I was at the best wedding on Sunday

[Cheswick2.0]

Let me start by telling you that I don't even like most weddings. I think they are a big expensive tastless rackett.


The Pastor of my church was married sunday afternoon. It was the 2nd time for both of them. He has two little girls 8 and 12. Her son and daughter are High School age.

There were several things that made the wedding really unique and wonderful. One is that he is a jazz pianist (CDs available on Amazon.com I think) and the quartet he plays with played and there was a pianist who just won some major comp and who was great to listen to and to watch.... plus his sax/clarinet player friend who is alway great.

The whole choir sang (there are about 38 of us) backup to the soloist who (our director)did a really nice job of a Gospel piece, the band played too and it was really fun/powerful to sing with all those musicians.

There was a professional clown as an usher. He is a guy who has been doing this for years developing programs for hospitals and that type of thing (not doing childrens parties). I talk to him for awhile as he put on his clownface. He was funny to watch, he had the congregation smiling and laughing as they came in. Also, during the ring exchanging part, the best man pretended that he didn't have the rings and the clown had to beg them from the congregation. Of course it was all set up and the rings they gave were the real ones. It was very well done and made everyone laugh.

The bride looked gorgeous. She wore a very simple sleaveless dark blue gown. The brides maids were in a lightblue. I was hoping she wasn't going to do the whole foofy young bride thing and she didn't.

The reception was simple and conveniently held downstairs. I couldn't eat any of the goodies because I am doing no carbs right now, so I left early. But I have to say it was the nicest wedding I have been to in a long time.

[democracyindanger]

1. Best wedding

I ever went to: 15 minute ceremony, 6 hour reception.

[NicoleM]

2. Best wedding ever

was mine! Less than 20 people, lasted less than 10 minutes. And we're not in debt from the wedding.

[trotsky]

3. Same here, Nicole.

We spent about $500, most of that on pictures. And we're just as married as anyone else. More so than my cousin, whose parents plonked down $40,000 on a monster of a wedding. She got divorced less than 5 years later.

[NicoleM]

4. exactly.

I would rather have my house than to go into debt for an event that lasts a few hours. I have a theory that the deeper in debt you go for the wedding, the quicker you end up in divorce court. Because IMO your priorities are totally screwed up if you spend tens of thousands on a wedding.

[trotsky]

9. Good observation.

It does seem to work out that way, doesn't it?

As I noted in a post below, you could use that massive amount of money to start financing a house. What's going to give you more benefit as a couple in your life together - blowing a wad of money in a day, or using that money to build or buy a house for your family?

Of course, in our situation, it wasn't even an option. We didn't have tens of thousands to spend in the first place!

[Cheswick2.0]

5. I think we spent about 1000 on mine

but that was back in 1979, so 1000 went farther then. It was very nice, though we would have prefered to get married outside and have a keg and frisbee contest or something. His parents insisted on the Catholic Church and mine insisted on champaign and finger sandwiches.

[Nikia]

6. I had wanted a simple church reception

My mother-in-law had a big fit about this and her whole family was going to boycott the wedding if we didn't have a dinner. I was extremely upset about this and my husband obviously didn't want his parents and close relatives to avoid our wedding. I almost broke off the engagement because of this. We ended up having an early afternoon dinner at a supper club. Our guests had lots of good food and it wasn't too expensive. I guess it turned out alright, but I was upset about my mother-in-law hijacking my wedding plans, especially since I had to pay for it.

[trotsky]

8. Isn't that ridiculous?

I've never understood the justification for a mother who wants to take over a wedding. IT'S NOT YOU GETTING MARRIED! Yet this is so common, it's crazy. My wife and I both vow that if and when our kids get married, we'll let them choose all the details. But hopefully they'll go the route we did - save your money for the honeymoon and/or a house!

[kayleybeth]

7. Always nice

when a wedding is different from the same old same old. The clown must have been a cute touch!

My DH and I got married in our living room. Just the preacher and his wife and two friends of ours. Lots of Moet Chandon afterwards. I can't remember what we spent total but most of it was on the Champagne.