In our “Love and Sweet Water” section, readers played and gave us details about their D-day, including finances. Come on, let’s face the wedding of Laure and Benjamin, which cost them 22,670 euros for 110 guests.
The wedding of Laura and Benjamin
- The couple : Laura and Benjamin
- Age: Both 29 years old
- Together since… : 2012
- Married since… : Wedding on 9 October 2021 and civil union on 21 December 2017
- Professions: Market Manager and Customer Service Representative
- Place of living: Metropolis of Lyon
- Wedding venue: Valouse in the Baronnies Provençales (South Drome)
- Number of guests : 110
- Total spent on the big day: €22,670
Before marriage
When and where did you meet?
We were friends in middle school and high school, then we were a couple by the end of high school.
How long did it take you to decide to get married?
After nine years of relationship. But after five years we had a civil union.
Why did you choose this merge method?
For PACS it was because we had embarked on a project to purchase an apartment. So for the wedding, during the birth, we wanted to celebrate our 10 years of relationship and celebrate our relationship with our loved ones.
Did you live together before getting married?
YES.
How did you organize your celebration? How far in advance?
18 months ago. The first step was to make the guest list – Friday was different from Saturday and Sunday – then choose the location, because we wanted a place where all our guests could sleep on site so we could celebrate safely and without problems returning After. We were looking for a place that could welcome us from Friday to Sunday to take time to live in the moment.
Next, we looked for suppliers. We planned the secular ceremony hosted by our two sisters, then planned the meals and drinks for the six weekends. Then the tableau and the plan to bring all the guests to the village… Finally, we prepared the invitations and the rest of the stationery (by hand!) Next, the clothes of the spouses, witnesses, parents, bridesmaids and witnesses of the groom…
We had two meals with our witnesses, siblings and parents to review the organization and roles of each according to their wishes. We are lucky, because we were very well supported, our loved ones were really present and seemed to have enjoyed supporting us in the organization. Thanks also to the 14 tab Excel table that summarized everything. The organization was quite simple, but it allowed us to be really free on the weekend, because everyone knew what to do and when (including the service provider) and very rarely were we called into action on the big day.
Were you both equally involved in the preparations?
60% from me, 40% for my husband. We accomplished many tasks together.
Was the preparation a source of stress?
No, we took our time. There were phases that were very focused on the wedding and periods when we had less time to dedicate to it and that was okay!
What were the things you really didn’t want at your wedding?
We didn’t want:
- A DJ who puts on the show, the entertainment
- People we don’t/little know
- Uncomfortable talk
- A religious event
- A wedding that is too short in which we have no time to dedicate to our guests.
Which position seemed most important to you to organize? Which was less?
The most important thing was the ceremony, the overall process and the role of each person. The least important thing was the decor and the flowers.
Was there a time when you wanted to go back?
NO.
Have you had to give up things in your organization to fit your budget?
No, we started with a budget of 10,000 euros. We wanted to plan and finance our wedding to organize it in our image and without having to make any concessions. Our parents offered to participate financially and this allowed us to almost double the total budget. It was very comfortable and allowed us to do everything we had planned.
How did you finance your union?
50% our couple, 40% parents and 10% guests (all guests slept on site and paid a contribution for the rooms).
Wedding day
Were you stressed on the big day?
No, but the day before yes, we were stressed and excited.
Did everything go as you expected?
Yes, everything went together perfectly. Preparations took place on Friday morning with some of our groomsmen, bridesmaids and groomsmen. Then town hall at 11, welcome, off to Valouse, preparation and decoration of the village and a quiet first evening. Saturday preparations in the morning, then couple photos, meal and secular ceremony at 3.00 pm. So escape with games, photos, cocktails, meal and evening! Sunday was brunch and a little cleaning.
Do you regret investing so much/not enough in your union?
NO.
Did you regret your choice of guests? Would you have liked to invite others? Less ?
Yes, there are three “friends” we shouldn’t have invited, but this allowed us to mourn the loss of the relationship and didn’t affect the big day, so nothing too serious. There were 110 of us and we are quite satisfied with this guest list.
Can you name 3 moments that marked you during this day? For what reasons?
- Friday evening in a “small” committee after the preparation of the Valouse fraction
- Saturday morning preparation: yoga with dad and my groomsmen, hair and dressing with our groomsmen and groomsmen/bridesmaids
- The secular ceremony: very nice interventions from our loved ones with the right mix of emotion, love and humor. Special mention for the singing and the ball of yarn ritual that closed the ceremony, symbolic and fun.
- And a 4th, because it’s hard to choose: Saturday night: all our guests danced/chatted until late at night, even grandma on the dance floor at 4 in the morning!
After the wedding, the debriefing
In which expense item do you not regret having it? Has it all gone out? For what ?
The DJ! He cost two hands, but he was a true professional, he listened to the dynamics in the room, he adapted and the evening was fantastic.
If you could go back in time, what would you change?
Not much, apart from the price of the wedding dress (1,450 euros, definitely too expensive compared to the time it was used) and the three guests mentioned above.
I would have taken a few more “posed” photos because some guests are missing from the photos.
Do you think marriage has strengthened your relationship?
The wedding hasn’t changed anything in our daily lives, but it has created great shared memories and strengthened the bonds between our two families and our friends.
Are you still together now?
YES!
What are your big future plans as a couple?
Expand your family!
Thanks to Laure and Benjamin for sharing this beautiful moment with us.
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Source: Madmoizelle
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
