Latest news with #weddingplanning
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Woman Skipping Sister's Wedding Because She Expects Guests to Chip in and Pay for It: 'Charging Admission'
A woman shared on Reddit that her sister is planning her wedding and intends to — as she put it — "charge admission" to the event The bride and groom want their loved ones to chip in and help cover the various costs of the wedding, from the flowers to the catering "They're calling it a 'shared celebration' and acting like it's normal for guests to help fund it," the Redditor wroteA woman was "shocked" to learn about her bride-to-be sister's unconventional wedding scheme. She shared her story in a post on Reddit's "Am I Overreacting" forum, explaining that her older sister and her fiancé plan to charge their guests "admission" to their nuptials. The couple wants their loved ones to contribute to the costs of the celebration — or else they won't be welcomed on the big day. "Instead of just inviting people to celebrate, she and her fiancé decided that every family member needed to pay to attend. Not like buying your own dress or travel (which I'd expect), but actually pitching in for the wedding expenses — things like the catering, flowers, decor and whatever else they've got planned at this fancy hotel venue," the OP (original poster) wrote. "They're calling it a 'shared celebration' and acting like it's normal for guests to help fund it," she added. When her sister informed her of the scheme, she tried to dissuade her — but the bride-to-be was unmoved. "I brought up how uncomfortable it made me and how it felt less like a wedding and more like buying a ticket to a private party. I also gently suggested maybe going with a less expensive wedding if money was that tight, but she completely shut me down," the OP recalled of the "tense" conversation. "She got super defensive, said I wasn't being supportive." When the OP later received her wedding invitation in the mail, a note was included that said "unless I had 'contributed,' I shouldn't come." The OP went on to share why the situation has left her feeling upset and frustrated. "I love my sister, but it felt really wrong to be asked to pay hundreds if not up to a thousand dollars just to be there, especially when I wasn't even asked to be a bridesmaid or anything," she wrote. "Plus, she's not covering hotel rooms, and it's in a super pricey location. I'm still in school, I work part-time, and I just don't have that kind of money to spare." She said her parents are encouraging her to pay her share and show up to her sister's wedding to "keep the peace." But she argued that she shouldn't have to be "guilted" into forking over the money "just to prove I care about my sister." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. So she has decided to stand her ground and not attend the wedding. Seeking advice, the OP asked fellow Redditors if she's "being unreasonable." In the comments section, readers agreed with the OP's stance and said she's justified in not giving in to her sister's demands. "Not Overreacting. Charging an 'admission fee' for a wedding is weird and tacky," one person wrote. "This whole situation sounds incredibly entitled," another commented. "Weddings are personal choices, and expecting guests to shoulder the cost is completely out of line. If someone can't afford a big wedding, a courthouse ceremony is a beautiful, respectful option. No one should be guilt-tripped into going broke for someone else's celebration." Some commenters questioned why the OP's parents and other family members are on board with the sister's plan to charge people to attend. "What is happening in the world that couples expect guests to pay to attend their wedding — the audacity and entitlement. Don't go," one reader said. "This is just wrong, and if family are going along with it, they're just as insane. Imagine if all guests refused to attend? Guess there'd be no wedding. Family are enablers." Another person pointed out that the bride and groom are treating their loved ones as if they are paying "customers," rather than warmly welcomed guests. "If you must pay to attend, you are not a guest, you are a customer," they wrote. "As a customer, I'd want a say in what I ate, where I sat, and maybe even what music was played." Read the original article on People
The Independent
3 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
What does wedding insurance cover?
Planning a wedding can be one of the most exciting – and expensive – milestones in life. And in the wake of the pandemic, more couples are turning to wedding insurance to protect their big day. But what does it actually cover – and is it really worth it? We hear from insurance experts what you really need to know before getting wedding insurance, including what's covered, what isn't and how it works. What does wedding insurance cover? Wedding insurance is designed to safeguard you against any disasters. 'Wedding insurance typically covers unexpected events that can disrupt or cancel your big day,' says accountant and personal finance writer at Best Money, David Kindness. 'That includes a venue shutting down, a vendor failing to show up, bad weather that makes the event impossible, or sudden illness or injury affecting key people. It can also cover lost or damaged wedding items like attire, rings or gifts.' However, not every mishap is claimable. 'What it usually doesn't cover is a change of heart,' says Kindness, 'if one partner decides not to go through with the wedding, the policy won't pay out. 'Pre-existing conditions or travel restrictions due to things like pandemics may also be excluded unless the policy explicitly states otherwise.' It's also good to check the terms and conditions of any existing insurance you have. 'It's worth checking what is covered under your existing home and contents policy, as it could save you some valuable pounds,' says chief customer officer at Tesco Insurance, Alex Cross. 'Most insurers will automatically uplift your contents insurance for a set time before and after the big day, so things like dresses, suits, gifts and decorations are covered. 'And in some cases, it doesn't just cover these items while they are in your home, but also covers the venue and while the items are being taken to and from the reception.' Cancellation vs. liability insurance: Do you need both? Weddings involve months of planning, large deposits and sometimes hundreds of guests. So understanding the distinction between cancellation and liability insurance is key before getting wedding insurance out. 'Cancellation insurance helps you recover costs if the wedding has to be postponed or cancelled for a valid reason, like illness, vendor failure or extreme weather,' explains Kindness. 'It protects the money you've already spent. 'Liability insurance protects you during the actual event. If someone gets injured or something gets damaged, this covers legal or medical expenses.' In other words, one protects the lead-up, the other protects the big day itself. Kindness advises getting both. 'Having both gives you a more complete safety net. One protects your investment leading up to the event. The other protects you from risks that happen during the celebration itself.' What if a key supplier cancels last minute? Vendors backing out can derail even the best-planned weddings. But if you're insured, you may be able to recover your costs. 'If the cancellation is for a reason that's covered by your policy, such as bankruptcy or an emergency, you may be reimbursed for what you've already paid,' explains Kindness. 'Some policies may also help cover the extra cost of finding a replacement or rescheduling.' However, it's not guaranteed. 'Not all cancellations qualify. If the vendor simply decides to back out without a valid reason defined in your policy, you may not be covered,' he warns. 'Contracts and documentation will play a big role in getting a successful claim approved.' Does insurance cover severe weather or illness? Major events like severe weather or illness can cause last-minute changes to your wedding plans. 'Most policies cover severe weather if it prevents the event from happening,' Kindness says. 'They usually also cover sudden illness or injury to someone essential to the wedding, like the couple or an immediate family member.' When it comes to things like Covid or other public health issues, however, it's more complex. 'Coverage for COVID or other pandemics depends on the policy,' Kindness explains. 'Many providers excluded it after 2020. If you want that kind of protection, you need to ask specifically and make sure it's spelled out in the terms before you buy.' If my venue has liability insurance, do I still need my own? Even if your venue has insurance, it likely won't cover you personally. 'Yes,' says Kindness, 'the venue's policy usually only covers their own property and their staff. If one of your guests causes damage or gets injured and holds you responsible, you could still be on the hook without your own liability coverage.' In fact, many venues require couples to have their own insurance in place before the event. 'Having your own insurance gives you personal protection that goes beyond what the venue offers,' he says. How does the claims process work? Should something go wrong, knowing how to file a claim correctly is crucial. 'To file a claim, you'll need to contact your insurer, fill out a claim form, and provide supporting documents like receipts, contracts, photos or medical notes,' explains Kindness. 'Insurers usually set a deadline for submitting claims, often around 30 days from the incident.' But don't expect instant reimbursement. 'Once the claim is approved, reimbursement can take a few weeks,' he says, 'more complicated claims may take longer. You'll also likely have to pay a deductible before the policy covers the rest.' Ultimately, every insurance policy is different, but something is better than nothing. 'It's really important to read the fine print and make sure you're well-informed on what you are and aren't covered for,' explains Cross. The right policy could make all the difference between a disappointing disruption and a financial disaster.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
My £60,000 wedding was going to be just perfect. The only problem? I didn't love my fiancé: SHIVANI SHARMA FOSTER
Walking into the kitchen, I froze. It looked like a craft shop had exploded, my sister, mum and her friends surrounded by piles of personalised keyrings and sweets. These were the wedding favours that my 500 guests would be enjoying in just four weeks' time. The luxury hotel had been booked, menus chosen, dresses made and jewellery bought. My parents had spent more than £60,000 – and I was about to announce that it was all for nothing.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
The toilet roll wedding list – is this the least romantic gift request ever?
Name: Wedding lists Age: Invented in Chicago 101 years ago. Appearance: Increasingly bleak. You're right, I also resent being told what to buy people for their wedding. Exactly – especially when what they're asking for is toilet paper. Pardon? No, honestly, this is a thing now. Tesco does it. But wedding lists should be to help couples build their first homes together. Oh please, that doesn't happen any more. Say your best friend announced that they were getting married to someone who they didn't already live with. How would you react? I'd try to talk them out of it. Exactly. Everyone who gets married these days already shares a home, so the last thing they need is a duvet set or crockery. But they'll always need toilet paper. Well, and other stuff. The thinking behind the Tesco wedding list is that it's much more practical to help a newly married couple out with their weekly shop. The supermarket's research found that two in five newlywed or engaged couples preferred practical gifts, rather than extravagant gifts. And to be fair, there are layers to the service. Layers? Sure. If you're feeling flush, you could buy the couple Tesco's 'A toast to love' package, which is basically just a load of champagne. The cheapest option costs £39, and contains six packets of biscuits and some tea. And then the toilet paper one? That costs £63, and contains five packets of toilet paper, eight kitchen rolls, two tubes of toothpaste, bin bags, shampoo, conditioner, hand wash and shower gel. I can't work out how depressed I should be about this. Oh, all the way depressed. As much as Tesco is making out that it's helpful to be practical, it's also a result of the wedding industry growing so wildly out of hand that a wedding is all but impossible to afford. In 2022, one survey found that the average newlyweds find themselves with a wedding debt of almost £4,000. Just for one day. Yes, it's ridiculous. On the other hand, think of all the biscuits. Is this going to be cyclical? What, you're asking if the practical wedding list is a weird time-sensitive blip, like when wartime couples used to hide their austere little wedding cakes inside great big ornamental cardboard cakes? Yes. God, no. The way things are going, 50 years from now people will be burning with jealousy that newlyweds even got bin bags from their guests. Well, this is cheery. Oh, chin up. A wedding can still be the happiest day of someone's life. Especially if that person really has a thing for toothpaste. Do say: 'Darling, let's get married.' Don't say:'Because we're running low on bog roll.'
Daily Mail
25-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Groom reveals common wedding tradition that offended his bride's 'unhinged' relatives - who compared the nuptials to a 'fundraiser'
A groom revealed his wife's wedding guests were 'offended' and felt 'cheap' during their big day because of a surprising detail. Taking to Reddit, the man, who is believed to be from the US, explained that he and his bride both make six-figure salaries and didn't ask for any gifts or money from their wedding guests. The newlyweds even went to the effort of writing 'gifts are not required, your presence is the greatest present' on the the invitations to ensure there was absolutely no misunderstanding. However, they did leave out a box for greeting cards on the reception table for any guests who wanted to wish them on their big day. However the bride's relatives misconstrued it to be a 'subtle way to ask for money' and felt obliged to put cash and cheques into the card box - saying the wedding felt like a 'fundraiser.' The post read: 'Relatives offended because our wedding made them feel "cheap". 'Just to give some context, my wife and I are very fortunate to both make six-figure (salaries). We had also lived together for a year before our engagement and wedding, so we already had all the household stuff we needed, and didn't really feel like we want to ask for more. 'So for our wedding, we purposely didn't have a registry, and, in our invitation, we specifically said "gifts are not required, your presence is the greatest present". 'We also did this to minimise the expenses for our guests, hoping as many of our friends and family would come and celebrate with us as possible. 'We do have a card box at the reception table, for guests to write [their wishes] and slide their cards in. He continued: 'Apparently some of my wife's relatives thought it was a subtle way to ask for money (it wasn't), so they felt obligated to put cash and checks in the envelopes. 'Afterwards, my wife and I overheard them complaining to my [mother-in-law] that it made them feel cheap, like the wedding was a fundraiser, or a transaction. 'My wife almost burst into tears, so I step over and clarified that money was not asked or wanted. I offered to give them their envelopes back so they could remove their money. 'They refused since "what's done is done". Made the entire wedding awkward (for us and them, other folks had zero idea). Made me feel like no good deeds go unpunished.' Many rushed to the comments to argue that a card box is 'very common' at weddings and does not mean you are asking for money. One person wrote: 'Putting out a card box for a wedding is extremely common. Almost every wedding I've been to has had one. 'Giving money as a gift instead of a gift is pretty common, and usually expected. Your wife's family is unhinged.' Another said: 'I was told by my venue I had to have one.' Someone else added: 'Yep, many venues actually require you to put out a card box for the liability reason: guests WILL bring envelopes with money in them and there needs to be a clear and safe place for them to put them. 'Often the area where the box is put on a welcome table has a security camera pointed at it, even.' A fourth added: 'Yup, I used to do event decor/floristry and we kept extra card boxes on hand for this reason. 'I think a lot of venues insist because it makes it less difficult to track down missing cards. It's kind of a "not very secure, but somewhat better than the alternative" security measure.' Another added: 'Every wedding I've been to has had a box of some sort for cards. At no point have I felt like I must contribute (although I always do). This is very much a them issue.' Others sugggested the couple should mail the money back to the guests or donate it to charity. One person said: 'When you open the cards, mail the money back to each and every one of them.' Another said: 'Yep just add a note saying you appreciate the thought but the box was for well wishes to be treasured in the future and not for the purpose they thought. 'That's it. I would have not clarified anything and done that as soon as I heard. oh you guys gave money ? 'Sorry that was for well wishes to keep. we misunderstood each other. with a big smile on top. I hope you had a great time and let's have other nice parties like that in the future! that's it!' Someone else added: 'That'll make them even more mad. You can't win. I would donate to a charity of OP's and wife's choice and send the cash-givers thank-you notes letting them know.'
