Spent very little on the wedding and was happily married for a coupla years. Spent a small fortune on the divorce 18 years later, worth every cent.
I think it was about $10,000. Still married 19 years later.
We spent most of the money on the venue, food and open bar as we wanted to make sure everyone had a good time.
Probably a couple thousand the first time. My parents really wanted a big reception and I said we would show up for any party they threw. That lasted for 11 years. Death did us part.
The second time, I have no idea how much we ended up spending, since we were in Vegas. A few hundred? Hmm. Maybe closer to a thousand? I didn’t do anything but show up, so I don’t know! That’s closing in on three years ago.
We spent close to $20k, if you could the rehearsal dinner and associated wedding events. Our parents paid for some of it, but we paid for more than half of it.
It was an amazing experience and the best party I’ve ever thrown with almost everyone important to us in the world there to celebrate with us. We certainly could have done without some things and still had a great time, but I don’t regret spending the money.
We’ve been married not quite 7 months, so it’s obviously too early for any conclusions about the longevity of our marriage. I think it’s going great, though.
I am so glad we had a cheap wedding. I don’t recall how much, but well under $20k. We’re still married 21 years later.
We spent probably under $1500 - the reception was in the church hall, appetizers instead of a sit-down meal, a friend did the cake. We didn’t have a lot of money and what we did have we wanted to spend on the honeymoon instead of the wedding ceremony. That was 14 years ago, still married with no regrets.
My friend recently said “We’ve been married 29 years and I haven’t regretted it one day. In fact, our wedding day was the one day I didn’t regret it.”
$3,000, married 11 years now.
Some couples do a “money dance” where the bride is out there and guys hand money off to the best man for a short dance with the bride. I’m not kidding $10,000 is not unusual.
There is an old saying that the only time people reunite is for weddings and funerals. So I dont think its bad to spend some money on a reception where long distance friends and relatives come out and everyone gets to see everyone else.
Around here plan on at least $20 per person and thats darn low. Now a couple can easily have 100 acquaintances and relatives a piece so thats 200, they then bring their families and your at 800. So 800 times $20 is $16000. A cake alone for that money will run over $1,000.
But is that so bad when long lost Aunt Jenny gets to see her old friend Mildred? Or all the grooms high school buddies get together one last time? How about the brides cousins she has seen only twice in her life?
After that, if they do get a divorce, well then you really cant say the event was all about them anyways and those reunions can be priceless.
$50 and yes. Drive-thru wedding chapel in Vegas. Her family was on one coast, mine on the other. Easier to just skip the fancy stuff and have the ceremony just for us.
I don’t know why anyone would pay for a wedding reception. We cooked something much better than any caterer’s food I’ve ever eaten, and grew our own flowers, and recorded the music.
It’s amazing what you find time to do when you don’t own a tv.
What about all of the money I’ve spent on other people’s weddings? Does that count 
Huh. I sculpted a woman out of marble and then fell in love with her and she came to life. I celebrated with a gala tea.
According to CNN, the average cost of a wedding in America (not including a honeymoon) is $30,000.
Well, a couple Hollywood weddings could really throw off the average. But that still seems high. Maybe the average cost of a wedding for people who do it up. I wonder if they capture the people who just go down to the courthouse or have a small party at home?
Upon reading the article, I see that includes things like wedding rings, which I wouldn’t call part of the cost of the wedding. Also, the survey was actually done by theknot.com, so they are already dealing with a database of people who want to do a “wedding.”
I converted my TV into an oven and now I bake all my own cakes for $5.
All this is true, and I am skeptical too, but if it’s true it may mean that people who get married on the cheap for only 20 grand are more likely to get divorced. 
Yes, clearly the following posters have horrible character flaws.
Wanting everyone to have a good time?! Wanting all the important people in your lives to celebrate with you?! You monsters!
FWIW, I did the cheapo, justice-of-the-peace thing. I don’t feel morally superior or more happily married than people who had larger celebrations.
If you read my post, I said “most.” Not “all.”
That doesn’t take $20,000. You’re setting up a false dichotomy.
We had a big 200 person party with the biggest expense going to good beer and wine. We kept everything else pretty cheap. It was a hell of a fun party for around $6000 in 1993. We divorced in 2005. We are still best of friends if that counts for anything.