Dear Brides-to-be (an open letter - another reason why weddings are expensive)

[iAmBaronVonTito]

Go to the damn parties people, no matter how much they cost.  

right on...erika, sounds like someones got your back on that $200+ party fee.

[erika]

Ha! Don't get me wrong, I want a nice, semi-formal wedding someday. I want fancy finger foods and a big chocolate cake with the design of my choice on it. And a pretty white dress and bridesmaids in red dresses, and blah blah blah.

But I won't get all caught up in wedding "etiquitte" about what a bride can and can't plan, and I will NOT ask people to spend hundreds of dollars on one night on my behalf. I couldn't have fun knowing that's what they were doing...

My father, on the other hand, can spend some $$ on the event and that's ok Cuz he's my Doddy.

[senorcorazon]

I won't get all caught up in wedding "etiquitte" about what a bride can and can't plan, and I will NOT ask people to spend hundreds of dollars on one night on my behalf. I couldn't have fun knowing that's what they were doing...

From my experience, the biggest problem is OTHER people spending all their energy on telling you what you can and can't do. Seriously, if you want to experience everyone getting up in your stuff about everything that is none of their business (and that they are probably not even going to pay for), get married.

And skip the finger foods - they're the biggest markup.

[gravy boat]

I won't get all caught up in wedding "etiquitte" about what a bride can and can't plan, and I will NOT ask people to spend hundreds of dollars on one night on my behalf. I couldn't have fun knowing that's what they were doing...

From my experience, the biggest problem is OTHER people spending all their energy on telling you what you can and can't do. Seriously, if you want to experience everyone getting up in your stuff about everything that is none of their business (and that they are probably not even going to pay for), get married.

And skip the finger foods - they're the biggest markup.

Skip the finger foods?!?! What?  No, no, that won't do at all. 

Skip the flowers first, don't hire a wedding photographer - you'll have enough creative friends snapping pictures, and dial down on the entree.  The food at the cocktail hour is the most important food. Senor is right though about "Other people." Mothers of both sides in particular seem to relish the opportunity to hyper-plan these things.

[TremblingEagle]

so you can't just live together and get the same effect?

(tell it to me like I'm a 5 year old)

Here's an example from my real life: My wife and I moved to England shortly after we were married. She had a student visa, and because we were married I was entitled to work, without restrictions. We met another couple in a similar situation, but who were unmarried, and therefore hubby could only work in the industry that he was trained in: glass-blowing. And because (for zoning reasons) there were no glassworks (If that's what they're called) allowed in Oxford, he had to commute to London to work. To save money and time on the commute, he wound up sleeping in the stairwell of the factory he worked in!

So - Marriage:1, Common-law:0

Also, if you're planning on having kids, marriage is a tidy way to express long-term commitment, and establish legal rights and responsibilities w/r/t the children.

ok.

It would be great if government could work out something similar to the civil unions gay people have but for breeders.

[iAmBaronVonTito]

ugh...i see this going south fast.

im outta here.

[Sarah]

I'm with you, TremblingEagle.

[TremblingEagle]

I'm with you, TremblingEagle.

Thankyou
it just seems odd to me in this age when we have the internet
we have people dressing up in costumes, grown educated women being "presented" by their fathers
to some guy....and the ring and all that. Why not a barn raising and a witch trail to round it out?

[gravy boat]

I'm with you, TremblingEagle.

Thankyou
it just seems odd to me in this age when we have the internet
we have people dressing up in costumes, grown educated women being "presented" by their fathers
to some guy....and the ring and all that. Why not a barn raising and a witch trail to round it out?

I like your posts a lot Eagle, but, with all due respect, you're all over the place.  You knock marriages, then wedding ceremonies (two completely different things) and then take a shot at parents -- "breeders"?  And I have no idea what you meant about the civil unions for gays.

I do agree with you though that the internet is evil.

[erika]

I don't see what's so offensive about marriage...

If you've got some hangup about the ceremony, just go to a courthouse and get a certificate. It's the same thing as a civil union, yes? Just a piece of paper that can be anulled or whatev.

You could even get yourself a patriotic gown for the occasion:

[TremblingEagle]

I'm with you, TremblingEagle.

Thankyou
it just seems odd to me in this age when we have the internet
we have people dressing up in costumes, grown educated women being "presented" by their fathers
to some guy....and the ring and all that. Why not a barn raising and a witch trail to round it out?

I like your posts a lot Eagle, but, with all due respect, you're all over the place.  You knock marriages, then wedding ceremonies (two completely different things) and then take a shot at parents -- "breeders"?  And I have no idea what you meant about the civil unions for gays.

I do agree with you though that the internet is evil.

I'm just blowing off steam
I don't mean any of it

[Josh]

I'm with you, TremblingEagle.

Thankyou
it just seems odd to me in this age when we have the internet
we have people dressing up in costumes, grown educated women being "presented" by their fathers
to some guy....and the ring and all that. Why not a barn raising and a witch trail to round it out?

I like your posts a lot Eagle, but, with all due respect, you're all over the place.  You knock marriages, then wedding ceremonies (two completely different things) and then take a shot at parents -- "breeders"?  And I have no idea what you meant about the civil unions for gays.

I do agree with you though that the internet is evil.

I'm just blowing off steam
I don't mean any of it

FOTchan thread

[John Junk 2.0]

FOTchan thread

Dear Brides to Be: Fuck you, fatties.

[Josh]

Dialing it up a notch in 2008.

fixed, you obophobe

[Stan]

Dialing it up a notch in 2008.

fixed

 Just imagine when Junk gets to be my age. Look out, world!