Weddings of yesterday and today.

I married in December 1970 and wanted a simple posy of carnations.
The wedding date was fixed once we knew when we were completing on our first house. So quite quick - 4 weeks to arrange - but not for the “baby” reason which my mum later confessed she had feared.
I popped into the local florist to order my "simple posy of carnations needed in two weeks.” She gave me her price.
When I went to collect my posy, the price was different - higher.
I asked “Why because you quoted a different price when I ordered it?”
"Sorry, I thought it was for a funeral.”
I paid the lower price but I wonder if florists still charge different prices for weddings compared with funerals?

My wedding was tiny - dress from high street shop (navy blue and floaty) bouquet made by granny from garden flowers, cake also made by granny, reception in a room above a coffee shop, all done by teatime then off for a couple of days in Wales, borrowing groom’s boss’s car. No bridesmaid as married in registry office.

Blondiescot

I think some couples - and I'm honestly not generalising here - lost sight of the fact that a wedding is just one day. I know some who have spent an absolute fortune on a big flashy wedding, even getting themselves into mountains of debt to do so - only to split up a few years later. It's often all for show. My daughter's friend spent a fortune on her wedding and I remember my daughter saying at the time that she'd far rather have used that money as the deposit on a house.

This is exactly how I feel.

NotSpaghetti we had a choice of menu in 1975.Soup or Melon starters ,Steak Chasseur or chicken for mains ,peach melba or cheese .
Small hotel near Loch Lomond I also opted for round tables instead of the then long traditional ones where people sat in rows ,100 guests .All paid for by my parents as was everything except photographs we worked in a studio and 3 our workmates did a great job oh and OH's Aunt made our 3 tier cake

15 years ago I attended a friend's d's wedding at a grade one listed country house. They paid £20,000 just for the exclusive use of the property! The food was a formal meal. Large size dinner plate with as much food to fit on a saucer! I put cheese and pickle sandwiches in my handbag, went for a walk round the garden and hid behind the hedge to eat them! The marriage didn't last. The most memorable wedding was at the registry office, followed by a disco and buffet at a working men's club. A relaxed atmosphere where everyone drank and danced the night away.

My daughter planned a registry office wedding on the quiet with only their parents present followed by a nice 5pm dinner for the 6 of us. Then maybe go to a pub for a few drinks. Word got out that they were getting married and they started getting texts from their many many friends asking them what pub they were going to. As it happened the date was a Friday night in December when every pub/venue in Dublin was going to be packed out with work do’s. They finally found a pub with a sort of balcony that they could rope off. Hardly any seating and over a hundred friends turned up. Finger food was provided and everyone had a great time. They had planned to have a big party next year near home but that’s shelved since so many came and brought ‘cards’.

As has always been normal in Scottish weddings it lasted until 1 am when we drove to the next village for our wedding night

I always said that people should have their wedding 10 years after they get married..

I've never been to a wedding reception where there wasn't a choice of menu. Usually wedding receptions here (Scotland) have a sit down meal immediately after the ceremony itself, and it continues with the evening reception, which usually includes guests who weren't at the ceremony itself and there's normally a buffet type of affair later in the evening.

I find it horrifying the amount of money people spend on weddings thes days, but if that is their choice it's entirely up to them. Just don't moan that you can't afford to save for a house or whatever because you spent so much on the wedding. My wedding in 1969 was all on the cheap, my aunt made the dresses, her friend supplied the flowers, my sister's boyfriend's dad made my 3 tier wedding cake, my sister and my mum did all the catering and my dad's cousin had a posh car hire business so he supplied the cars. The reception was held in a local hall where my sister was learning ballroom dancing and we got it very cheaply and they supplied the bar at cost. Couldn't have been better really.

Yes, Germanshepherd'smum - I think you're out of touch. My neighbours on both sides are well into their fifties, early sixties and have brought up a family - now about to start families of their own. Not a wedding amongst them! Also my son and partner together for 20 years with two children. Have no intention of getting married - what for?

Commitment and security Fae. I hope they have all made wills - unmarried couples have no inheritance rights.

I think there is a difference in getting married and having a wedding. Too much money is spent on the wedding which is 1 day and not enough time to think and prepare for the reality of getting married and what it means.
Just my view after 1 failed marriage when I was very young.

1975…my Grandma saw a wedding dress that was half price & bought it for me - luckily I liked it & it fitted! My husband to be saw a wedding ring - yes - half price! My mum did the buffet at home for 30 guests and I made the 3 tier cake. My parents gave us a sum of money “for a wedding or for a house” we bought a lovely little first house and still had a wonderful wedding day. I was honoured to be asked to make my son’s wedding cake, but the comparison between the 2 days stops there ( although they did have a wonderful day).

Our wedding (1968) was truncated as my father had recently passed away. I still have my Pronuptia dress but it seems to have shrunk drastically whist in its box...

Marrying from different religions we had a Registry Office wedding with only family attending (and I heard the 'well, she doesn't look pregnant' comments whispered from the crowd that had gathered outside - I wasn't but at that time it was common for pregnant brides to use Registry Offices!).

Our reception was in a good hotel with catering by a well-known upmarket company but... it was only canapes, sandwiches and pastries. We were allowed ten of our joint friends with the remainder of guests being family. The reception concluded by 6.00 p.m. and my sister drove us (no car then) to our new home (fitted out with a bed - present from my mother, and a second-hand sofa from my husband's family. The 'fridge was built in but we had absolutely nothing else - but didn't understand how little we had. We were very happy).

Our honeymoon was to Ibiza, paid for by my father-in-law but my husband forgot to pack most of his clothes, so that was interesting....

In contrast, our elder daughter's wedding was a country house hotel affair and we were allowed ten sets of friends as the remainder of the 110 guests were the couple's friends! We can't win. We paid for everything at both daughters' weddings, the 'other side' paying for nothing. I don't think we are good at managing people! The above wedding lasted twenty years but the second daughter's relationship is still going strong.

Of course money does not equate with happiness. We are all consumers and poor brides are led to believe that unless they have the huge wedding and outdo their friends, they won't be as happy. Very wrong.

How very different weddings are now …..we were married 59 years ago in a beautiful church on a lovely summer afternoon ….the church was affiliated with the infants and junior school I went to as a child (and years later the same church where both our children were christened). My parents paid for everything…my aunt made the three bridesmaid dresses, and the reception for about 70 friends and relatives was held in a private hotel that was owned by good friends of my parents. We left the reception for our honeymoon after the meal and speeches and spent the night in a hotel close to the airport ( which seemed so luxurious to me at the time) and the next day flew to Jersey for a two week honeymoon ….where we stayed in a room over a Chinese restaurant with a view out of the window of a crooked brick chimney! Funny the things you remember after all these years!

We married in November 85, in the local Methodist, not through belief but the only other choice was an Abbey with no heating. My dress was £150 paid for by a tax rebate, mum made 3 bridesmaid dresses, 2 of whom she didn't meet until the day before the event. We hired a car (wrong one turned up), cake was made by a local baker but was nothing like we ordered. The reception was in a hall in town and we did a self catered sit down for 35 followed by an evening buffet for 100. No honeymoon but still going...

I didn't believe in children before marriage until our DGS was born, now it is their choice. Irish they would marry, but I don't actually like my DD's partner.

I wish they would marry...sorry!

We were just saying that in the 60s and 70s it was quite common for the bride and groom to leave the reception part way through the evening with everyone wishing them well as they set off on their honeymoon. There’s no way I’d do that now - missing out on all the fun at my own party!

45 years ago, when I first married, I think weddings were more family events. Traditionally the bride's father paid for the reception and the groom's father usually chipped in with money for drinks. Because of this, by far the majority of the guests were family members and perhaps also friends of the parents (particularly if they'd been invited to their childrens' weddings). Guests of the bride and groom were usually confined to friends as bridesmaids, best man and ushers. Over the years, evening receptions have become popular so that those outside the family circle can be included in the celebrations, but perhaps the biggest difference is that the bride and groom now often pay for the wedding themselves. If they do so then, of course, they are entitled to invite whoever they wish but this often results in family members being excluded in favour of friends and work colleagues. The worst case scenario, in my view, is when the bride's parents pay for everything, but are allowed no say in the guest list. The whole thing becomes a social media opportunity and little to do with bringing families together for a happy celebration, which I think is sad.

32 years ago, my Spanish husband and I, were married by the Justice of the Peace, at the Madrid Capital Courthouse.

We did not wish to do a Roman Catholic Church Wedding.

We preferred an extended honeymoon. 1st stop enchanting Venezia and 2nd extended trip took us to memorable Japan ..

We married in 1971 , my Wedding dress was in the sale £12 ! As was the fashion with long sleeves and high neck . I really don’t like the bare look of today’s dresses My mother made the two bridesmaid dresses also with material in the sale . A family friend made the cake .The reception was at my parent’s house and garden with about 50 guests I think . It was so cold (June!) I wore a long sleeved vest under the dress . We all crammed into house and had sandwiches, sausage rolls and cake I think, I don’t remember eating anything . We left as was the tradition early and stayed in a hotel in London before getting a plane to Yugoslavia with “Yugotours”’ I remember my parents being very anxious about us going to such a strange country!
The wedding was simple as were both our AC’s , they both had been living together for some time before marrying and had bought their first flats together. My 3 nieces had very over the top weddings a strongly religious family , never lived together prior to the wedding . Two are now divorced and remarried and the other seems to be going the same way 😐.

Margaux ds1 got married in Japan. The bride wore orange and they entered the ceremony to the Theme from Star Wars.

1966. £12 wedding dress from C&A. Marriage lasted 7 years - just! Not married since nor wanted to but if I was it would certainly be very low key.....

I was married not long after, or was it before, the meringue era.
I think the dress was nice. The kids giggle.

My bridesmaids are still my best friends, so that is lovely.