To help pay for her big day, the 23-year-old hairdresser has turned to eBay, auctioning off an opportunity to be one of her bridesmaids.
With a 1 -year-old daughter and a combined salary of about $32,000 per year, she and fiance Karl Gau, a 23-year-old roofer, are struggling to make ends meet, let alone save for the wedding, she said.
They intend to keep costs under $7,000 by using an iPod instead of a DJ for music and baking their own cake, Gray said. Booking the venue, the Virginia Beach Resort Hotel and Conference Center, alone will cost $3,100, she said.
Trying to keep costs below $7k? Seems like they could keep it waaaaaaay lower than that if they wanted to.
Want to keep costs under $7k? Try Vegas or the courthouse. What a joke.
I guess I need to start thinking of "creative" things I can sell on Ebay to put towards our new house.
Posted by: Kevin | June 25, 2008 at 12:57 PM
My wife and I got married in 1997 at a cost of about $4,500. That included our wedding bands (no engagement ring), her wedding dress and our honeymoon (4 days at Disneyworld). We were married in a chapel in front of family and friends (about 40 guests in all) and had a reception and wedding cake. We had everything we needed to make the day special for us.
Now, I can understand inflation and so forth, but I still don't understand why people spend so much on this day. My wife and I are far happier that we saved our money and will be able to retire comfortably in our early to mid 50s. Had we spent $50,000 on our wedding, that would have set us back quite a few years.
Posted by: Todd | June 25, 2008 at 01:11 PM
The key there is "if they wanted to." Sounds like they want a traditional wedding, and the booking & food for that type of thing is expensive.
I hope they're not going into debt to pay for it, though.
Posted by: Anitra | June 25, 2008 at 01:28 PM
Well... I looked up the auction... Ebay Item Number: 300234889876
As of 1:30 on June 25th the top bid is $5,100!!!!!
Pretty good if you ask me and this may even cover the cost of the entire wedding.
Posted by: tom | June 25, 2008 at 01:38 PM
Tom --
Just goes to show you -- if you get the publicity, you can sell almost anything.
Of course, she still needs to collect.
Posted by: FMF | June 25, 2008 at 01:46 PM
Very true!!... we all know how many of those high priced auctions end up... High bidder can't pay or only bids as a joke and the whole thing gets pulled...
Posted by: tom | June 25, 2008 at 02:04 PM
That's the people that add fuel the US economy: They spend on things they can't afford!
5-star hotels in Vegas cost around $3,000. That at least includes a pianist and a 100-people venue.
Posted by: aa | June 25, 2008 at 02:09 PM
aa: That's great, if you're in Vegas. I spent more than half our wedding budget on the reception venue (at a country club in the off-season, which included the food for 125 people - about $6000 total), and as far as I can tell, I got a pretty good deal for central Massachusetts.
Posted by: Anitra | June 25, 2008 at 02:23 PM
Paying to be a bridesmaid?!?!? I could barely get my bridesmaids to pay for their dresses in time...
Posted by: Finance Girl | June 25, 2008 at 03:55 PM
Yeah, I agree with Finance Girl. I was shocked to read this considering I have NO IDEA why someone would pay to be another person's bridesmaid whom they don't even know. What sort of benefit would this person receive for their money???
Clueless
Posted by: Liz | June 25, 2008 at 05:54 PM
Wow, the auction almost over and it's over 5K!!!! Who actually would pay to be a bridesmaid? It sucks!
Posted by: dogatemyfinances | June 25, 2008 at 06:51 PM
I am doing it!!! I think it is a great idea!! i am auctioning a spot to walk me down the aisle. I have no one to do it and recently lost my job wedding in 2 months.. Seems like a good idea to me!
Posted by: CCBride | July 10, 2008 at 08:07 AM