Ruining a wedding

The Mighty Quinn

Eggs For Dinner wrote: »

I find it hard to believe anyone has 182 friends and family so close that you needed them to celebrate your special day. It may well have cost you more the the 25k you took in, but it sounds like you upped the attendee numbers to make it more cost effective

We'd about 155 at our wedding, and that wasn't inviting all and sundry, it was family and close friends.

Bearing in mind 'blended' families, my wife's parents split when she was very young and they'd re-partnered, so there were four families from her side, and two from my side.

So I'd believe 180 people no problem. Some have big families, mixed families, whatever.

KevRossi

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

they said it cost more than €100 a head.

Probably meant the hotel charged €100 for food etc. Other expenses like church, flowers, car, dress, maybe honeymoon etc will add up. I hate it though when people start sharing income v expenditure numbers from weddings. They were doing it during lunch at work one day, got into a bit of a dick measuring contest about who had the 'cheapest' wedding.

Pawwed Rig

Ok guys wedding forum is that way if you want to discuss gifts and dresses >>>>

Can we get back to the juicy gossip about ruined and cringey weddings per the OP

PhilOssophy

Recliner wrote: »

A few recent weddings I've been at, the mother of the groom making a speech. Always ends up a total sobfest with the groom and mother crying and hugging each other throughout the speech and everyone else rolling their eyes.

I don't agree with this. I think one of the sweetest things I ever witnessed was a man who I thought was stone faced (and he would be well known as a former Irish sports person) reduced to tears at his daughters wedding during his speech.

There is nothing wrong with parents showing emotion at their children's wedding. Or indeed the bride/groom. I had a lump in my throat at my own wedding thanking my parents for everything they had done for me, I managed to hold back the tears but if it had happened, anybody rolling their eyes could roll away!

Recliner

PhilOssophy wrote: »

I don't agree with this. I think one of the sweetest things I ever witnessed was a man who I thought was stone faced (and he would be well known as a former Irish sports person) reduced to tears at his daughters wedding during his speech.

There is nothing wrong with parents showing emotion at their children's wedding. Or indeed the bride/groom. I had a lump in my throat at my own wedding thanking my parents for everything they had done for me, I managed to hold back the tears but if it had happened, anybody rolling their eyes could go fk themselves.

I'm probably just a cynical bi**ch then, so I'll just go fk myself.

PhilOssophy

Recliner wrote: »

I'm probably just a cynical bi**ch then, so I'll just go fk myself.

Edited my post, not as I intended it!

Sky King

Went to a 'festival' wedding in west Cork with my then OH as a +1. Two kinda hippie types. Well, not real hippies, just a bit 'alternative' but from fairly normal Irish country families.
Anyway the reception was in the bride's house. Well, in a surplus military tent in the front garden. Problem - it was pi55ing rain all day so the front garden where the tent was was a quagmire. There was no raised floor in the tent, just the wet grass. You had women there in high heels and gentlemen in finely polished shoes and before long they were all ankle deep in muck. Luckily I just happened to have wellies in the car so I stuck them on, which got a few laughs. Some old dear slipped on the muck and got lamped.
The wind and rain blew into the tent. It was miserable.  Some people didn't have coats - you had women there in dressy dresses freezing their t*ts off as they tried to eat the meal with the wind and rain blowing in.. The house was a regular rural two-story job but obviously not equipped to handle a crowd so it was absolutely rammed with people trying to get out of the cold, which made it totally uncomfortable to be in. Also they were all smoking in the house so it was stink and the toilet facilities were totally inadequate (most of the guys were just p*ssing out in the garden). 
Everyone's tent got flooded (luckily i had arrived late and if i'd put up my tent like everyone else did I wouldn't have made the church so i just left it in the car, thank GOD). The rain all washed down to the 'campsite' and turned it into a pond and everybody's sleeping bags got soaked. In the end i ended up just sleeping in the car, in my suit and boots (one of the worst night sleep I EVER HAD) before driving back the next day. Awful..Bride and groom had a great time I was told.

odyssey06

Sky King wrote: »

Went to a 'festival' wedding in west Cork with my then OH as a +1. Two kinda hippie types. Well, not real hippies, just a bit 'alternative' but from fairly normal Irish country families.
Anyway the reception was in the bride's house. Well, in a surplus military tent in the front garden. Problem - it was pi55ing rain all day so the front garden where the tent was was a quagmire.

Sounds like a nightmare, just curious what time of year was it?
Seems a bizarre thing to setup in Ireland when even in June you can be washed out of it.

HBC08

I was told that my main function as groomsman was to accept the cards on behalf of the bride and groom.
There was a safe in reception so i thought id leave them in there.I was fairly clueless as it was my first time being groomsman.People gave cards all throughout the day and night including when i was hammered on the dancefloor.The next morning when they opened the safe there were only about 40 cards,i was freaking out as there was about 200 at the wedding,i eventually found another 20 or so in the boot of the car but that was it.
To this day we don't know where the rest of the cards went. It was pretty bad form on my part but the couple were really sound about it.

HildaOgdenx

I was at a wedding some years ago, where the bride was a good friend of mine. The groom's mother cried from start to finish. Not emotional, at particular moments, or sobbing aloud but crying almost as though she was at a funeral.

It didn't ruin the wedding, well not for us anyway. We probably forgot about her as the day and night went on.
The couple are still very happily married, I'm glad to say.

PhilOssophy

HildaOgdenx wrote: »

I was at a wedding some years ago, where the bride was a good friend of mine. The groom's mother cried from start to finish. Not emotional, at particular moments, or sobbing aloud but crying almost as though she was at a funeral.

It didn't ruin the wedding, well not for us anyway. We probably forgot about her as the day and night went on.
The couple are still very happily married, I'm glad to say.

Yeah, there's a world of difference between a few tears in a speech and somebody bawling all day long! First is sweet, second is cringe.

Not so much ruined, but very awkward.

Was at a wedding, very expensive one for a friend and his new mrs.

The friend is one of these guys, Mr big on campus, lots of friends, good job, knows everyone. His Mrs is very quiet, so must work for them that he is the limelight.

anyway, q wedding. All the speeches were about him, not a one about the bride. Honest to god, no one, not even her family, mentioned anything about her until the last second when the brides' cousin who was her BFF stood and said she would like to thank herself for turning up and listening to this non-sense about your man and how great he was. Was very awkward as the poor bride is so quiet and nice she just smiled.
best man had to get back up and say a few nice words about her,.

it did put the evening right off as there was a tense air then. The cousin was actually bang on too, just got sick of Mr. big and his cronies.

Sky King

odyssey06 wrote: »

Sounds like a nightmare, just curious what time of year was it?
Seems a bizarre thing to setup in Ireland when even in June you can be washed out of it.

I can't remember but it was definitely summer. It was unseasonably rainy.

The thing is, it would have been absolutely awesome if the weather was good - was in a lovely scenic area and was a fairly small wedding relatively speaking - can imagine people sitting out on the grass having drinks and chilling - lovely.

But it was without a doubt the worst wedding I was ever at.

yourdeadwright

I was at a wedding where the DJ was a very good friend of the couple ,

He was at the whole ceremony and dinner he drank way to much & got absolutely wasted and when the time came to DJ he gave it a shot but was barley able to stand let alone DJ , thankfully there was a few lads there who where able to take turns & covered for him,

The Groom walked him up to his room and left him on the bed ,

The Groom then went to his own room which was a massive kind of apartment with 3 separate rooms & a hot tub
He had to grab something for his new wife but when he was in there the DJ has followed him and of course went into one of the other rooms so the groom never noticed him,

Later the Groom his Wife & another couple arrived back to the room at about 4 for a few last drinks only to find the DJ's clothes boxers included all over the floor, He had clearly been In the hot tub, Then they followed the trail off wet foot prints and he was butt naked in there bed in the middle of all the Rose petals with the sheets and bed clothes soaking wet,

Thankfully the Groom managed to calm his Wife and it was all laughed about the next morning.

BobMc

charlie14 wrote: »

I would not write it off as a nonsense story either.
2o years ago I was at a wedding where the sister of the bride, and a brides maid, insisted on her boyfriend, the then love of her life, being included in the family photo.
Her mother lined everyone up with said boyfriend who she did not like at the end of the row so if things did not work out he could be later cut out.
Boyfriend was gone practically before the photos came back from the photographer, and the family photo is to this day framed in the mothers home less said ex-boyfriend.
I would have come in contact with a few photographers due to work in the past and was told some funny and strange stories when it came to wedding, but enough for now.

I was the receiver of this at my now wifes brothers wedding, in fairness only been going out about 4 or 5 months, one of the older brothers mentions dont let him in the photos, I didnt give two fiddlers, been married now 19 years this year, still get a hop off them occassionally when we meet up about me missing from the pics, as it happens one of the sisters has long since split from her hubby and there's his ugly mug in all the group shots :rolleyes:

Sleepy

Remembered another one that didn't ruin the day at all but could have with a different crowd. They were a particularly young couple for an Irish wedding and to save on costs asked a friend of the bride's to do the mass booklets. The friend obviously did a bit of a copy and paste job and the priest ends up asking the couple if they will "raise your son Adam in the Catholic faith" during the vows... queue a lot of chattering from the elderly aunties as to whether the groom had a child from another relationship whilst those of us who knew the couple better were trying to hold back the laughter... Luckily the bride saw the funny side of it and once we realised that she was struggling not to crack up laughing on the alter, the rest of us were able to let go. Queue a mortified priest and a lot of confused auld ones!

PhilOssophy

yourdeadwright wrote: »

I was at a wedding where the DJ was a very good friend of the couple ,

He was at the whole ceremony and dinner he drank way to much & got absolutely wasted and when the time came to DJ he gave it a shot but was barley able to stand let alone DJ , thankfully there was a few lads there who where able to take turns & covered for him,

The Groom walked him up to his room and left him on the bed ,

The Groom then went to his own room which was a massive kind of apartment with 3 separate rooms & a hot tub
He had to grab something for his new wife but when he was in there the DJ has followed him and of course went into one of the other rooms so the groom never noticed him,

Later the Groom his Wife & another couple arrived back to the room at about 4 for a few last drinks only to find the DJ's clothes boxers included all over the floor, He had clearly been In the hot tub, Then they followed the trail off wet foot prints and he was butt naked in there bed in the middle of all the Rose petals with the sheets and bed clothes soaking wet,

Thankfully the Groom managed to calm his Wife and it was all laughed about the next morning.

Classic, although at 4am bringing another couple back to the bridal suite? Were they in to that sort of thing??

PARlance

Not ruined but a very unusual wedding.

A work colleague got married in a lovely old Irish house/boutique hotel. It wasn't a big wedding at all but there was no function room so we were divided up across three or four rooms, on separate floors, for the meal.

The speeches were beemed into the room via speakers... It was quite an odd experience, sitting there with no focal point, just listening to the speeches.

buried

Fair play to all these wedding ruining folk. In my experience any person who has been deemed to 'ruin a wedding' are the same people who added a bit of real entertainment and fun to the regimented holy snooze show

dilallio

I was an alter boy back in the mid 70s. We used to love weddings because everyone would be in good form and we'd often get rewarded fifty pence or a pound by the wedding party if we were really lucky. Our church had a small glass tray about the size of a butter dish, and at the right moment during the ceremony, the alter boy would produce the glass tray, and the best man would place the rings on the tray to be blessed. Beside the rings some silver coins would also be placed, in those days a few fifty pence pieces were often used as a token of silver.

One particular day, the other alter boy couldn't make it, so I asked my 8 year old brother to stand in. I tried to explain what he needed to do beforehand, and convinced him by telling him if he did a really good job, we might get fifty pence or a pound.

Anyhow, the moment comes for the blessing of the rings and I whispered to my brother to hand me the glass tray. The best man took the rings from his pocket and placed them on the tray, followed by about 4 or 5 fifty pence pieces. My young brother spotted the fifty pence pieces, grabbed them from the glass trap and pockets them, delighted with himself. The priest and I are standing there awkwardly and I'm whispering to my brother "put them back, put them back". After a few seconds which felt a lot longer, he puts the coins back and whispers back "I though you said we'd get money". The bride, groom, and best man are pissing themselves laughing at this stage, and the rest of the ceremony goes well.

Afterwards, the best man comes over and says "Lads - ye made a great job of a boring ceremony", and hands me a pound, and a fiver to my brother. Even the priest who was normally very cross, saw the funny side of it.


Many years later I was best man at a friend's wedding and the rings were going to be carried up the aisle to the alter by a page boy who was 4 or 5 years old. Beforehand, I carefully placed the rings on a velvety cushion and tied them to the cloth ribbons on the cushion with slip knots, so that they wouldn't fall off, but would be easy to detach at the appropriate moment. I handed the cushion and rings to the mother of the page boy just before the bridal party arrived.

Unknown to me, the page boy's mum, fearful that he would pull at the strings holding the ring, put 3 or 4 additional knots, just to be sure.

The moment arrived, and the page boy handed the cushion with the rings to an alter boy who held them in front of me. As soon as I gently pulled on the first string nothing happens - it won't budge, so I tried the other one. That wouldn't budge either. Panic set in, and eventually I got the grooms ring out by inserting my finger into it and pulling it really hard, ripping one side of the cushion. The bride's ring is still stuck and myself, the other groomsman and the priest are all trying unsuccessfully to retrieve it from the cushion.

Eventually, I asked did anyone have a lighter, and the priest goes "You can't smoke now!". I said "No - we'll have to burn it off the cushion". The priest gave me a lighter and I managed to burn it off. Luckily, the other alter boy had the holy water, and the priest was able to douse the burning cushion with the holy water.

The knot was truely tied well that day.

Purple Mountain

dilallio wrote: »

Many years later I was best man at a friend's wedding and the rings were going to be carried up the aisle to the alter by a page boy who was 4 or 5 years old. Beforehand, I carefully placed the rings on a velvety cushion and tied them to the cloth ribbons on the cushion with slip knots, so that they wouldn't fall off, but would be easy to detach at the appropriate moment. I handed the cushion and rings to the mother of the page boy just before the bridal party arrived.

Unknown to me, the page boy's mum, fearful that he would pull at the strings holding the ring, put 3 or 4 additional knots, just to be sure.

The moment arrived, and the page boy handed the cushion with the rings to an alter boy who held them in front of me. As soon as I gently pulled on the first string nothing happens - it won't budge, so I tried the other one. That wouldn't budge either. Panic set in, and eventually I got the grooms ring out by inserting my finger into it and pulling it really hard, ripping one side of the cushion. The bride's ring is still stuck and myself, the other groomsman and the priest are all trying unsuccessfully to retrieve it from the cushion.

Eventually, I asked did anyone have a lighter, and the priest goes "You can't smoke now!". I said "No - we'll have to burn it off the cushion". The priest gave me a lighter and I managed to burn it off. Luckily, the other alter boy had the holy water, and the priest was able to douse the burning cushion with the holy water.

The knot was truely tied well that day.

I hope that was caught on video!

Toots

BobMc wrote: »

I was the receiver of this at my now wifes brothers wedding, in fairness only been going out about 4 or 5 months, one of the older brothers mentions dont let him in the photos, I didnt give two fiddlers, been married now 19 years this year, still get a hop off them occassionally when we meet up about me missing from the pics, as it happens one of the sisters has long since split from her hubby and there's his ugly mug in all the group shots :rolleyes:

I didn't get up in the family group shot for my now-husband's brother's wedding for this exact reason. His mum and dad and all the sisters were calling me to be in the pic but I felt weird about it (I was 18 and we were only together about a year or so) so I covered it up by telling them all to give me their cameras and let me take a pic with them to make sure everyone got one. I'm in the main group photo, but that's got like 100 others in it so not the end of the world if I had to be cropped out or something. I needn't have worried, seeing as we're still together 17 years later. I was very surprised they were so keen to have me in the pic though, and I wouldn't have been at all offended if they hadn't wanted me in it :pac:

saabsaab

Read this one..
It was one of those dos where everyone dances with everyone else. The DJ played classic retro 80s disco and hits such as Come On Eileen along with all the traditional wedding favourites.
The bride’s aunt was one of those determined to give it her all.
She hadn’t left the family farm in Ireland for 20 years and it was the first time she’d been parted from her husband in that time, so she was up for reliving her youth.
She’d been drinking since before the service and made it quite clear that she was out for some fun.
She got totally hammered and — under the influence — ended up shagging the best man in the toilets. He was at least 30 years younger than her too.
Later on she confessed to another guest in the ladies and was overheard by someone from the other side of the family.
The news spread quickly and everyone was appalled.
And the situation was made worse by the fact that the best man was the groom's brother and had only recently got out of prison.
The bride was totally embarrassed. She kept saying things like: “Oh my God, I can’t believe my family.”
But the groom was furious that everyone was blaming his brother and kept pointing out “it takes two to tango.”
Tempers got so heated it ended with a mass brawl in the car park.'

'

Gloomtastic!

buried wrote: »

Fair play to all these wedding ruining folk. In my experience any person who has been deemed to 'ruin a wedding' are the same people who added a bit of real entertainment and fun to the regimented holy snooze show

I’m just glad there’s been no mention of me on here. Drink is a terrible curse. :rolleyes:

buried

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

I’m just glad there’s been no mention of me on here. Drink is a terrible curse. :rolleyes:

I was waiting to see where I was but nothing, yet

Beatty69

My own wedding was doomed from the very start. Rows started over the invites because I didn't word them "the parents of Beatty69 would like to invite".

Then had to change the venue because my Dad didn't think what we had booked would be big enough to cater for all the "afters". I knew from experience that the majority of people invited to an afters don't bother. Full coach hired for them, 15 people arrived on the coach!! Bear in mind my parents didn't pay for any of this.

Then, whilst the photos were being taken outside the church half the guests fecked off to the local for a drink which is fine but it was the best mans job to round them up when the coach was leaving for the venue and god love him, being my husbands best friend he didn't know half of our extended families and left 6 behind.

They arrived an hour later, fuming and giving out stink they had to pay for a taxi. One of them was a particular uncle who was an alcoholic and his wife had managed to get on the bus so a row ensued between the two of them until someone removed the alco from the room. He tore the payphone off the wall trying to ring for a taxi back home, we had to pay for that!

Apart from all that it was a great day. :D:D:D:D

Not such a great marriage. :D:D

Louis Friend

Bizarre behaviour. You word an invite like that if the parents are paying.

rn

Was at a friend's wedding a few years ago. Church beside the hotel in a large Midlands town. They weren't the most flush so didn't put anything on in hotel after the ceremony and before the reception. So a large circle of grooms friends end up in pub beside hotel (most of the wedding tbh) Nearly all dislike the new wife. 1...2...3 hours pass no one's moving on. Eventually someone from family comes out to the pub and gets people into the reception. Poor couple were waiting ages to start their own reception dinner. Ran off fairly OK after that tbh.

Best man's speech at sister in laws wedding was cringe classic. My wife's family are Conservative, Catholic family. Best man customises a long raunchy joke, with sister in law in the heart of it. On top of that, the poor lad hadn't the confidence or authority to deliver it. By the time the punch line is delivered you can hear the echo in the room. Wife's family fuming. Bride disgusted. Twas the talk of the family for a long time.

With my own, no real drama at wedding. But wife's mother has all the family wedding photos in the sitting room. Wifes other sister, who has never been a fan of mine... Chooses the family wedding photo that I'm not in and gets framed for mother in law. So I'm the only extended family member not there. Doesn't bother me tbh but had to laugh when I saw it.

rn

Forgot about brothers wedding. Brother had bought a house with fiancé about 12 months before and were living in "sin". This was a huge thing for my mother. They fought over it and then when wedding was all set, things got lot better.

Anyway best man mentions how they'd been living together for 5 years and their house was quiet the party house for the years! Mother didn't talk to the brother for a week after. Luckily we'd the family photos over at that stage!

A2LUE42

Can't believe that there hasn't been a mention of any of the following.

Stand Mixer.
Painting
Cake/Cup Cake Guy
Bike

Hego Damask

Motivator wrote: »

I was at a wedding a few years ago with my wife, I didn’t know the people getting married so I didn’t know the backstory to the whole thing. We got to the hotel for the reception and it was all very awkward for some reason, not because I didn’t know anyone, but because there was a huge amount of tension everywhere I went. Lots of whispers and what appeared to be gossiping going on. The bar was full of it, the foyer was full of it and the patio for the smokers was full of it. I struck up a conversation with a guy at the bar just before we were due in for the meal and as the bell rang he just said “The main event is starting”. I didn’t know what it meant but I was intrigued.

Got in to our table and the speeches were starting more or less straightaway. A pint glass was produced and everyone agreed €20 was the stake. What I didn’t know was that it wasn’t about how long the speeches would be, but how long it would take the father of the bride to insult the bride’s mother - his ex wife. I didn’t know what was happening but I was very very curious.

The father stood up, produced an IPad and off he went. Insulted the ex wife after probably 30 seconds. Then insulted his daughter, his new son in law, the son in law’s parents and the staff at the hotel. One line that will always stay with me is “I always dreamed that when my daughter got married she would stop looking to me for handouts, but seeing as Brian is an underachiever i can see her being a drain on me financially for another few years”. This wasn’t a joke, it was typed out on a iPad and read aloud as seriously as anything. It was absolutely awful. He got all his insults out in the first five minutes and pretty much ruined the whole night. He bragged about his successes in business and in life and thanked his new girlfriend, sitting at the table opposite ours, for “finally making him happy“. He never once mentioned how happy he was for his daughter or wished the bride and groom any good luck whatsoever. He mentioned NAMA and how he hopes they can see him now, muttered something about his property in Spain and then just put the microphone down and then began scrolling on his iPad as the best man stood up. It was absolutely terrible and he had apparently shown his speech to someone that morning and word and rumours spread about how bad it was going to be. It completely ruined the evening and dominated all conversation. After the meal he put a few quid behind the bar and walked out with his girlfriend in tow.

He sounds like an absolute fhuerking LEGEND!!!!

tea and coffee

A2LUE42 wrote: »

Can't believe that there hasn't been a mention of any of the following.

Stand Mixer.
Painting
Cake/Cup Cake Guy
Bike

That's in there. Page 30

NickNickleby

dilallio wrote: »

I was an alter boy back in the mid 70s. We used to love weddings because everyone would be in good form and we'd often get rewarded fifty pence or a pound by the wedding party if we were really lucky. ....

One particular day, the other alter boy couldn't make it, so I asked my 8 year old brother to stand in. I tried to explain what he needed to do beforehand, and convinced him by telling him if he did a really good job, we might get fifty pence or a pound.

Anyhow, the moment comes for the blessing of the rings and I whispered to my brother to hand me the glass tray. The best man took the rings from his pocket and placed them on the tray, followed by about 4 or 5 fifty pence pieces. My young brother spotted the fifty pence pieces, grabbed them from the glass trap and pockets them, delighted with himself. The priest and I are standing there awkwardly and I'm whispering to my brother "put them back, put them back". After a few seconds which felt a lot longer, he puts the coins back and whispers back "I though you said we'd get money". The bride, groom, and best man are pissing themselves laughing at this stage, and the rest of the ceremony goes well.

This is a lovely story. You can almost see his little face lighting up, the way you tell it.:)

A2LUE42

tea and coffee wrote: »

That's in there. Page 30

Ah, I missed it

lab man

HBC08 wrote: »

I was told that my main function as groomsman was to accept the cards on behalf of the bride and groom.
There was a safe in reception so i thought id leave them in there.I was fairly clueless as it was my first time being groomsman.People gave cards all throughout the day and night including when i was hammered on the dancefloor.The next morning when they opened the safe there were only about 40 cards,i was freaking out as there was about 200 at the wedding,i eventually found another 20 or so in the boot of the car but that was it.
To this day we don't know where the rest of the cards went. It was pretty bad form on my part but the couple were really sound about it.

I know of a hotel that one of the receptionist had light fingers they put in an old post box after wit a lock in it after getting cleaned at 1 wedding

lab man

lab man wrote: »

I know of a hotel that one of the receptionist had light fingers they put in an old post box after wit a lock in it after getting cleaned at 1 wedding

I gave the card for the bride and groom with the best man - good relationship before hand. Gave them a decent cash present in the card.



I met her several times on a daily basis (at work) afterwards and the relationship seemed to sour and she never said thanks for the present (that doesn't always happen, so isn't conclusive). I knew her for a couple of years before that and our relationship was grand. I did wonder afterwards if they didn't get the card.

saabsaab

Deleted User wrote: »

I gave the card for the bride and groom with the best man - good relationship before hand. Gave them a decent cash present in the card.



I met her several times on a daily basis (at work) afterwards and the relationship seemed to sour and she never said thanks for the present (that doesn't always happen, so isn't conclusive). I knew her for a couple of years before that and our relationship was grand. I did wonder afterwards if they didn't get the card.

One wedding some of the cards were found on the lawn outside the next day empty of course except for one cheque made out to the couple! Probably someone waiting for their chance when the best man hangs up their jacket!

KevRossi

I mentioned this thread on a Zoom call with a work colleague today, asked him had he anything to mention. Then he told me that he was actually engaged to be married before his present wife (I never knew this).

They were together a few years, then it came to arrange the wedding. Reception was to be held in a hotel that held 200 max. His mother-in-law to be, wrote up a list of people from her side that had to be invited as well as her friends and local movers and shakers. It came to just over 140 people! That left just over 55 people from his side of the family and the bride and grooms friends and work colleagues.

There was no budging and the venue could not be changed. Mother in law threatened to stay at home if it wasn't done her way. Eventually he relented on this.

MiL also got her friends to do flowers and cake and they were charging utterly extortionate prices. Neither of them had any experience at the job, just did it as a hobby.

Some other friend of hers was to do the wedding car. Turns out it was a 10 year old BMW 5-series that looked like a ball of shyte. He wanted an invite for himself and the wife and €300 for the day.

Priest had to be flown in from the USA at their cost, as well as a hotel for him for 4 nights. Bridesmaids outfits were budgeted at something like €600 a pop. MiL was to be given a voucher for €1,000 or €1,500 for Brown Thomas for her outfit.

With all the rows on this and a lot more, the relationship broke down and they split up. Cost him about €5,000 in lost booking fees and deposits but he was glad to get out of it.

His own wedding a couple of years later was 12 family in a chapel Italy and a Bar-B-Q for 150 at a local football club when they got home.

rn

Reminds me of a wedding my wife and I were at a number of years ago. Wife gave a card with 200 euro in notes to one of groomsmen. Fast forward to next night and party in bridal suite. No sign our our card. Wife asks directly her friend, no record and friend admits she was amazed we hadn't given anything. Never a trace of that card to today.

Remember another wedding. Grooms family rated themselves as amazing orators... Especially with a few pints. Anyway we all chipped in the 5er and we scribbled down the timings. 10mins, 12 mins. A brave one went for 45. Someone controversial 46 minutes. Timed from the first stand up until best man done. Bride spoke for 3 mins. Mother of bride spoke for 5 mins. Then the groom... 55 mins later with no one the wiser at what he was talking about, he sits down. Then father stands up. 1h 10 mins later, it's the best man's job. He's another 45 mins. All the stories were the same, from grooms childhood and life with bride. Or so I was told as I went for a 2h nap in the middle and still made it down for the first dance!

saabsaab

KevRossi wrote: »

I mentioned this thread on a Zoom call with a work colleague today, asked him had he anything to mention. Then he told me that he was actually engaged to be married before his present wife (I never knew this).

They were together a few years, then it came to arrange the wedding. Reception was to be held in a hotel that held 200 max. His mother-in-law to be, wrote up a list of people from her side that had to be invited as well as her friends and local movers and shakers. It came to just over 140 people! That left just over 55 people from his side of the family and the bride and grooms friends and work colleagues.

There was no budging and the venue could not be changed. Mother in law threatened to stay at home if it wasn't done her way. Eventually he relented on this.

MiL also got her friends to do flowers and cake and they were charging utterly extortionate prices. Neither of them had any experience at the job, just did it as a hobby.

Some other friend of hers was to do the wedding car. Turns out it was a 10 year old BMW 5-series that looked like a ball of shyte. He wanted an invite for himself and the wife and €300 for the day.

Priest had to be flown in from the USA at their cost, as well as a hotel for him for 4 nights. Bridesmaids outfits were budgeted at something like €600 a pop. MiL was to be given a voucher for €1,000 or €1,500 for Brown Thomas for her outfit.

With all the rows on this and a lot more, the relationship broke down and they split up. Cost him about €5,000 in lost booking fees and deposits but he was glad to get out of it.

His own wedding a couple of years later was 12 family in a chapel Italy and a Bar-B-Q for 150 at a local football club when they got home.

Sounds like a very lucky escape. Why do some people go to such extreme expense.

Leg End Reject

saabsaab wrote: »

Sounds like a very lucky escape. Why do some people go to such extreme expense.

Notions and keeping up with the Jones.

Sharpyshoot

Incorrect coitus is always a recipe for disaster at a wedding.

corner of hells

Sharpyshoot wrote: »

Incorrect coitus is always a recipe for disaster at a wedding.

Ridin' the wrong person?

For Forks Sake

Sharpyshoot wrote: »

Incorrect coitus is always a recipe for disaster at a wedding.

Coitus Disruptus

Sharpyshoot

corner of hells wrote: »

Ridin' the wrong person?

Copious amounts of Guinness and powers can make one do strange things.

charlie14

Toots wrote: »

I didn't get up in the family group shot for my now-husband's brother's wedding for this exact reason. His mum and dad and all the sisters were calling me to be in the pic but I felt weird about it (I was 18 and we were only together about a year or so) so I covered it up by telling them all to give me their cameras and let me take a pic with them to make sure everyone got one. I'm in the main group photo, but that's got like 100 others in it so not the end of the world if I had to be cropped out or something. I needn't have worried, seeing as we're still together 17 years later. I was very surprised they were so keen to have me in the pic though, and I wouldn't have been at all offended if they hadn't wanted me in it :pac:

Looks like the whole family had your card well marked and had you down, as "a good catch"

Toots

charlie14 wrote: »

Looks like the whole family had your card well marked and had you down, as "a good catch"

well they certainly are a welcoming bunch!

Funnily enough, I'd figured we weren't "serious" enough for me to be in the photos seeing as how we were so young and not living together, but 2 of the other siblings had their fiancés in the photo and both of them ended up splitting. One was particularly acrimonious and yer one is there front and centre on all the family wedding photos :eek:

partyguinness

Toots wrote: »

well they certainly are a welcoming bunch!

Funnily enough, I'd figured we weren't "serious" enough for me to be in the photos seeing as how we were so young and not living together, but 2 of the other siblings had their fiancés in the photo and both of them ended up splitting. One was particularly acrimonious and yer one is there front and centre on all the family wedding photos :eek:

There is a reason the +1 tend to be put at the very end of the family group pics...so they can be cropped out if necessary..;)

PhilOssophy

lab man wrote: »

I know of a hotel that one of the receptionist had light fingers they put in an old post box after wit a lock in it after getting cleaned at 1 wedding

Wedding presents are the only thing I use a cheque book for to this day. At least if I don't see it coming out of my account, I can say to the couple "did you get it"?

partyguinness

I just do not give cash. It is crass, tacky and just lazy IMO. Sure I see the advantages etc and I am not criticising anyone for doing it but just not for me. Growing up I was thought that cash/money and talking about it was vulgar- only for people who didnt have it.

Have you ever been to an Indian wedding? All the guests quite literally form a sort of conga line where they hand over envelopes of cash to the couple.