MOMania

By Nickie

January 17, 2008 7:46 AM | Link to this

Ours was nearly 45 years ago. We were both just out of college and beginning new jobs. Given the same level of funding we had then, no, I would change nothing. given unlimited funds, sure it would have been a huge blowout. We had family, close friends, a small reception at a nice restaurant and it made a lasting marriage. Neither us nor our parents had hugh bills, either.

By FCM

January 17, 2008 8:02 AM | Link to this

Say I don’t?…Honestly, no. The marriage did not last but the beautiful children would not be here if we had not said I do. If I were to ever get married again, I would do somethings differntly others I would have to forgo as I have been married before. I did not have a church wedding or brides dress….so I would have a church wedding..at night…with an elegant appropriate 2nd marriage gown. I would dance, I would enjoy the people I invited. I would be less about being a bride and more about celebrating the life and commitment we are embarking on. I would laugh, love, and live and hopefully it would remain for the rest of our lives.

PS…that cake is Hideous (and mean with a capital H).

By FCM

January 17, 2008 8:05 AM | Link to this

Theresa, Did Walsh get to go out in flurries? I know it didn’t stick but hopefully you got pictures of him having fun!

By fk

January 17, 2008 8:06 AM | Link to this

We, too, married young. I was 23, my husband 25. We thought we knew everything and that we were so mature. How we laugh now! My wedding dress and headpiece (a hat) scream “the 80s!”.

The only thing we regret is not videotaping our wedding. We put our money into the photographer. We do have beautiful pictures, though.

We kept our wedding simple whereas all of our friends were trying to outdo one another.

My husband and I paid for our own wedding, hence the simplicity. He was in the hospitality industry, so we went with what he felt was important…a sitdown dinner with butler style service finger food for the cocktail hour. The cake was certainly no big deal…traditional wedding cake with flowers. I would have loved to have had a Viennese hour, but it was cost prohibitive in our budget.

Since we did not want a lull in the entertainment, we hired a dj instead of a band. He was awesome. Our wedding reception was one big party. Our guests still recall it.

By JJ

January 17, 2008 8:23 AM | Link to this

I’m with FCM. The biggest mistake I made was marrying the wrong man. However, I did get a beautiful child out of it.

When, not if, I re-marry, it will be very simple, as I had a huge wedding the first time, in the Catholic Church. Next time, it will be myself, him, our families, the kids, a Justice of the Peace, and either on the beach or at a waterfall. Very simple ceremony, huge reception, nice honeymoon.

By nurse&mother

January 17, 2008 8:58 AM | Link to this

There are certainly things that I would do differently, but I’m not sure I would have a wedding do-over. I was 21 when I married. I don’t think that I had been but to one other wedding. I knew NOTHING about weddings. My mother was not a good consultant either. She didn’t know anything. I didn’t even realize that I needed to have my gown steamed to get the wrinkles out. I was almost in tears when I realized that there were wrinkles in the trane (sp?) and I didn’t have time to fix the problem.

I was still a college student and had a very limited budget. My mother did the catering. I will say that she did a wonderful job with that. I still have people say that the food was excellent. I did spend a lot of money on the photography. Funny, the pictures of us eating cake and drinking the champaigne didn’t come out (very disappointed about that, but what can you do?). I didn’t want a video of the wedding. I don’t necessarily regret that. Our priest told us of a a trio that included a harpist for $300. I declined at the time. In 1994 on a college student budget, it seemed like that was a luxury. That is also something that I truly regret not doing.

If I had a do-over, I would have included dancing. Although at that time I was very insecure and would not have danced. But if I had it today, I would dance til I couldn’t stand up. Funny how we grow and mature.

All in all, our special day was one of the most exciting days in my life. Sure I would do a lot of things differently, but I still have the same husband 13 years later. We have grown a little over the years (mostly closer together). Most people say it was a beautiful wedding. We were married in the Episcopal Church. The ceremony itself was beautiful IMO. Many others that attended agreed. If anyone noticed the imperfections, they didn’t mention them.

One other crisis was that one of my husband’s cousins that was in the wedding got drunk and never showed up.

By Jesse's Girl

January 17, 2008 9:05 AM | Link to this

I don’t regret a dern thing! We too married very young. I was 22 and he was 24. We married at the court house in our college town on a whim. We were already ingaged and over-freakin-whelmed at the amount of crap our families were throwing at us regarding planning. So we trumped em’ all and I giggled my way through the entire thing! It was awesome! 5 years later we had one of the biggest weddings of the year in North West Ga! Our girls were our flower girls and everyone we had ever met came. It was the wedding of both our dreams. Wouldn’t change a thing. We always joke…..”I must be crazy! I married you twice!”

By John in Tampa, FLA

January 17, 2008 9:06 AM | Link to this

My wife and I got married in Tennessee. We told them we were brother and sister so we could use the express lane.

By LM

January 17, 2008 9:41 AM | Link to this

I’d need a couple of do-overs. First marriage was when I was 19, had no clue about weddings, my mother made my dress and then suggested capes for the brides maids to wear over off-white gowns (night-gowns, ugh!) Second wedding was at the court house, I had told my family about our plans, however my soon to be husband had not told his parents and family about us getting married, he told them the night before which was March 31st. Yes we got married on April 1st and we were fools.
Looking into getting married again by the end of the year, don’t want a big wedding, maybe a trip to Vegas, since I had never had a honeymoon, but I want to throw a big party to get a chance to hang out with our friends, and celebrate getting to spend the rest of my life with my best friend.

By Theresa

January 17, 2008 9:51 AM | Link to this

TESt

By JJ

January 17, 2008 10:08 AM | Link to this

I would love to go to Vegas, and get married by an Elvis impersonator…..

By misawa

January 17, 2008 11:35 AM | Link to this

More time at the reception. My wife and I - 22 and 24 at the time, respectively - barely had any time at the reception to do anything but take pictures, shake a few hands (maybe 10 or 15), then off we went.

By JP

January 17, 2008 2:38 PM | Link to this

IMO, the cake is ridiculous. How self centered does one need to be to have their wedding cake made to look like themself?

By jmc

January 17, 2008 3:12 PM | Link to this

JP - I agree completely. She’s an idot for sure! If she were at least attractive it would have made for a prettier cake. What a dog—um loser.

By Stacey

January 17, 2008 4:08 PM | Link to this

While it was WAY too extravagant for my taste, I thought both the bride and the cake were beautiful. A lot of people spend more on the cake than I can imagine spending on the whole wedding but to each his own.

My husband and I were 22 & 21 when we got married. We were married in our pastor’s study with 5 guests. Our reception was in my mother-in-law’s home and was a gift from a group of here friends who had just catering. We had talked about having a small wedding & reception but when we started adding up the costs, we decided the money would be better spent on furnishing our (then) empty apartment. Plus, we were fresh out of college with student loan and credit card debit.

My only regret is that a lot of my family didn’t (chose not to) attend. They wanted me to get married in my hometown (out of state) but I had established my life here and wanted our pastor to marry us. Everyone whined that they couldn’t afford to make the trip, pay for hotels, etc so I just scratched the “wedding”. Sixteen years later, I have no regrets about doing that.

By nurse&mother

January 17, 2008 7:22 PM | Link to this

Just now saw the photo. Yikes! That’s scary (no matter what the bride looks like). That’s kind of creepy.

By I married what?

January 18, 2008 7:00 AM | Link to this

No, but I guarantee your husband wishes he could do a marriage do-over.

By Amy

January 18, 2008 1:40 PM | Link to this

Doubt anybody will read this since you all commented yesterday but it was this woman’s life long dream to have a doll like her - aren’t wedding days about little girls’ dreams for some people? Let her have her day.

One regret - my husband arranged our music and hired four trumpet players to play my processional fanfare and we don’t have a recording. Hate that!

By Lisa

January 18, 2008 2:52 PM | Link to this

We had a beautiful wedding in Savannah in 2000. My biggest regret was the horrible photographer we hired. Her samples were great, but as my bridesmaids were walking down the aisle, she decided to take a little rest and stare out the window. She only took one snap of my dad walking me down the aisle and most of the pictures were terrible. We got a few good ones and some good candids from guests, but I would definitely do our photo hiring over!

By Jane

January 18, 2008 3:03 PM | Link to this

Wonderful memories; married 4 days after graduating high school and still married. The dress was precisely what I wanted, he wore his Air Force Dress Blues, the flowers were terrific, the maid of honor and bridesmaids dresses perfect as were the headpieces and floating candles they carried; The reception was held at home and even the cake (which had melted a little before the air kicked in)with its inperfections was wonderful. Our photos are terrific. No regrets; none at all

By Old School

January 18, 2008 3:15 PM | Link to this

I don’t think I’d get married again during finals. The wedding was on Sunday afternoon and we both had finals starting on Tuesday…his were in Americus and mine in Statesboro. We spent the rest of spring break passing each other on the highway as we moved…bit by bit…to Statesboro (wedding gifts from my parents’ home in Cairo and his stuff from Americus.) He was finished with his degree and I had a little more than a year left.

March 14, 1971…and we are still happily married. He’s a truly great guy!

By Kat

January 18, 2008 3:18 PM | Link to this

I think the “cake” bride should have just had a nice portrait done of her in her dress and had it displayed at the reception. I’ve seen that lots of times at weddings (not my own because I wouldn’t get dolled up more than once), and usually the brides look gorgeous! Probably because they are relaxed and in a studio somewhere without the pressure of their wedding day. BTW: I wouldn’t change one thing about our wedding - still married (8 years and 3 kids later)!

By Tina

January 18, 2008 3:37 PM | Link to this

It probably sounds ridiculous, but I would have gotten my teeth whitened beforehand. I look back and see stained front teeth in the photos. I married before Whitestrips were around, but I’d have used them if they were. I’d also have the bustle on the dress redone. It got folded out instead of in and I looked like I had a whale sized backside.

By motherjanegoose

January 18, 2008 3:37 PM | Link to this

Jane…how long have you been married? Many of our son’s friends are just twenty and getting married now, which is ( to me) unusual for today’s couples. I thought most folks waited until they were through with college. We did, as my husband was Navy and I wanted to finish up before we traipsed ( sp?) around the country. Our son does not date seriously and I prefer that he has his degree and career before he settles down. Just curious.

By FCM

January 18, 2008 4:09 PM | Link to this

yes, she is entitled to her cake…and apprently her native home does cakes like this…..however, that doesn’t stop me from thinking its Hideous….she might look at somethign I would do and think the same thing….its just an opinion.

By Jennifer

January 18, 2008 4:18 PM | Link to this

I hated my “updo.” I was too chicken to take it down, and I regret that everytime I see my wedding pictures. I have mixed feelings about the decision not to hire a videographer. We had a soloist from our church sing Ave Maria during the seating of the mothers, and she had the most beautiful voice, but I don’t have a recording of it. The good news is that there also is no recording of me flubbing my vows. Instead of I, Jennifer, take you Charles, I said I, Charles, take you Jennifer. Nobody has let me forget that, so I guess having it on video would not be so bad!

By Zoe

January 18, 2008 4:31 PM | Link to this

Married in June of 2003, loved our wedding and our reception, hubby and I still talk about it.

We regret not videotaping the ceremony. Too many people had told us they had never actually watched their wedding videos so we decided that we didn’t need one. My uncle videoed the reception and we’ve watched that several times. We’ve since realized that videotaping the ceremony would have been a good idea.

By PPH

January 18, 2008 4:40 PM | Link to this

If I could do it over I would wear a wedding dress, we would have a reception, and we would DEFINITELY go on a honeymoon. We had very little money when we got married so it was a very do it yourself affair. I would not change anything for the world and do not at all believe you have to spend a lot of money to have a nice wedding but I would love to do it over again and include the above three things. Maybe one day we will be able to. In the meantime, I would like to go to Vegas and find the tackiest Elvis impersonator I can find and get re-married in a fun way!!!

By second time around

January 18, 2008 4:50 PM | Link to this

Married my high school sweetheart back in ‘01. Wedding was great… got married in the backyard of a big ol’ antebellum house. Loved my dress, hated my hair. Simple flowers, small reception. No DJ or anything… just some CDs a friend burned for us. It was simple, and it was nice.

The marriage, however, not so much. Looking forward to a do-over pretty soon with the right guy this time.

By WarEagle 87

January 18, 2008 7:52 PM | Link to this

I would have eloped and saved the stress and money because it’s such a whirlwind of activity that we really didn’t get to enjoy it…20 yrs later it really doesn’t seem to matter how it was done only that it WAS done

By stephanie

January 18, 2008 7:58 PM | Link to this

It’s just too much stress trying to plan a wedding on your own and have it executed perfectly. I thought I had it all under control, however, I get down to the end of the aisle and I ask my soon to be husband “where is the preacher”? He said “I thought you knew”. Needless to say it was very embarassing! He was 45 minutes late! This happened the week after the “runaway bride” incident, so it was a big joke he was the runaway preacher~!! While we were waiting, the photographer pulled me aside and said lets take some pictures. I was hesitant at first, but those were some of the best pics he took. If I had to do it over, I would definetly hire a wedding coordinator or go away to get married or just have a very small wedding. Everything turned out ok and we had a great time, but I did want to mention something to people that do not understand about how much a wedding costs. If you rsvp to the wedding you need to go to the reception! That is where the money is spent and for some people to not go to the reception or stay until the food is served is so rude. We wasted alot of money on people that did this. Maybe it was our fault for inviting the wrong people. I would have liked to invited other people, but the budget would not allow. It just makes me sad that not everyone could be there for my special day.

By alicia lanier

January 18, 2008 8:01 PM | Link to this

theres nothing i would change about my wedding day.my husband put our wedding together.we had a small church wedding with our families,as we united together as one in may of 1999.its not how big the wedding is. but how much the both of you care for each other our reception was also at the church.so theres nothing i would do over.