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U.S. wedding costs soar
Washington Times ^ | 6-15-06 | AP

Posted on 06/15/2006 11:59:09 AM PDT by JZelle

The cost of weddings in the United States has soared to a point some of today's younger generation may be turning away from the ritual. Courtney Martin, whose article on marriages appears in the Christian Science Monitor, seems to be one. She says a typical wedding in 1990 cost $15,208, compared to $4,376 in 1980. Martin, who has no immediate plan to wed her friend of seven years, says that wedding today will set a couple back $22,360, or enough for private college tuition for their future child if that sum is invested at 10 percent return. "Truth be told, we (she and her boyfriend) avoid the topic of walking down the aisle because it is so inextricably tied up with gross, conspicuous consumption," she writes. "We have watched friends get sucked into the tidal wave that is the emotionally manipulative wedding industry -- now totaling $50 billion in sales a year." Saying the marriage ritual has turned into "a circus of decadence," Martin says, "Not only is the egregious spending offensive in a world where too many have too little, but the meaning of the ritual is all but lost amid the designer dresses and lobster dinners."

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: decadence; extravagance; wedding; weddingbubble; weredoomed
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To: morans14
Elvis gave me away and sang afterwards. It was at the Graceland Wedding Chapel and as our lovely parting gift, we got an official replica of Elvis & Priscilla's marriage license.

LOL! What a hoot!

61 posted on 06/15/2006 12:32:50 PM PDT by RMDupree (HHD: Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
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To: Red Badger

If you think wedding costs are high, check the cost of divorce!............



Yeah but the divorce is worth it.


62 posted on 06/15/2006 12:33:24 PM PDT by WKB (D.L. Moody "The Bible was not written for your information, but for your transformation")
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To: morans14; linda_22003

Cheesy? I told our girl I think we should all go to Vegas and wear Groucho noses...now that's cheesy. ;o)


63 posted on 06/15/2006 12:34:07 PM PDT by Froufrou
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To: Centurion2000
Who the hell is spending 20K on a one day party?

Plenty of fools are. Two weeks after my $500 total balance wedding, my maid of honor spent $4000 for her gown alone. She had to admit later that mine was much nicer, lol. The next door neighbors' son had his wedding in Hawaii, so his parents flew out all the guests and put them up in a posh hotel for 5 days.

64 posted on 06/15/2006 12:34:43 PM PDT by mtbopfuyn (I think the border is kind of an artificial barrier - San Antonio councilwoman Patti Radle)
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To: linda_22003

It wasn't a Hearse, just a regular stretch limo. But yes, that was the running joke...that we were gonna ride from the church to the reception in a Hearse, and they only needed to make one delivery on the way!


65 posted on 06/15/2006 12:34:43 PM PDT by CT-Freeper (Said the perpetually dejected Mets fan.)
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To: RMDupree

It is truly a day we will never forget. It was a second marriage for both of us and we weren't interested in an overpriced dog and pony show again so we went for pure cheesiness. My dress was lime green sequins. We just celebrated our eighth anniversary and couldn't be happier.


66 posted on 06/15/2006 12:37:30 PM PDT by morans14
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To: JZelle
My son had a wedding for about 400 for less than $1000. And that was for barbecue! The 400 was basically everybody in the small town they live in.

They told everybody they were having an engagement party. Decorated a field themselves, had a big bonfire with bales of hay around it, and a small tent for the wedding cakes. (yes, plural... only the kid of a baker can ask for....and get... 3 wedding cakes) Just before everyone got there they got married next to a gorgeous creek, and announced it to the guests. It was wonderful.
67 posted on 06/15/2006 12:39:19 PM PDT by Grammy
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To: MineralMan
you got that right; a girl in our San Francisco office took her extended family on a cruise to the Caribbean to get married; another's daughter is flying families to Waikiki later this summer. My little bride and I had 5-6 friends down to city hall, a nice lunch, a limo ride and dinner; we were just reveling in that wonderful day 8 years ago Monday.
68 posted on 06/15/2006 12:41:28 PM PDT by SF Republican
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To: SF Republican

My little bride and I had 5-6 friends down to city hall, a nice lunch, a limo ride and dinner; we were just reveling in that wonderful day 8 years ago Monday.

Congrats. My husband and I celebrated number 8 on Monday as well.


69 posted on 06/15/2006 12:43:15 PM PDT by morans14
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To: Grammy

I like everything about that except that the guests were deprived of the opportunity to provide any gifts other than cash or checks.

OTOH, the advantage is one size fits all and green is a well-loved color.


70 posted on 06/15/2006 12:43:27 PM PDT by Froufrou
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To: KoRn
When we got there we were one witness short of what we needed so they had to pull an inmate from the jail to come and watch

Aw, how sweet. Do y'all still keep in touch? ;)

71 posted on 06/15/2006 12:44:05 PM PDT by mtbopfuyn (I think the border is kind of an artificial barrier - San Antonio councilwoman Patti Radle)
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To: mtbopfuyn
The next door neighbors' son had his wedding in Hawaii, so his parents flew out all the guests and put them up in a posh hotel for 5 days.

Some people hold weddings at a resort, expect their guests to pay their own costs, and get offended if some of the people they invite can't/won't shell out that kind of money. Tacky!

72 posted on 06/15/2006 12:44:27 PM PDT by steve-b (Hoover Dam is every bit as "natural" as a beaver dam.)
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To: SF Republican

"My little bride and I"

Is she a midget? :)


73 posted on 06/15/2006 12:45:14 PM PDT by linda_22003
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To: steve-b

I saw that article this weekend. Just when you think people can't get any less "couth"....


74 posted on 06/15/2006 12:46:19 PM PDT by linda_22003
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To: linda_22003

Rifle...........Every Marine a rifleman..........


75 posted on 06/15/2006 12:46:19 PM PDT by Red Badger (Liberals ignore criminal behavior, reward sloth and revere incompetence...........)
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To: mtbopfuyn; KoRn

What was the witness in jail for, do you know?


76 posted on 06/15/2006 12:46:36 PM PDT by Froufrou
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To: morans14

Some people contend that Elvis is still alive and living in Vegas. It's the only place he could walk around and no one would pay him any attention, because there are so many Elvises in Vegas............


77 posted on 06/15/2006 12:48:07 PM PDT by Red Badger (Liberals ignore criminal behavior, reward sloth and revere incompetence...........)
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To: linda_22003

under 5' and thin, not a midget though; hope I did not offend, it was meant to be more of a term of endearment.


78 posted on 06/15/2006 12:48:56 PM PDT by SF Republican
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To: Red Badger

That's just hilarious, when you think about it. And especially is someone told him he wasn't a very good Elvis!


79 posted on 06/15/2006 12:49:23 PM PDT by Froufrou
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To: SF Republican

Not offended, just wondered! :)


80 posted on 06/15/2006 12:49:50 PM PDT by linda_22003
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