I'm helping a young relative plan her wedding. She and her fiance don't have a
lot of money, but would like to have dinner for their guests, not just wedding
cake and champagne. What is the least amount they can spend and still have
something respectable? Even the venues are pricey and don't include food.
Would I be correct in thinking that they would do better going with a banquet
hall that could sell them a package, rather than renting a venue and bringing
in food themselves? If anyone's planned a wedding recently and has some good
advice I'd love to pass it on to her. Thanks!

Fran

Franfogel wrote:
> I'm helping a young relative plan her wedding. She and her fiance don't have a
> lot of money, but would like to have dinner for their guests, not just wedding
> cake and champagne. What is the least amount they can spend and still have
> something respectable? Even the venues are pricey and don't include food.
> Would I be correct in thinking that they would do better going with a banquet
> hall that could sell them a package, rather than renting a venue and bringing
> in food themselves? If anyone's planned a wedding recently and has some good
> advice I'd love to pass it on to her. Thanks!


How many guests? This is the vital question. If the amount of food
fits available refrigerator and freezer space, the family can cook and
freeze ahead of time, hire some people to help serve and do up a nice
wedding at a reasonable cost. If they need a walk-in refrigerator that
they don't have, they'll need to hire someone, and I don't know of a
caterer that will let someone use their equipment without prepping the
food.


Sometimes churches, synagogues or rental halls (the Elks, the Legion)
have full kitchens that you can use. Otherwise, it makes the most sense
to call around to a number of restaurants and caterers to find the best
deal.


Another idea for a classy wedding without too huge a cost is to order
party platters from a number of restaurants without mentioning that any
of it is for a wedding. Order a cake from a bakery, and decorate it
yourself. Buy a case of champagne from the liquor store, and open and
serve it yourself, etc.


--Lia

Franfogel wrote:

> I'm helping a young relative plan her wedding. She and her fiance don'=
t have a
> lot of money, but would like to have dinner for their guests, not just =
wedding
> cake and champagne. What is the least amount they can spend and still =
have
> something respectable? Even the venues are pricey and don't include fo=
od.
> Would I be correct in thinking that they would do better going with a b=
anquet
> hall that could sell them a package, rather than renting a venue and br=
inging
> in food themselves? If anyone's planned a wedding recently and has som=
e good
> advice I'd love to pass it on to her. Thanks!

Have the considered eloping? That would save a bundle.

Personally, I don't like the pretentious sit down dinners with all the si=
lly
frills. I am astounded by the money that people waste on a wedding, with =
so many
brides wanting to be treated like a princess for a day. There is no need =
for center
pieces on every table (to be given away at the end of the reception).

I much prefer a simple reception with cocktails and canap=E9s. Our weddin=
g reception
was held in the back yard of my wife's parent's home. They rented a marqu=
is tent
and hired a caterer and bar tender. It turned out to be a nice day and e=
veryone
had a good time. A number of our friends still comment on what a nice re=
ception it
was, and that must be a test of their memories because it was more than 3=
0 years
ago.

In article >,
(Franfogel) wrote:

>If anyone's planned a wedding recently and has some good advice I'd
> love to pass it on to her. Thanks!

>
> Fran

check at alt.weddings.
--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> Updated 11-29-04; Sam I Am!
birthday telling; Thanksgiving 2004; Fanfare, Maestro, please.
"Are we going to measure or are we going to cook?" -Food writer
Mimi Sheraton

Dave Smith wrote:

>
> Personally, I don't like the pretentious sit down dinners with all the silly
> frills. I am astounded by the money that people waste on a wedding, with so many
> brides wanting to be treated like a princess for a day. There is no need for center
> pieces on every table (to be given away at the end of the reception).


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.


--Lia

When planning a family wedding recently, we went to a local church and
asked if there was a group there that could provide us with a wedding
dinner for 140 guests. The missionary circle came out in full force,
prepared one of the best sit down dinners we have had in years, cleaned
up and charged us such a small amount! To this day, I cannot believe
how much was saved on that wedding. They did everything!

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........

wrote:
> When planning a family wedding recently, we went to a local church and
> asked if there was a group there that could provide us with a wedding
> dinner for 140 guests. The missionary circle came out in full force,
> prepared one of the best sit down dinners we have had in years, cleaned
> up and charged us such a small amount! To this day, I cannot believe
> how much was saved on that wedding. They did everything!
>
Rather than fill up the bellies of people (half of which will criticize
something about the wedding,) me and my wife had a very small family and
friend affair, and went to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic where we had
the time of our lives with all the money we saved.

We just didn't want to do the traditional thing.

Rich
--
"Dum Spiro, Spero."

As long as I breath, I hope.

Cicero (Ancient Rome)





ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤° `°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø
><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·.¸. ><((((º> ·´¯`·. , .·´¯`·.. ><((((º>

Let there be fish!!!

Melba's Jammin' wrote:

> In article >,
> (Franfogel) wrote:
>
> >If anyone's planned a wedding recently and has some good advice I'd
> > love to pass it on to her. Thanks!
>
> >
> > Fran
>
> check at alt.weddings.


Where I grew up the wedding reception was held in the church basement (with
the Methodist church ladies pitching in to help)...

If ya wanted "fancy" you rented out the local VFW hall for the afternoon...

--
Best
Greg

"Dave Smith" > wrote in message
...
> 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.

I, too, thought it was more than that. When my daughter asked about a year
ago "What would you do if I came home and told you we got married?"
My reply: "Fall to my knees and praise the Lord that you saved us so much
money."

Gabby

Franfogel wrote:
> I'm helping a young relative plan her wedding. She and her fiance don't have a
> lot of money, but would like to have dinner for their guests, not just wedding
> cake and champagne. What is the least amount they can spend and still have
> something respectable? Even the venues are pricey and don't include food.
> Would I be correct in thinking that they would do better going with a banquet
> hall that could sell them a package, rather than renting a venue and bringing
> in food themselves? If anyone's planned a wedding recently and has some good
> advice I'd love to pass it on to her. Thanks!
>
> Fran
Congratulations and best of luck to the happy couple.

One practical alternative might be to have just a toast at the wedding
and combine the reception with the housewarming after the happy couple
have settled in to their new home. My wife and I got married at San
Francisco's City Hall (what could be more romantic than waiting in line
with dozens of other loving couples) and had a nice lunch with perhaps
8-10 people. When he had a housewarming a month or so later, my
mother-in-law brought all her friends who left us wedding cards and cash.

Franfogel wrote:
If anyone's planned a wedding recently and has some good
> advice I'd love to pass it on to her. Thanks!
>
> Fran

What kind of people are they? I had a potluck/volleyball wedding and
everyone had a wonderful wonderful time. People who loathe dressing up
for weddings and always beg off came. We even had a few gate crashers.
One sib manned the grill, another manned the bathtub filled with ice and
drinks, a SIL ran around picking up every dirty dish, and it was fun,
relaxed, and when I watched the many vids people made, I got in on all
the conversations I missed. Between meat for grill, drinks and a tent,
we spent 400 bucks. It was so much fun, two children were said to have
been conceived that night, neither ours, BTW.
For weddings: think outside the box and don't go into debt.

"Franfogel" > wrote in message
...
> I'm helping a young relative plan her wedding. She and her fiance don't
> have a
> lot of money, but would like to have dinner for their guests, not just
> wedding
> cake and champagne. What is the least amount they can spend and still
> have
> something respectable?

Wedding are about family, now glitz and show. Have a backyard barbecue.

"Dave Smith" > wrote in message
...
Franfogel wrote:

> I'm helping a young relative plan her wedding. She and her fiance don't
have a
> lot of money, but would like to have dinner for their guests, not just
wedding
> cake and champagne. What is the least amount they can spend and still
have
> something respectable? Even the venues are pricey and don't include food.
> Would I be correct in thinking that they would do better going with a
banquet
> hall that could sell them a package, rather than renting a venue and
bringing
> in food themselves? If anyone's planned a wedding recently and has some
good
> advice I'd love to pass it on to her. Thanks!


Shoots, I got married in sweatpants at the opening of a buddy's BBQ joint.
We toasted with beer and another friend made a carrot cake. Another friend
was our minister. Cost of the wedding was a couple of plane tickets and a
hotel bill. We had a BLAST.

kili

In article <z6Kxd.787368$8_6.580195@attbi_s04>, 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.

Our wedding and honeymoon including my gown and our rings cost us
about $3500-4000. I did most of the cooking with my MOH and a friend,
another friend who is a photographer gave us a huge, huge discount
(basically we paid for his film), the flowers were from a place I always
bought from and she gave us an incredible deal if we picked them up.
Mostly, though, we found that if we didn't mention wedding when talking
food, the prices were significantly lower. I was thin enough to fit in
an off the rack gown, which was discontinued and marked down to a third
the price, bought my headpiece at a consignment shop and made the veil
to go on it. Our honeymoon was a little beach cabin at Canon Beach, we
drove, the place cost us something like $300 for 3 or 4 nights and Rich
brought in the food and did the cooking. Our wedding cake place is gone
now, Kienow's Bohemian Bakery in Portland, but they did exquisite cakes
for very little money and generous portions. I ate wedding cake and
drank champagne for breakfast every day on our honeymoon.

Regards,
Ranee

--
Remove Do Not and Spam to email

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

See my Blog at: http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/

In article >,
Melba's Jammin' > wrote:

> check at alt.weddings

Which is where I first became aware of Barb the Amazing and TLOTH.

Regards,
Ranee (whose 8th anniversary is in 9 days)

--
Remove Do Not and Spam to email

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

See my Blog at: http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/

Not recently, but in good enough memory to comment...

We got the church for free because we were members, only had to pay the
pastor. Bride got her dress at a clearance sale (full winter formal,
train and all). Music provided by a Pipe Major friend of the bride's,
cost one bottle of really good Scotch. Mothers cooked enough food to
leave 150 guests stuffed, with leftovers. Stand-up brunch reception at
homeowner's association clubhouse, nominal cost to rent. Three music
students played for the reception. Still, total cost was about $5,000
(in 1985), and the largest single item was invitations.

Two things to watch out for:

Don't skimp on the photographer. We did, and we had to reshoot the
formal pictures when he flubbed them all. I've been through another
wedding where another obvious amateur photographer managed to put the
whole wedding party on edge.

If you are serving both Devonshire cream and horseradish sauce, do not
confuse the two.

--
Chris Green