The most ridiculous wedding price you've seen

huskypuppy14 · September 2013

I also live in the Boston area, and some of these prices seem reasonable to me. But the funniest price I saw, which I swear must be a typo was $75 for a children's meal of chicken tenders, fruit cup, wedding cake and juice. Um no! I still think they must have meant 25 not 75. The adult dinners were around 100, so it didn't make any sense.

Also @itzMS I also tried to do most of the research before asking for quotes, but sometimes it was impossible to find any pricing without emailing and asking for quotes.

FiancB · September 2013

Thank goodness I live where I do. Here I am worrying about paying $25-30 a plate. I feel for the East coast brides. For your vendor prices you could just about fly everybody out elsewhere.

There was one hotel I talked to about holding a wedding. They had something like a $2.5k minimum, not unusual but what was unusual was what it didn't come with. We HAD to block 20 rooms and not just reserve for guests until a release date, but pay for them ourselves if they didn't end up booked. We had to have everything done, cleaned up, no noise whatsoever by 8pm. And the room was really small. Uhhhh no thanks lady. There were some other weird rules and even she was like "most people decide not to do it here at this point..." gee I wonder why. This was a Holiday Inn on the river too so I kind of thought they'd be all about doing weddings.

krizzo17 · September 2013

Not so much the price on this one, but what you got for it: I had a caterer tell me that they like to serve a lot of bread during the cocktail hour, because it's cheap and fills people up, so they don't have to serve as much food at dinner. The per plate price? $150. That's not an *overly* outrageous price for the Philly area, but I don't think she was supposed to tell me the part about the bread...

FutureMrsN3312 · September 2013

Oh a limo quote I got too. $1,600 to drive my dad and I 20-30mins to the church. It was a Rolls Royce but still come on!

SBmini · September 2013

seshat303 said:

When we were researching venues we found one that based on the rental fee and meal costs (what they listed for pricing on their site) should have been about 5-6k. When we got a full quote with all the extra fees it ended up being over 10k. Among other things they seriously wanted us spend about $800 on a security guard because we would be having alcohol (sorry dude, not paying you that much to babysit drunk people for a few hours). I just about fell out of my chair. It was a cute place, but older and not terribly spacious. We ended up being about to get a historic mansion with a bunch of (useful) things included for way less.

Edited because I cannot type.

Whoa $800 for a guard is ridiculous! We're required to have a guard at our reception site. Total cost for the entire rental (7-8 hours) is $150.

radleyboo · September 2013

Some of these are great!

I thought $4000 for a photographer for 4 hours was insane. That was one photographer for 4 hours. I ended up paying $800 for 8 hours, and she did a beautiful job.

There was also a venue we looked at that wanted $2000 just to show up. Not a private club or anything, just a small restaurant on a lake. This did not include tables/chairs/anything. Just a fee for a fees' sake. Obviously, we passed.

radleyboo · September 2013

Oh, and the place we did end up choosing wanted to charge us $100 per table if we wanted round instead of rectangular. We went with rectangular because I thought paying $800 for no reason was absurd. Still haven't figured that one out...

casey8784 · September 2013

GinaMelody said:

I love hearing some of these prices they sound so cheap to me!!! 40 for a dinner buffet! Id take that boston living is so expensive!! Lol It's amazing what vendors can charge from across the country.

Exactly - I was just thinking the same thing! (I live in Boston, wedding is going to be in Newport, RI)

I'm in shock at how *low* some of these quotes are...

With some of the prices on here...I could've had a wedding for 600+ people!

mmkipper · September 2013

I know of a guy who picked up photography, so I wanted to give him a chance. He had excellent photos but has only done like 5 weddings. He wanted $800 an hr. I thought he may have made a mistake in typing so I emailed him back and yes he wanted $800 an hr... and that it was the going rate for photographers in boston! Needless to say I got a professional for $800 for the entire day. Thanks but no thanks

RedJacks25 · September 2013

$40 for a buffet? $3,300 for a venue? I'd take either of those any day. Gosh, Southern California is expensive.

thisismynickname2 · September 2013

Chicago's expensive too. I was mentally prepared for sticker shock, but here's one that sticks out---

Before we decided upon a Saturday night dinner event, I was toying with the idea of a brunch reception. My mom reached out to one hotel who gave her very reasonable prices for their amazing event space. Fiance and I went to talk to her, and she gave me a very different "wedding brunch" price which was equivalent to their dinner price! When I mentioned the discrepancy she kindly said she remembered that inquiry but thought it was the post-wedding brunch, not the actual wedding reception. Excuse me? Prime example of "wedding" labels driving up the cost of everything.

I also had sticker shock from the florist my venue recommended. $150 for my bouquet? Nope, sorry, luckily my mom's heavy into arts and crafts and she's doing my bouquet for maybe $20.

My close friend was on a strict budget, and bought her dress for perhaps $300 or so from a sample sale. She went to the streamstress her sister-in-law recommended without doing any further research, and was dismayed to see her alterations come out to $250. When the alterations cost as much as or more than the dress, I take issue with that.

CrazyCatLady3 · September 2013

$8.50 per person cake plating fee for bringing in your own cake, even when the venue doesn't offer cakes!

CrazyCatLady3 · September 2013

csuave said:

I saw a dress on Craigslist for $2,000. Sure it was never worn and they paid $5,000 for it but do you really think the people shopping on Craigslist are there looking for a $2,000 dress?! smh

Well, if it's a Vera Wang or something....isn't this the same as people selling designer dresses on preownedweddingdresses for thousands of dollars because they're designer dresses that cost a lot?

jenniferurs · September 2013

The only one that really shocked me was the $100,000 food and drink minimum at the Fontainebleau Hotel. Compared to that, my $20,000 food and drink minimum was a relief to hear. Otherwise, I guess my photographer at $5,500 and my videographer at $6,000 is expensive, but I expected that going in, so there wasn't much of a shock factor. I also thought we got a great deal on flowers for $5,750.

On the flip side, I always thought I'd end up with a 5K dress, but fell in love with 2 that were $1,800 and $1,200 respectively. Very pleasant surprise.

CrazyCatLady3 · September 2013

I am getting a lot of quotes for bridal makeup (just, makeup, not hair or anything else, and just for the bride) for $450. I feel like that's a lot, but I am getting several quotes in that range so I guess that's the going rate for experienced artists in NYC unfortunately.

CrazyCatLady3 · September 2013

thisismynickname said:

Chicago's expensive too. I was mentally prepared for sticker shock, but here's one that sticks out---

Before we decided upon a Saturday night dinner event, I was toying with the idea of a brunch reception. My mom reached out to one hotel who gave her very reasonable prices for their amazing event space. Fiance and I went to talk to her, and she gave me a very different "wedding brunch" price which was equivalent to their dinner price! When I mentioned the discrepancy she kindly said she remembered that inquiry but thought it was the post-wedding brunch, not the actual wedding reception. Excuse me? Prime example of "wedding" labels driving up the cost of everything.

I also had sticker shock from the florist my venue recommended. $150 for my bouquet? Nope, sorry, luckily my mom's heavy into arts and crafts and she's doing my bouquet for maybe $20.

My close friend was on a strict budget, and bought her dress for perhaps $300 or so from a sample sale. She went to the streamstress her sister-in-law recommended without doing any further research, and was dismayed to see her alterations come out to $250. When the alterations cost as much as or more than the dress, I take issue with that.

$150 for a bridal bouquet isn't that bad. I see quotes at mostly $250 for a medium sized one.

CrazyCatLady3 · September 2013

krizzo17 said:

Not so much the price on this one, but what you got for it: I had a caterer tell me that they like to serve a lot of bread during the cocktail hour, because it's cheap and fills people up, so they don't have to serve as much food at dinner. The per plate price? $150. That's not an *overly* outrageous price for the Philly area, but I don't think she was supposed to tell me the part about the bread...

wow, they sound like they pride themselves in their culinary skills. like you invite people to your wedding to enjoy...bread.

Chipmunk415 · September 2013

$6500 for a photographer. Granted, it included all the bells and whistles (2 photographers, unlimited coverage, including RD, boudoir, Trash the Dress or Day After sessions, about 6 photo books, etc), but that was at a DISCOUNTED price because I'd attended a bridal show event. I ended up going with a guy who is technically retired but will do a wedding now and then if it's not an 8 hr marathon and the bride has great references from the venue (like I did! :-D)

Nickname- my brother and his wife got married in Chicago in May. It was pricey, even with all the discounts and favors she called in as an event planner. I just about died when I was told it costs $35 per chair to have chair covers and sashes put on up there- I'm spending $2.50 per chair, and get access to vases, table overlays, and other decorations free of charge with it.

FutureMrsN3312 · September 2013

CrazyCatLady3 said:

I am getting a lot of quotes for bridal makeup (just, makeup, not hair or anything else, and just for the bride) for $450. I feel like that's a lot, but I am getting several quotes in that range so I guess that's the going rate for experienced artists in NYC unfortunately.

I live in North Jersey and that's insane! I have 2 people in SI that are willing to travel. I can PM you their info if you'd like.

CrazyCatLady3 · September 2013

CrazyCatLady3 said:

I am getting a lot of quotes for bridal makeup (just, makeup, not hair or anything else, and just for the bride) for $450. I feel like that's a lot, but I am getting several quotes in that range so I guess that's the going rate for experienced artists in NYC unfortunately.

I live in North Jersey and that's insane! I have 2 people in SI that are willing to travel. I can PM you their info if you'd like.

Stuck in box.

Thanks. I did try someone at a more reasonable price for a trial, but I felt like the makeup was pretty average. I feel a lot of pressure to look "perfect" for my wedding since I'm spending so much on photography, so I'm wondering if I need to just suck it up and pay for a "better" makeup artist.

amaryann210 · September 2013

$5K for photographer (just one) for just the day and this doesn't include rights to your photos. I live in central NY (not expensive) and I don't know how this photographer is making a living. I do some wedding photography on the side, and I understand my equipment is expensive, but there is no cost to me to do a wedding, other than gas and some memory cards. Once the initial expense of equipment is met, everything else is just paying for my time, and $5K is way too much, IMO.

thisismynickname2 · September 2013

$100k minimum??? My God. In Chicago I said no to $16 and $20k minimums.

Sticker shock is just about what you're willing to pay. I'm not telling anyone I know personally we're paying $165 a head (80 people) because they'd freak (and it's really no one's business!). But that's for guests - food, booze, cake and room rental along with a bunch of extras. However, things that don't affect guests, like my dress and flowers, I'm frugal-city. My dress off the rack was $300 at Nordstrom and I couldn't give a hoot about flowers, so $150 was a no

Apologies for typos- mobile typing.

WonderRed · September 2013

The $100k minimum just made me choke on my tea. Holy crap!! Even if you have a ridiculous 400 people that's $250 per person. And I thought we were going the distance at $109 a head.

APDSS22 · September 2013

My hair and makeup was pretty expensive. The plus side was my nail polish was indestructible and would still be on 2 1/2 weeks later but I flubbed one nail enough that it bothered me and had to take the rest off. I had to soak my nails in pure acetone and use a buffing block...I still have traces of that stuff. The flip side being my guests' food came out per plate to about $10.50...

lfk2013 · October 2013

CrazyCatLady3 said:

thisismynickname said:

Chicago's expensive too. I was mentally prepared for sticker shock, but here's one that sticks out---

Before we decided upon a Saturday night dinner event, I was toying with the idea of a brunch reception. My mom reached out to one hotel who gave her very reasonable prices for their amazing event space. Fiance and I went to talk to her, and she gave me a very different "wedding brunch" price which was equivalent to their dinner price! When I mentioned the discrepancy she kindly said she remembered that inquiry but thought it was the post-wedding brunch, not the actual wedding reception. Excuse me? Prime example of "wedding" labels driving up the cost of everything.

I also had sticker shock from the florist my venue recommended. $150 for my bouquet? Nope, sorry, luckily my mom's heavy into arts and crafts and she's doing my bouquet for maybe $20.

My close friend was on a strict budget, and bought her dress for perhaps $300 or so from a sample sale. She went to the streamstress her sister-in-law recommended without doing any further research, and was dismayed to see her alterations come out to $250. When the alterations cost as much as or more than the dress, I take issue with that.

$150 for a bridal bouquet isn't that bad. I see quotes at mostly $250 for a medium sized one.

Mine is $135. Pretty good for the DC area.

My biggest sticker shock was photography. I asked several people. One group gave me a quote of $3,000 for one photographer for 5 hours with no "extras". I went with a friend (who is a professional photographer) who would be working with her husband (he's a photographer, too) and would be there ALL day for $1,600. And we get full access to the photos. And if we buy photos from her later, there's a discount.

erinlin25 · October 2013

wedding dresses 10k plus is outrageous to me (no way would I have spent over 2k). I was watching SYSTD last night and this girl had already spent 17k on a custom dress, but then she wanted ANOTHER dress for her "second" wedding (the first one was for "her parents"). Anyway her other dress was going to be 40k and her wedding was costing 1/2 million $. That is just ridiculous imo. even if I had that kind of money, there is no way I would spend it on a dress I would only wear once.

my reality--was a wedding photographer package was 10k. no thank you! The photographer we went with was 2.5k, it had 2 photographers and we got 1,000 amazing photos to choose from along with a framed 11x14, rights to all the photos and a digital photo book with 108 pics (leather bound/marble cover etc).

We also were interested in a live band, but it was 3k and that money was better spent saved for a down payment on our house!

gotta love the wedding industry right!?

KytchynWitche · October 2013

I live in South Africa, but I'll try to post my amounts in $. If I remember correctly, we have a lower average income and a slightly higher cost of living than most of the US, but don't quote me on that.

I think the most ridiculous price I've seen locally was R45,000 venue hire (before catering, bar, decor etc). Literally just for the venue. Thats almost $5k, which may not sound like a lot, but is nearly 10 months salary for me - and I mean my entire salary, without paying rent or bills or buying groceries. I think that's pretty ridiculous, especially considering that what I earn is the norm for people of my age and at my level in my area.

Needless to say I opted not to go for that venue, and am using our favourite local restaurant instead. They're closing in their patio for us, and clearing a space on the lawn for our ceremony, and NOT charging us a venue fee AT ALL. I don't have an official catering & bar quote from them, but I'm almost certain it won't come to R45k for a lunch for 40 people - that'd be R1,125 a person, at which point I'd be expecting French champagne with gold flecks, foie gras, salmon steaks, and gold dipped truffles or something. Catering and bar for events here doesn't usually get much above R250 per person and that's high-end.

The most ridiculous wedding price you've seen

Re: The most ridiculous wedding price you've seen

Choose Another Board

Search Boards