According to an article in the Akron Beacon Journal, the scourge of sponsored weddings is spreading.
The idea behind sponsored weddings is to use matrimonial festivities as a commercial of sorts, with everything from the bride’s gown to chair covers brought to you by merchants.
The bride and groom get goods and services at a discount or for free. In exchange, companies get their name on table cards, reception banners and even on party favors. Also, the sponsors usually get a few mentions by speakers during the reception.
In recent years the idea of sponsored weddings has taken off in other parts of the country, primarily on the West Coast. And now the concept has reached the Akron area.
Christina Fanizzi and George Crosier of East Akron are engaged to be married July 1 at St. Bernard’s Church in downtown Akron before 150 guests. The total bill will be well more than $10,000, Fanizzi estimated, but the couple will pay only $2,800. The rest is being picked up by local businesses who are donating their time and merchandise in exchange for publicity at the wedding.
As party favors, Fanizzi is putting together a packet of all the business cards of the sponsoring businesses, tying them with ribbons and putting them at each place setting.
Uh, some favor. I say, ick. Advertising is everywhere in our lives, buzzing in our ears like flies. Does it have to be at our weddings, too?
That train reminds me of an Indy 500 car. And not in a good way.
I was thinking of a boy scout vest…
I remember first hearing about “wedding sponsorship” when Star Jones got married. It is one of the most vile things I have ever heard of.
It is, I think, one of the worst forms of mooching. What’s wrong with just having a smaller or simpler wedding? Nothing at all!
Can you imagine being a guest at that wedding? How would you keep from laughing? That dumb bride is going to regret doing that. All her memories of that day are going to be overshadowed by memories of logos. Gross.
A stack of business cards for services I’ll never buy wrapped up in ribbon as a favor? Sheesh! I’d rather get another goddamn miniature champagne glass filled with stale jordan almonds!
Count me as one West Coast gal who is deeply offended by this concept. If you can’t afford to spend $10,000 on a wedding, then throw the one you can afford for $3,000 and keep in mind what the day is all about: publicly committing yourself to the person you love. A wedding is magical, whether it costs $100 or $100,000. I can’t imagine cheapening the meaning of the day for the sake of a few gew-gaws that don’t matter in the end.
There are always cheaper options for services that don’t involve selling your wedding to the highest corporate bidder.
Some people clearly have no shame!
About 15 years ago, I worked for a plastic surgeon in Virginia. We had a girl, who I’ll call Pam, as our receptionist. She was about 19 and sharp as a marble. She got herself some 500 cc implants, courtesy of the doctor, and lo and behold her boyfriend (since the sixth grade, I think) decides they should get married. Pam goes off to the local home improvement center one day, and there she sees a contest. What I’ll call “House Junquetion” will pay for your wedding! But you’ve got to have it there in the Hardware Department of the House Junquetion, and be sure to bring all your friends and family. Pam won that crazy wedding, and I did attend it. Classy? Oh but no! I really thought they’d drive off on a lawn tractor together after the ceremony. They were married about a year, at which time I’m sure those implants lost their luster. I wondered if they could just take their original marriage license back to the HJ and simply apply from paint stripper to it and voila! Annulment!
{{shudder}}
thats gay