For richer, for poorer … money can't buy love - National - smh.com.au
MELANIE WOJTAS always dreamed of a big wedding. But, with the cost approaching $24,000 for a ceremony at the Chinese Gardens and reception at L'Aqua in Darling Harbour, she decided to pull the plug.
Instead the 23-year-old married Daniel Gartrell, 24, at Paramatta Registry on Thursday, in front of 14 family members, for less than $2000.
"We planned it all in two days," said Mrs Gartrell, as she is now called. She wore a silver cocktail dress bought for $90 at a post-Christmas sale.
"We didn't want to take out a loan to get married. At the end of the day, it's just us. We had been planning a big wedding with about 70 people but even cutting all the trimmings and things it was $24,000. That's just so much money for the same result."
She is not alone. Tougher economic times are forcing more brides to scale back their wedding plans. Figures obtained by the Herald show the number of Sydney couples tying the knot at a registry jumped more than 20 per cent last year, to 4063.
The number of registry weddings has more than doubled over the past five years. For a weekday cost of about $350, including celebrant, venue and certificate, many brides see a registry wedding as a no-fuss way to save money.
A spokeswoman for the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Alana Sheil, said cost was a factor. "A lot of people are thinking, 'We just want to have a more intimate marriage now. Rather than 100 or 150 guests, we're just going to have 15 guests and then use the money that we would have spent on the wedding on the mortgage or going away or something like that."'
Glenn Findlay, the managing director of the Australian Bridal Service, which organises an annual bridal expo at the Sydney Entertainment Centre, to be held on January 31 and February 1, said brides were becoming more budget-conscious.
Some were opting to have only one bridesmaid, to make their own invitations and bonbonniere, or to use their own cars. "Brides have been reportedly going without or cutting back on things like annual holidays to ensure their wedding day is as perfect as it can be."
Mrs Gartrell said the adage that you cannot put a price on love was true. "All my girlfriends think I'm crazy but in 40 years' time I know we'll still be together, and that's all that matters."
