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Wedding costs: 1974 vs. 2017

Re: Wedding costs: 1974 vs. 2017

  • STARMOON44STARMOON44 member
    First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    So interesting. 
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  • debbeaudebbeau member
    5 Love Its Name Dropper First Comment First Answer
    I would love to see this charted over the years and see if there was a particular time when prices started to spike. 
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  • short+sassyshort+sassy member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its

    I am admittedly a big nerd who finds finance and economics fascinating.  I love articles like this, for any industry.

    I know the writer blames the wedding industry for how much more things cost now, even taking inflation into consideration.  And I'm sure that is part of it, but I don't think it is the whole story.

    I suspect there are a lot of industries this would be true for.  Even ones with steep competition.

    Is it that raw materials and energy sources are so much more expensive, even compared to inflation?

    Speaking of an industry that would make those wedding cost jumps look like nothing...medicine and health insurance.  Colllege/trade school educations also.

    A few years ago, my mom sent me an antique piece of furniture that was in our house growing up.  It's a china cabinet on top and a flip out desk area underneath that.  Cleaning it out, I found a receipt for my family's health insurance cost from 1975.  $27 for THREE months of health insurance, lol.  I wish!!!!  Even at adjusted 2017 prices. 

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  • CMGragainCMGragain member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    There are really some good things about planning a modern wedding.  There was no David's Bridal, or anything like it in 1976.  I went to three different department stores and one bridal boutique to shop for my gown.  Average prices for a budget bride were between $200 and $350.  Gowns were not made in China.  Because of time and budget constraints, I needed a sample sale gown.  I found one for $99.  You can still do this at David's Bridal.  I dispute the auther's cost estimate of her mother's gown.
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  • cindylover711cindylover711 member
    First Comment
    Yeah,it increased a lot actually. :)
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  • short+sassyshort+sassy member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    CMGragain said:
    There are really some good things about planning a modern wedding.  There was no David's Bridal, or anything like it in 1976.  I went to three different department stores and one bridal boutique to shop for my gown.  Average prices for a budget bride were between $200 and $350.  Gowns were not made in China.  Because of time and budget constraints, I needed a sample sale gown.  I found one for $99.  You can still do this at David's Bridal.  I dispute the auther's cost estimate of her mother's gown.


    True!  It's not all worse.

    The Internet has been a game changer on being able to see reviews for vendors, comparison price shopping, and access to more choices on everything.

    When I was trying dresses on a David's Bridal, the salesperson put a veil on me that I just LOVED!!  It was interspersed with a few rhinestones and I loved how they were subtle, but still caught a bit of light.

    But for the price DB was charging, you'd think those rhinestones were diamonds, lol!  Most of their veils were around $50.  That one was $250.

    I was thinking about buying a $50 one and putting my own small rhinestones on.  And then I thought of Ebay, lol.  Brand new veil, same length and style, with rhinestones...$17 shipping included.

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  • SP29SP29 member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    Very interesting!

    Agree with you S+S, the cost of EVERYTHING has gone up.

    We get the same sort of lecture from my FIL (who was born in 1945), "Back in my day I could put away 75% of my earnings into savings and still afford food, rent and a car....", "Why can't you afford a house yet on YOUR income (talking to DH, who is a professional)... ". Ack.
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  • CharmedPamCharmedPam member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    short+sassy said:

    True!  It's not all worse.

    The Internet has been a game changer on being able to see reviews for vendors, comparison price shopping, and access to more choices on everything.

    When I was trying dresses on a David's Bridal, the salesperson put a veil on me that I just LOVED!!  It was interspersed with a few rhinestones and I loved how they were subtle, but still caught a bit of light.

    But for the price DB was charging, you'd think those rhinestones were diamonds, lol!  Most of their veils were around $50.  That one was $250.

    I was thinking about buying a $50 one and putting my own small rhinestones on.  And then I thought of Ebay, lol.  Brand new veil, same length and style, with rhinestones...$17 shipping included.

    yup. I planned our entire "destination" wedding via phone/internet.  I loved that most of my quotes came in electronically though, and I really had very little phone time.  It was fun actually!

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  • CharmedPamCharmedPam member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    I do agree with this statement: 
    . There’s also an additional fee of $150 for the carillon (aka church bells), which my parents still talk about as being magical.

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