<p>I forget where I read this, but a couple of weeks ago there was an article about another bride, whose wedding is the same day, in the same area, who was MORTIFIED that Chelsea’s wedding was (at that time rumored) nearby. It was turning her plans, made over a year in advance, into a logistical nightmare. Evidently the route from church to reception hall comes right through the town where Chelsea’s wedding is…she and her mother were freaking out! :eek: :eek: I assume roads will be closed due to security…</p>
<p>I think they also said that the “other” bride’s rehearsal dinner was at the spot where Chelsea’s wedding is…I’ll have to try and find the article…</p>
<p>On the whole, I hate the “wedding industrial complex.” But on the other hand, they’re going to be employing a ton of people. Most of this cannot be outsourced – some flowers are grown overseas, but most of the cost of food, custom clothing, etc. will go into the hands of American small businesses. They have not yet found a way to make buttercream roses in China and ship them to U.S. cake decorators.</p>
<p>One of my sisters has a place along The Hudson, less than a half-hour from Rhinebeck. She is dreading all the chaos and congestion this l’il party will bring to the area.,but very intrigued, at the same time!</p>
<p>I work on an outdoor fundraiser every year, tents and upscale port-o-johns are very exspensive. $20,000 for hair and make up, I am sure is a team of stylists from a high end salon. Catering is probably for Rehearsal dinner as well, flowers are very exspensive etc…I don’t mind how other people spend their money as long as no one comments on how I spend my money!</p>
<p>Do you think the estimates are realistic, anothercrazymom? I have no experience with this, but I thought that it would be impossible to spend a quarter of a million dollars on flowers, or $20k on hair and makeup. I assumed that these estimates were self-serving, as they came from people in the industry, who have a vested interest in raising expectations for the cost of a high-end wedding.</p>
<p>Then I echo other posters who are happy that much of this money is going to end up in the hands of small business people.</p>
<p>I read that the floral designer usually does single-flower arrangements. I’m sure that whatever flower he is using in massive quantities will have to be flown in from a farm elsewhere, probably in another country, but there will have to be many people employed in doing the arrangements ($250k worth - really???)</p>
<p>I don’t run in these circles and so the hair and makeup estimate sounds high to me. However, this may include bringing in several stylists to work on the wedding party and also housing them for the weekend (there is more than one event).</p>
<p>They’re holding it in Rhinebeck, NY which is like a 20 minute drive north from where I live. It’s actually not very secretive at all. I guess there’s a lot of police guarding the area but it’s not like nobody knows where she’s holding it hahaa</p>
<p>My brother goes to sleepaway camp in Rhinebeck, and my dad is supposed to be flying into Albany from Maryland (where we live) to pick him up tomorrow. We just hope that they won’t miss their flight because of the paparazzi swarming around.</p>
<p>“I think they are in the ball park of reality.”</p>
<p>I agree. I have no idea what they are actually spending, but it is quite possible to spend this much. When it comes to flowers, think about the flowered wallpaper in a 500-seat ballroom and imagine real flowers, the best in the world, arranged by hand.</p>
<p>It’s one thing to get a custom dress from Vera Wang, the bridal salon. We’re talking about a custom dress from Vera Wang, the human being. If you want Vera kneeling on the carpet with a mouthful of pins, shortening a hemline, that doesn’t come cheap. The same goes for the Vera Wang of hair & makeup, the Vera Wang of flowers, and so on. The best craftspeople in the world in these fields may be nearly as expensive as the best corporate lawyer, best orthopedic surgeon, and so on.</p>
<p>My friend’s cousin(friend of Mark’s) is attending and has promised to share all that is permissible w/o the use of electronics since they are forbidden. Imagine that age group having to leave their Blackberrys and Iphones back at the hotel?</p>
<p>Imagine that age group having to leave their Blackberrys and Iphones back at the hotel?</p>
<p>I am reminded by a line from " hot tub time machine" when the character is realizing -no cell phone- no email. " How will I find you? " pause. " You come and find me"</p>
<p>That was one of several guesses in the list that didn’t make sense, although the only one that is without a doubt low. There’s no way that Chelsea is getting a custom dress from Vera Wang, if indeed she is, for $15,000.</p>
<p>Jonri–I loved Collins’ column when I read it this morning. It was so nice to hear someone saying positive things about our twentysomethings for a change.</p>
<p>I plan a party every December (corporate Holiday party) 60 guests, my budget is $15,000plus my fee. I do a lot of the decor myself and hire a DJ not a band, usually have a limited bar, beer wine and a few signature cocktails depending on the theme. Parties are expensive…</p>