Salon.com has a fascinating article which profiles reporter Rebecca Mead's new book about matrimony, "One Perfect Day: The Selling of the American Wedding". A few interesting factoids:
- Last year, the average American ceremony cost $27,852; the average dress, $1,025
- Most brides (30 percent) plan their weddings for 7 to 12 months
- An average of 189 guests attends a wedding.
- Three styles define today's bride:
"Traditional princess bride" – a young woman with
parents active in the planning and financing of a once-in-a-lifetime, fairy-talewedding
"Traditional independent bride" – financially independent, plans her own wedding, often with the help of the groom; blends tradition with her own style
"Nontraditional independent brides" – typically marries later or was married
(those last three courtesy of Hallmark)
Cho and I were just discussing "weddings as big business" this past week. We both have upcoming nuptials to attend, and we are continually stunned (her, as an eloper, and I, as a non-married) the extent to which a couple's "special day" is commercialized. I'm particularly shocked at how much these shingdigs cost -- $20,000+?!?! Reeeeaaally? It seems, in many ways, the whole affair..."from the diamond ring to the honeymoon -- were invented or co-opted by the wedding industry and neatly repackaged as established conventions."
It's almost wedding season, so...
FRIDAY MEME: Any good stories from past/upcoming weddings? Or, any opinions on the wedding industry and their manipulative marketing?
BLOGORELLI: I am very much looking forward to the upcoming season. The Prof and I are invited to 6 celebrations! As for any past stories, my Weddingpalooza of two years ago offered lots of good times...which can be found here, here, and here.
Have a great Memorial Day weekend!
Our wedding of 12 people (including us) was around $3,000 (including hotel, plane fare, food, dress, suit, JOP).
We got married in San Fran in Golden Gate Park's Botanical Garden. No cost for venue, & had the reception at the fancy Top of The Mark where they were conveniently serving a large fixed menu, had a live jazz band, and a fab view of the entire city. We rode the cable car up to the reception from the hotel down the street, in my wedding dress.
It was a "destination wedding" and all had a great vacation. We had everyone take the pictures so we got lots of shots, BUT in very few we all were looking in the same direction :( But it still makes me laugh to look at the pictures...
The wedding Industry AND the Baby Industry both suck arse. They are machines for spending way too much money on crap and making you feel as if you desperately need it ALL. Stay away!
Posted by: a classic girl | Saturday, 26 May 2007 at 10:29 AM
Whoa -- that was THREE years ago? You're old pros by now. Heh heh.
And yes, I well remember the PP's distress about all things wedding during our weekly phone dates THREE years ago before her and TMH got hitched. She made it through beautifully and know that once we were dancing to ABBA at teh reception, all was forgotten.
Posted by: blogorelli | Friday, 25 May 2007 at 08:45 PM
sure it's a lot of money, but no one is forced to spend that much, and that number is spread out over the course of many mos...meaning, you're never shelling out 20k at once, and if you're lucky, several people help cover the costs.
our wedding was just under $20k (inlcluding the honeymoon), and it was worth every penny...in fact, I often regret being SO worried about the money back then...now, 3 yrs. later, it doesn't really matter what I spent on the photographer, I'm just glad to have great pictures.
what also they don't tell you when you're planning the wedding for those 189 guests is that you will likely get very nice gifts & money following your wedding. this makes the price tag drop considerably and alters the "cost to benefit" ratio.
;)
Posted by: the polish princess | Friday, 25 May 2007 at 02:22 PM
ahem...weddingpalooza of *three* years ago.
Posted by: mad hungarian | Friday, 25 May 2007 at 01:54 PM