Julia Altshuler wrote:

>
> There was actually something in my local newspaper the other day about
> the new trend in weddings in which the couple decides not to go into
> debt to throw one. They mentioned shopping for a fancy white dress and
> buying the train and veil separate, getting the cake at a bakery without
> making it a specially decorated wedding cake, picking up flowers at a
> florist instead of putting in a special order, asking friends to take
> photographs, designing a nice invitation and getting it printed at
> Kinko's, etc. The only surprising thing about it was that they were
> reporting this as *news*. Apparently the average price of a wedding has
> climbed up to $20,000 so entertaining guests nicely for a mere $10,000
> got in the papers.

The average is only $20,000? I was under the impression that it was a lot more than
that. Of course, it also depends on the number of guests that you have. Then there is
the idea that the gift should be worth as much or more than the cost of your meal. I was
at a wedding in September where the meal had to have been worth <?> well over $100 per
person They had anti pasto plates, salad, soup, huge steaks cooked to perfection, dessert
table, chocolate fountain, open bar and lots of wine at the tables). With 200 guests,
that would be in the neighbourhood of $20,000 just for the dinner, and I am sure that the
bar bill was pretty high too.

Throw in more than 20 centerpieces that went home with the guests, a ton of flowers, 2
stretch limos, bridesmaid dresses, ushers tux rentals ($185 each), deejay,
pianist........