTLY the way we wanted AND have a honeymoon. |
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Chi Chi Mama
Posts: 11212
Location: Spokompton, Wa | skeeter 777 - 2014-02-06 11:45 AM
Scotch - 2014-02-07 11:10 AM You can still do it for low cost, even with your family involved. I did. I got married in last June. We had a little place called "The Htiching Post" marry us. But we did not do it at the chapel. We got married at the nearby park which happened to have a lake in the background. So, that was free. Standing only for our guests. We rented a couple pillars. I made two vases of flowers I got from Hobby Lobby and the dollar tree to put on them. Also rented some plastic chain to make an aisle. I bought my bouquet at HL as well. Already pre-made. My dress from clearance at Davids Bridal. I did take it to them for alterations but could have had them done for much cheaper. We had our reception at a nearby "bar. (It didn't turn into a bar until later in the night, so it was all private) They provided a buffet type dinner for our guests. Then that night, entertainment was provided by them because we utilized the band that was already booked. :) We were in less then $2k with EVERYTHING. Dress and all. I'll see if I can attach some pics. Oh and we had a family member take the pictures. :) Good luck to you!
LOL...we got married at the Hitching Post 35 years ago!! Coeur d 'alene right?? ...and my folks got married there in 1953!!
Yes! Haha OMGosh, that is crazy that is has been around so long. Well, I guess if you go in the chapel you can tell it's been there that long. LOL  |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 387
| this thread is making me think about doing this if me and my so ever get married. I've herd from all my married friends to do it, they regret the big fancy weddings, caused them too much stress.
But I have alwyas wanted the dress |
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 Veteran
Posts: 292
Location: Northeast Nebraska | Nope. Not once in the coming up 36 years since we did it. |
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 I hate cooking and cleaning
Posts: 3314
Location: Jersey Girl | Nope. It was my second marriage though. Maybe would have felt differently if it was my first.
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 There Could Be Aliens Out There
Posts: 1393
Location: North Central Kansas | I got married in Las Vegas in December while we were out there for the NFR. Best decision ever. I would say we spent about 1,500 on everything. I got my dress at Davids Bridal for $250! I made my own bouquet from silk flowers I got from Hobby Lobby so that I could have them forever. We just had immediate family there. The venue provided a webcast of our wedding that our friends and family were able to view for up to 10 days after the wedding.
ETA: That included two limos to and from the wedding!
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Edited by ks_cowgirl 2014-02-06 5:26 PM
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  Ms. Marine
Posts: 4642
Location: Texas | My husband and I went to the courthouse to get married. We don't regret it. Eventually we will have a wedding party when the time is right. |
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