the $22,000 wedding or $220k

[Dr. Who]

26 years ago, a nice tavern/restaurant on lake, a JP and immediate family, ceremony and dinner, dress and flowers, $800 total.

Today it seems it's a competition to spend money on lavish accoutrements, week long bashes and 'destination' weddings.

Sometimes a destination wedding is actually cheaper - it severely cuts down the number of people who can attend and often the hotel provides the wedding set up for very little. The honeymoon is also part of the package. Of course that's assuming you don't pick the priciest venue.

[Collateral Damage]

Sometimes a destination wedding is actually cheaper - it severely cuts down the number of people who can attend and often the hotel provides the wedding set up for very little. The honeymoon is also part of the package. Of course that's assuming you don't pick the priciest venue.

Perhaps cheaper for the couple getting married, but not so much for those attending. Airfare is anything but cheap these days, plus hotel, even at discounted rates.

[Dr. Who]

Perhaps cheaper for the couple getting married, but not so much for those attending. Airfare is anything but cheap these days, plus hotel, even at discounted rates.

Yes, cheaper for the couple getting married. However you'd be surprised at how many people love finding an excuse to go away on vacation with friends.

[Collateral Damage]

Yes, cheaper for the couple getting married. However you'd be surprised at how many people love finding an excuse to go away on vacation with friends.

I'll grant you that.

For the two weddings I've been invited to that were 'destination weddings', I declined.

[Cotton1]

SHOTGUN WEDDINGS are more popular in the South! Much cheaper! What's a box of shells cost?

Rednecks gotta have fun too!

not sure. most of us steal them!

[Cotton1]

a while back I ran into my old high school sweethearts dad. he said "you kept me up a lot of nights". we had to break up when i thought he had hung up the phone and I said "tell that mfer to shut his coksucker"...ooops

[DGUtley]

It is ridiculous to spend a lot of money for a wedding.

Tell that to my wife re my daughter.

[Adelaide]

Yes, cheaper for the couple getting married. However you'd be surprised at how many people love finding an excuse to go away on vacation with friends.

I friggin' hate that. Unless you're going to pay for your entire family and all your invited friends to go to a destination wedding, don't have a damn destination wedding! Marry in a small ceremony and then go on a $#@!ing honeymoon. I find it incredibly selfish to expect people to take time off work (which might not be paid), then pay to travel somewhere they may not even want to go, and then expect them to spend additional money on gifts, clothing (thinking bridesmaids...), travel documents, and more. This is assuming they can travel, to begin with.

People get goofy about weddings, but destination weddings are just insulting to the friends and family who get put into a terrible position of potentially not being able to afford it to take the time off.

[Dr. Who]

I friggin' hate that. Unless you're going to pay for your entire family and all your invited friends to go to a destination wedding, don't have a damn destination wedding! Marry in a small ceremony and then go on a $#@!ing honeymoon. I find it incredibly selfish to expect people to take time off work (which might not be paid), then pay to travel somewhere they may not even want to go, and then expect them to spend additional money on gifts, clothing (thinking bridesmaids...), travel documents, and more. This is assuming they can travel, to begin with.

People get goofy about weddings, but destination weddings are just insulting to the friends and family who get put into a terrible position of potentially not being able to afford it to take the time off.

I suppose it can be inconvenient. However sometimes there is no nice way to trim the guest list without offending people or ending up with people at your wedding who you would rather not invite. I'm referring here to a very small destination wedding.

On the other hand, if you simply really want everyone to attend your wedding at some exotic destination and plan to try to guilt trip and harangue everyone into attending, then you should pay the entire freight.

[carolina73]

I never got the choice. It was supposed to be a lobster bake at the local state park with my favorite local band. I ended up eating chicken or fish at a country club and can't remember a damn thing except I did not get the bill.