Do LI Brides over do it?

MsKitty1274 Posted: May 11, 2005 03:29 PM

Re: Do LI Brides over do it?

Not just LI, but Metro NY.

I have been to weddings out of state which were pale in comparison to weddings in NY Metro area.

My stepdad said my Engagement party was like a wedding reception to him (He is form Illinios).

steph4777 Posted: May 11, 2005 03:29 PM

Re: Do LI Brides over do it?

Yes to other people NY weddings are over the top. DH is from Chicago and his family and friends were blown away at the reception.

Before the wedding DH told his friends and GM to 'Man up and make sure we get all our money's worth'. Well these guys when overboard with food/drinks at the CH. They seriously thought that was the meal. When someone told them that we still had the sit down meal, their faces dropped bc they didn't know how they'd eat any more.

My mom found one of the GM passed out in the bridal suite after dinner. When she asked him if he was OK, he said that he just needed a nap after all the food.

Robeymuse Posted: May 11, 2005 03:32 PM

Re: Do LI Brides over do it?

Absolutely. My DH is from St. Louis and his family and friends were blown away by our wedding. They still bring it up to people here, a year later. One of DH's friends ate so much at the cocktail hour..she thought that was the dinner. She was too full when the entrees were being served.
They couldn't believe we had a live 9 pc band and top shelf open bar. Needless to say, we had some very drunk out of town guests.

steph4777 Posted: May 11, 2005 03:39 PM

Re: Do LI Brides over do it?

Posted by Robeymuse

They couldn't believe we had a .... top shelf open bar. Needless to say, we had some very drunk out of town guests.

Our OOT guests were so thankful for the bus we provided back to the hotels. So many of them were wasted, they would have never found their way back to the hotel in their condition.

Blu-ize Posted: May 11, 2005 03:43 PM

Re: Do LI Brides over do it?

I think on both coasts we overdo it. I went to a wedding in CA and it was just as over the top if not more.

soontobemrsd325 Posted: May 11, 2005 03:49 PM

Re: Do LI Brides over do it?

I just got back from colorado a little over 2 weeks ago. My cousins arent from NY but alot of our family is, anyway they DID NOT have an open bar, it was beer wine and soda for the first hour of the dinner, then we had to pay for each drink. They did the same thing with the dancing. The dinner was a major part of it, as was the cake....I was like when are we gonna boogie???

TEDNJENN Posted: May 11, 2005 04:05 PM

Re: Do LI Brides over do it?

NY /LI are way over done!!!

But hey we know how to throw a party!!!!

cindyandkevin Posted: May 11, 2005 04:11 PM

Re: Do LI Brides over do it?

I know what you mean! When my bro married a girl from upstate they had the wedding up there, it was all done so much simpler. They didn't even have a professional photographer. There was no cocktail hour. It was too simple even for me and I'm def not an over-the-top kinda girl!

And my SIL bro married a girl in VA and it was also very simple, the bride wore a white dress and he wasn't even in a suit. I just don't get it!! It's the biggest day of your life, live it up and go for the gold!!!

Goldi1021 Posted: May 11, 2005 04:41 PM

Re: Do LI Brides over do it?

To most people outside of NY, NYers in general do things to extremes. But we do what we know just as anyone else. Some people in other parts of the country/world do things that we think are cheesy but to them its customary.

Bunnymonkey Posted: May 11, 2005 05:08 PM

Re: Do LI Brides over do it?

yes.

but i am loving every second of it.

SomethingBlu Posted: May 11, 2005 05:16 PM

Re: Do LI Brides over do it?

Uh huh - but I wouldn't have it any other way! My siblings have called me everything from a 'show off' to 'wasteful' to 'ridiculous' but then again, they live in Georgia where anything that's not a buffet is 'really fancy'. Who's paying for the madness anyway? It's me and my fi - so southern siblings, keep your hick-ish ideas to yourselves! *sorry went on a personal rant*

glinda_goodwitch Posted: May 11, 2005 05:31 PM

Re: Do LI Brides over do it?

I'm originally from Boston, so when my parents heard all the bridal packages here, they were floored. The couldn't believe that there was open bar included. And cocktail hour! When my cousin got married in Boston, they had to figure out how many hors derves to buy per person! So they allotted like 7 per person. If someone went over that, someone else got less. Here at JT, and most places they don't even have to pass around stuff since there is so much other food. So it definitely is different from other places. Overdone, not really. My parents are happy that it is so nice, because we have so many OOT guests, and we really want them to enjoy themselves and have the travel well worth it.

akaMrsT Posted: May 11, 2005 05:36 PM

Re: Do LI Brides over do it?

Weddings can get expensive in any part of the country. I have been to weddings in VA that have been 'over the top' and I know the family spent at least $50K for 200 people (mostly friends and business associates of the parents though). Some of the country club weddings are probably over $50K in VA. I have also been to receptions held in the back of the church and at recreation centers that probably cost $5K or less.

NY/LI weddings can be scaled down just as weddings elsewhere can become just as costly. I went to a $60K wedding last year in Rhode Island so I don't think it's matter of location but more so a matter of what the couple wants.

I investigated a wedding in VA and to do it the way we wanted would have been just as costly as a LI wedding since everything is charged separately....liquor, site rental, caterer fees (including buying hors douvres per piece as noted in the above post), china rental, glassware rental, linen rental & hiring bartenders, waitstaff etc - plus getting a liquor license if not using one of the hotels. Even at some of the hotels and convention centers, adding open bar made the price about the same as the average LI hall and none of the ones we checked out included the cake.

Suzannebride Posted: May 11, 2005 05:54 PM

Re: Do LI Brides over do it?

I suppose I am the only one that thinks this, but I think it is all a bit much. Well, really it's the cocktail hour that seems crazy to me. It kills me to have SO MUCH food when everyone is just going to go and eat a meal right after. The carving station kills me...here's a side of beef...now enjoy your entree! But sure, I am still getting it all!

Janice Posted: May 11, 2005 06:01 PM

Re: Do LI Brides over do it?

Posted by glinda_goodwitch

I'm originally from Boston, so when my parents heard all the bridal packages here, they were floored. The couldn't believe that there was open bar included. And cocktail hour! When my cousin got married in Boston, they had to figure out how many hors derves to buy per person! So they allotted like 7 per person. If someone went over that, someone else got less. Here at JT, and most places they don't even have to pass around stuff since there is so much other food. So it definitely is different from other places. Overdone, not really. My parents are happy that it is so nice, because we have so many OOT guests, and we really want them to enjoy themselves and have the travel well worth it.

I totally agree with the Boston comment. I went to a Boston wedding, and it was an entirely different feeling. I think that NY is fancy and bells and whistles, where Boston is more classic. Nothing was forced or over done.

sarahthegreat Posted: May 11, 2005 06:01 PM

Re: Do LI Brides over do it?

i think we completely go overboard. but, how else could you do it?? yes, there are weddings at home, which are beautiful. but tent rental, table/chair rental, bar reantal, dance floor rentals....i could go on and on and once it was all added up, it would cost more then a wedding at a hall. so why not just make it easy on yourself and have it at the hall? its intersting, b/c next year we are going to a wedding in PA, the family is originally from LI, so we'll see how big a spectalcle it is.

Janice Posted: May 11, 2005 06:05 PM

Re: Do LI Brides over do it?

Most of my friends live out of state. The parties might not be as elaborate as NY, but they only save their salaries for a few months vs. 2-3 years of saving. I can't justify that. I think NY weddings are fun, but if you are barely surviving to throw a party, then it is over done.

akaMrsT Posted: May 11, 2005 06:09 PM

Re: Do LI Brides over do it?

A friend is getting married in Ohio later this summer and he is paying like $15 per person Granted, there will be no open bar (he's a minister anyway) but still $15 pp for a sit down buffet dinner with two entree choices I think. There will be some hors douvres but nothing like the NY cocktail hour. And I'm told this will be at one of the nicer Ohio halls.