Big batch of nope

@dreamer not belittling them. We aren't bragging (at least not 95 percent of us) about how much we spend or don't spend on our wedding. And likewise she has no reason to brag. Doing something for cheap because someone else did all the work is not an accomplishment.

If I invite you and 5 friends over to watch the game Sunday and tell the 5 friends to each bring a dish and you to bring some drinks. I just had a party at my house for free. Is that brag worthy? No. Same thing

OMG... just OMG... was this shit show BYOB. I should have just packed a mother fucking picnic basket.

I got lucky with our dj from craigslist. He has fantastic reviews and all of his referrals loved him. He was $500 for the day. Nearly everythimg else this woman did was cheap and poor hosting, although I wouldn't look twice at borrowing linens if I could.

Oh wow....

Cheap af to have family work for you. They don't even calculate in the cost for food

I wouldn't have an issue with borrowing linens (or honestly anything that is truly borrowed) I had a friend ask to borrow vases - she took photos of you with your vases when you dropped them off (or she picked them up) than you got them back at the end of the wedding - no one lent her anything crazy or expensive but it was something she want to "save" on and she did mismatched china, all borrowed - she regretted that because while the staff cleared them and wiped them down, she had to spend the next 4 days hand washing it all .....

I wouldn't have an issue with borrowing linens (or honestly anything that is truly borrowed) I had a friend ask to borrow vases - she took photos of you with your vases when you dropped them off (or she picked them up) than you got them back at the end of the wedding - no one lent her anything crazy or expensive but it was something she want to "save" on and she did mismatched china, all borrowed - she regretted that because while the staff cleared them and wiped them down, she had to spend the next 4 days hand washing it all .....

It just keeps getting worse

When I was researching budget weddings, I came across so many of these. It was so frustrating. Even if I had a florist, baker, and DJ as guests, I don't want them working unpaid at my wedding. And potluck catering would stress my guests (and me) out so much.

Also frustrates me how these are advertised as "you can do this too!" when that's not true at all. We were fortunate enough to get our venue for practically nothing (local church and their hall), but I know not everyone has that option. Not everyone is going to find the $40 dress that fits and they feel comfortable in. Not everyone is going to have a guest list willing and with the skills to pull off a potluck with enough food where no one gets sick. (Not saying they should. I love potlucks but not for weddings.)

I'm with @FFW - she didn't have a $500 wedding, she had most of her wedding (DJ, flowers and venue) gifted to her by her family. I would also love to see pictures of the "beautiful" cake, linens, etc. (eye roll)

Yeah. No.

No to it all.

Personally wouldn't want to do this. But you never know their situation. I don't think it's so much as they didn't want nice things as maybe they couldn't afford any more than that. At the end of the day, they were happy and they were married. I've always dreamed of a super nice wedding, but I think when it comes down to it, those two were probably happier on their special day because they didn't have to stress over all the details. Maybe what they lacked in decor and money, they made up for with love? To each their own.

Hahahaha this reminded me of that one show that was on tv a long time ago, where people are savers and don't like to waste anything.

One episode if I remember correctly was the mom found her daughters dress at a thrift store (it was discoloring already), had her reception at a school gymnasium and I believe put on sandwiches for everyone to eat (that's all I remember..i think I turned the channel after the sandwiches part lol).

.

.

Uh....no

If you want a NICE wedding, you spend more than 500 bucks. Period.

You have to invest to yield the best results. Some people are happy with this version of a wedding. Is it nice? No... There's no standard of wedding that's "nice" on a 500 dollar budget, sorry.

Is it a wedding? Yup, and congrats to her. But I would have rather saved every penny for ten years before having a shotty hodge podge get together like that. Just no

Key words in that text: "We pulled from everywhere and used...". Yeah, they used, but what they used were people. Doesn't that say it all? Elope if you can't afford to host a reception, but for the love of decency, don't panhandle your way to your prom gown wedding.

By the way, when a bride is so broke that she has to ask her mother-in-law, who used to own a flower shop (probably back in the 1970's/1980's) to make a bridal bouquet, maybe it's time to think about buying a few SS bands from Walmart for $20 a piece and then throw the remaining ring budget of $160 to the grocery store florist. Seriously, if either or both spouses are working, silver bands can be replaced on the first anniversary.

When did it become fashionable to brag about being a self-entitled cheap ass? I know reality television has probably proven otherwise by now, but isn't there even a remnant of American people who still feel shame over this rampant display of self-absorbed behavior?

I would cringe at the potluck wedding. Potluck anything makes me cringe. Unless I have been in your clean kitchen, I won't ever eat food by you.