Student Loan Debt?

[paulsharvey]

So, was talking to a friend a few weeks ago, just a bit about this; and his son isn't doing college route, but he's already got a semi successful mowing/pressure washing business (i dont know if it counts as profitable is you use your dads zero turn, and trailer, and dont pay him for the equipment). Anyways, he mentioned dreading the whole, who pays for daughters wedding talk with his 20 y/o daughter, and one of his coworkers just paid something like $25k for his daughter's wedding.

Point being; going into a debt to get a degree (or heck, cash payment) for college is a better choice than spending $25k+ on a wedding.

When my wife and me got married, 16 years ago, she was willing to do a court house wedding; I said, no, I atleast want a preacher. Anyways, we paid like $350 for a wedding chapel in St Augustine, max like 8 guests; and had a reception at an apartment clubhouse I had built, and wife was friends with manager. We BBq'd chicken leg quarters, had a cake, and a keg, and yes, she had a dress and I rented a tux, but we where under $2k all in.

 

[Torvy]

Only had 1 get married. Like college and other things they do as adults, we told them they are responsible for the costs. We gifted them some money, but they had to figure that out. Big weddings are basically a grift nowadays. Convincing lowbrow middle class people they should have a frigging royal wedding. We paid for our own.

 

[check]

What I absolutely do know is, I am paying a dramatic increase in groceries over what I used to pay just a few years ago

Well then, you need to stop eating so much!

 

[check]

So, was talking to a friend a few weeks ago, just a bit about this; and his son isn't doing college route, but he's already got a semi successful mowing/pressure washing business (i dont know if it counts as profitable is you use your dads zero turn, and trailer, and dont pay him for the equipment). Anyways, he mentioned dreading the whole, who pays for daughters wedding talk with his 20 y/o daughter, and one of his coworkers just paid something like $25k for his daughter's wedding.

Point being; going into a debt to get a degree (or heck, cash payment) for college is a better choice than spending $25k+ on a wedding.

When my wife and me got married, 16 years ago, she was willing to do a court house wedding; I said, no, I atleast want a preacher. Anyways, we paid like $350 for a wedding chapel in St Augustine, max like 8 guests; and had a reception at an apartment clubhouse I had built, and wife was friends with manager. We BBq'd chicken leg quarters, had a cake, and a keg, and yes, she had a dress and I rented a tux, but we where under $2k all in.

Our wedding in 1993 was really cheap, even no, we had all the bells and whistles.

$4000 in total. Her dad gave us $2000 and my dad gave us $2000, so it didn’t cost us anything! (Well, except for the drive out from Toronto to Calgary in our 1988 Mazda 626 - great car, by the way!)

 

[ultrarunner]

Back in dad's day the couple paid with the groom paying the bulk was the norm amount his friends...

My brother married an only daughter... the wedding was nice and her family insisted on covering it... all of it... 24 years later they are doing great... my brother already owned his home and no debt outside of a small mortgage...

With 3 daughters he has wondered which family tradition he will fall under... paying everything for 3 could be most significant...

 

[MossRoad]

When we got married in the 80s the custom in our cultures was the bride's family paid for the wedding dress and reception meal. The groom's family was expected to pay for the church, priest, reception hall, flowers and bar tab.

We split the bill for the polka band.

 

[newbury]

However, if that scholarship doesn't come in for Fall; you will Have to transfer to a community College. (or of coarse get married, and wife and mes income no longer count against you, and you'll be eligible for more loans/Pell grants, ect; that's 66% joking, but...)

There's always the Armed Forces.

 

[ultrarunner]

Attended quite a few weddings in Austria during the year I was there.

Some were 500-600 attending.

The young couples only obligation was to pay for the head table... which was the wedding party, parents, grandparents and godparents... and the Polka Band.

Church was no cost and same for church choir.

Reception at a big tavern open to all and food and beverage paid as the guest ordered it.

Really very economical... families would often chip in for flowers and a round of Champaign.

I was in several and once asked about rehearsal dinner... the very old priest snapped back maybe something done in America but here a wedding is a solemn sacrament one does not rehearse... I think he had an overall problem with me a foreigner being a part...

 

[scootr]

Wife of 26 yrs and I were married by a Judge who was the friend of a friend in a National Park with family present. We paid for a reception dinner for all participants. Cheap, legal, and Western.
P.S.
I know it will cost a lot more to undo than it took to do

 

[MossRoad]

Attended quite a few weddings in Austria during the year I was there.

Some were 500-600 attending.

The young couples only obligation was to pay for the head table... which was the wedding party, parents, grandparents and godparents... and the Polka Band.

Church was no cost and same for church choir.

Reception at a big tavern open to all and food and beverage paid as the guest ordered it.

Really very economical... families would often chip in for flowers and a round of Champaign.

I was in several and once asked about rehearsal dinner... the very old priest snapped back maybe something done in America but here a wedding is a solemn sacrament one does not rehearse... I think he had an overall problem with me a foreigner being a part...

That reminded me that the groom's family was supposed to pay for the rehearsal dinner, too.

As I recall.... way back in 1985...
My folks rented their church gym for $50.
The food was $2007.50 ($5.50 a plate X 365 people). That included the cook and servers. A lot of people tipped the servers as well. They were all kids from the school.
The bar tab was around $1700.
Flowers were around $500.
Dress was around $500.
Polka band was $500 (they gave us a $50 discount because they went to school with us).
We also had to pay 4 bartender and 4 cops.
The priest was $50 and we tipped the alter boys $20.
The church was $100.
The photographer was around $500. Unlike today's digital age, we were limited to the number of photos and sizes. He kept the negatives, and any reprints would cost additional $$.