I'm not sure if it's an overall evolution or just a trend of the particular fandoms I've chosen to associate with, but it seems to me that things are more heavily weighted towards the female than they were seven or eight years ago.

General comics fandom seems to run counter to this, though I've been gradually reducing my contact for years.

From Salon:

Last year, the average American [wedding] ceremony cost $27,852; the average dress, $1,025.

Yikes almighty.

Man, that is insane.

My sister got a deal on her dress--it was a floor sample, so it only cost $800, instead of $1300 if she had ordered it. She and her fiance are keeping the wedding small (only 75 guests at most, though that's expanded from their original goal of keeping it to 50-60), so they're hoping to keep the costs under $6000.

Timelies all!

Ugh, I have managed to do something to the back of my right ankle such that movement hurts. Dance practice is gonna be a joy...

I was well below average in my wedding; we probably spent $5000, tops, and we had a caterer and a band and a florist and shit. My mother made my dress, which in retrospect was an error.

What shocks me is all the $100 judge's-office couples I know, which means someone out there is spending more on their wedding than, like, a Porsche Boxter.

Mine was far below average as well, and I justified it in my mind because I graduated a semester early from college, so that saved my parents money.

Last year, the average American [wedding] ceremony cost $27,852

Isn't that not very far off from average annual income?

Freaky.

flea is me. We spent maybe $3000. My dress was $500 (bridesmaid's dress in white) rings were $250 and $300. Venue was his parents' front yard. My uncle is a florist. Jon was working for a liqour company. Family made the food. Cake was a little over $100 from a bakery near mom's place. Another friend played piano for music. I bought the bridesmaid's their dresses (little black sheath dresses) for about $40 a piece. Oh and invitations, though if I remember correctly, my mother did those and we just bought the stationary.

I still look at those pictures and marvel that my family cleared me out a beautiful spot in the woods, built me a canopy and an aisle and made me a gorgeous banquet. Makes me tear up a little.

Ours was not far off from that, but the bulk of the money was spent on the (amazing) venue and the (possibly more amazing) food and booze. eta: Plus, Bay Area blah-blah-incredibly-expensive-cakes; a comparable wedding in a lot of other places probably would've been at least a third cheaper. Though it was probably worth it just for the Oz-and-Willow cake. I'm fairly certain the wardrobe for our entire not-small wedding party, including the flower girl and ring bearer, was less than the cost of the average dress.

Which reminds me, Emmett needs a new tuxedo. We know this because he reminds both of us at least once a week. I think this time he longs for tails, and if he thought he could talk us into a red brocade cummerbund and a gold watch chain he'd go for that too.