Wedding Cost

My boyfriend proposed last week, but he was just sent home from a dishonorable discharge from the marines and he most likely won’t be able to find a good job any time soon. And I’m young and my family doesn’t really have a lot of money. It’s ashame that the brides family is supposed to pay for the wedding lol. I just want a nice traditional wedding.Oh yeah, waiting isn’t an option I’m so in love. So don’t give me that b.s. lol

Everything depends on what "normal" means to you.

Here’s what it means to me:

The ceremony is performed in the church that the bride regularly attends, by the regular vicar: COST — $0.

The regular organist plays the music at the ceremony and receives an honorarium: COST — $200

The reception is held in the Church Hall and Church Gardens: COST — $200 (typically just the caretaker’s fee for cleanup afterward)

The reception consists of tea and punch, sparkling wine, small finger-sandwiches, petits fours and wedding cake: COST — $500 (excluding wedding cake) and served on the church china. Wineglasses are rented: COST: $100

The cake is baked by the bride’s family, and professionally decorated: COST — $250

The Bride’s mother makes the wedding dress, or it is made by a local couturiere COST — $400

The Groom chooses and provides flowers for the mothers and grandmothers, the bride’s bouquet, and the boutonnières. The Bride’s family provides flowers for the altar and the bridesmaid. Cut flowers are used for decorating the hall. COST $300

A studio photograph is made of the Bride, and two or three staged photographs are taken immediately after the ceremony. COST $200

Total cost, just over $2000. Forgo the flowers and photographs, simplify the dress, have the cake decorated at home, and you can get it down to just over $1000.