Did you pay for your wedding &/or get help from others? What year was it?

[brookmey]

Paid for most of it ourselves in 2002. My parents bought my dress, veil and accessories, while my MiL did the rehearsal dinner and my FIL covered alcohol. We paid for everything else. I never planned on or expected my parents to pay or even help financially. In my mom's world, money equals control and I wanted my wedding to be what I wanted, not what she wanted.

 

[Gigi22]

Married in 1984, my parents paid and gave us a cheque as a gift. To this day I have no idea what the wedding cost. Dh's parents gave us a similar cheque as their gift. My parents had always told their kids they would pay for both their education and wedding, anything else (cars, trips, etc) we were on our own.

 

[mr.bungle]

2008 ex wife's dad paid. My parents paid for the rehearsal dinner and some other smaller parts.

 

[minnie mum]

We were married in 1976 and my father paid for everything. DH and I paid for both our DDs weddings. It was just something we wanted to do. The first was 10 years ago at WDW. The dinner was in the private dining room at Citricos, since it was a small group. The second was 5 years ago. The ceremony was in the cathedral and the reception and dance was at the Officers Mess, which really kept the costs down, compared to holding it at a banquet facility. The grooms parents paid for the rehearsal dinner.

 

[lovegrumpy]

Married 1996 and we paid for it. Had wedding and reception at my church so paid nothing. My mom made my cake and a friend did my food. So the only thing we really paid for was my dressing and my bridesmaids. Hubby and his groomsman wear there CG uniforms. Family friend took pictures. Got married and a week later moved from Oregon to Florida so that was my honeymoon.

 

[mefordis]

We paid for it ourselves. 100 people and it took place in NYC, 1999.

 

[mom2rtk]

We got married in 1985 with a whopping budget of around $500. I made my dress myself. Wedding at the church with cake and punch in the gymnasium after.

 

[Jennasis]

2005...DH and I paid for just about everything. My mom paid for my dress ($200), and a close family friend paid for the caterer as her wedding gift to us (around $500). I think the entire wedding was around $3K and it was fantastic.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Been a while since we've had a good wedding finances thread...

 

[VAfamily1998]

1998
My parents paid for the wedding, but not the rings or honeymoon.
Dh's parents offered a flat amount for the rehearsal dinner (covered about half.)

 

[LJSquishy]

We married in 2006 and paid for it ourselves. We had a very, very, small budget so we had the wedding & reception at my husband's church. We had about 50-70 people I think and since we had a tiny budget we were smart about how we organized things... His parents paid for our wedding cake in lieu of a wedding gift (his mom got a great deal since she used to make cakes, it was about $100-$150 max). My sister did the flower bouquets in lieu of a wedding gift (she worked at a wholesale flower shop at the time so I paid the wholesale prices myself and she assembled the bouquets donating her time as our wedding gift). A family member took our wedding photos for us as a gift, but they turned out terrible...not even usable (biggest regret). We just had a cake & punch reception, no dancing or meal since we couldn't afford that.

My sister got married a few months later and they spent quite a bit of money...rented a beautiful historic mansion, had dancing, excellent photographer, buffet-style meal, open bar for beer & wine, etc. It was really beautiful and I was soooo jealous! They later ran up quite a bit of debt in their lives and I don't know if that was part of it or not (they responsibly paid their debt for years rather than taking the easy way out and claiming bankruptcy) so ultimately I'm glad we did a simple wedding, but it sure would have been nice to spoil the wedding guests with a nice reception or for us to have beautiful wedding photos to look at.

 

[powellrj]

We were married in 1978 and my parents paid for it. It was very low budget compared to todays weddings. It was in my home church with the reception in the church basement. We had a buffet dinner with no alcohol or band. It was very common for our area at the time to have a wedding just like ours was.

 

[ronandannette]

1995 - my dear Mom and Dad paid for my dress and the banquet (80 plates at a beautiful country club in the city DH and I resided in). DH and I covered everything else, including the attire for all 16 of our attendants. We were engaged for a year and paid for things a little at a time. My siblings put a bunch of "sweat equity" into the church decor and rehearsal dinner. My parents also put on a second banquet, open-house style, in my home town a month after we were married. (They had been a little embarrassed about the limited guest list of the actual event.) DH's family contributed nothing, nor had we expected them to.

 

[Disneybuckeye]

We were married in 1986 and my parents paid for everything. Church ceremony, country club reception, and day after brunch. They also bought us new appliances for our house as a wedding gift. DH and I paid for the rehearsal dinner. MIL showed up and did not give us a gift.

My parents also paid for my college and gave me a car. Yes I am very lucky.

We have paid for all 3 of our kids college and gave them each a car. When they get married we will give each child $40k to do with as they please.

To each their own. If parents want and can help them great. If they can't or do not want to that is fine also.

 

[antmaril]

Married in 1974. My parents paid for just about everything -- including flowers, photographer, band and a sit down dinner for 225 people. My in-laws paid for the liquor at the wedding and the rehearsal dinner the night before. I paid for my dress.

 

[slo]

Our wedding was June 1995 and our parents paid for everything 50/50

 

[Angeejoe]

Married in 2001, 310 guests, full mass & dinner reception.

In laws paid for a really nice sit down restaurant rehearsal dinner, full bar with beer, liquor & pop, & the China package at reception (not something I felt was needed but MIL wanted it)

I paid for my wedding dress, DH & I paid for photographer & pics, then honeymoon of course

My loving parents paid for everything else!!! They never thought differently, never asked for anything. Their parents did the same for them. I'm the oldest & DH is an only child, so I thought we were special, but the did the same for my siblings, lol! My parents paid for my sisters wedding & even paid for my brothers as SIL family couldn't. I am very blessed for such a wonderful family. We're not rich either, lol, lower middle class family. My mom is a great planner, she should be a wedding planner.

 

[eliza61]

Married 1985, parents paid for mine. all my other siblings eloped or got married at city hall, mainly because they were in the military.
I was my moms last chance at a big blowout. It was ridiculous. lol. 350 people, 16 people in the wedding party., sit down dinner with band and dj and bar. I paid for my dress though

We did get a ton of discounts though. my dad was a beat cop and I swear he knew everybody. My uncle was a professional photographer and did our wedding album as a gift.

 

[MomofKatie]

We got married in 1991. We had an afternoon ceremony and reception at a historic home venue with heavy hors d'oeuvres, cake, and a champagne toast for about 85 guests.

My parents paid for most of the wedding- venue, food, cake and drinks, flowers, photography, favors/accessories, and DJ. I paid for my own dress and veil- got them on the clearance rack at a bridal shop. DH paid for his own tux, the rings, and the deposit for the honeymoon. DH's parents paid for the rehearsal dinner and paid off the honeymoon.

 

[greentea]

2007, and the parents paid for it because we weren't planning on having a wedding. We would have just done the courthouse thing. They hosted an inexpensive reception for us and planned it all, we just showed up looking presentable. Weddings aren't our thing, so it wasn't something we wanted to put money toward.