POLL: Wedding expenses in the frum Community - BH for simchos? or out of hand?

[Dan]

I don't see how it's possible for them to make a profit.

Why not? None of that needs to be fancy and expensive.

[coffeebean]

Why not? None of that needs to be fancy and expensive.

I would say the food costs them at least $20 a plate. Photographer/Videographer $1000. Band singer $1000. Flowers minimum $500. We're not up to the hall yet...
Eta: these are minimum numbers imo

[Dan]

I would say the food costs them at least $20 a plate. Photographer/Videographer $1000. Band singer $1000. Flowers minimum $500. We're not up to the hall yet...
Eta: these are minimum numbers imo

Food costs do not have to be close to $20, a one man band does not have to cost close to $1,000...

[yesitsme]

while we're at it NEVER take a drink from the kids table, I once took a cup of soda and it was so salty......................

[coffeebean]

Food costs do not have to be close to $20

Where can you find food and waiters for less than $20? It's usually close to $45

a one man band does not have to cost $1,000...

OMB and singer for less than $1000?

[Dan]

OMB and singer for less than $1000?

Use a OMB that can sing. Had that in CLE last week.

[yesitsme]

Where can you find food and waiters for less than $20? It's usually close to $45OMB and singer for less than $1000?

there are halls with out OMB/singers and they are beautiful

[yungermanchik]

I would say the food costs them at least $20 a plate.
Eta: these are minimum numbers imo

Lets break it down to the raw numbers (based on a Bais faiga wedding):
Challah roll = .75
Knish: (pastry dough+potato+ mushroom sauce) =1.50
Soup: (carrots+zucchini+onion+spices) = .50
Chicken cutlet (btw Quarters are cheaper) = 2.00
roasted potatoes = .25
green beans = .25
soda (fountain) = .10
cookies = .15

Total= $5.50

[Yehudaa]

Lets break it down to the raw numbers (based on a Bais faiga wedding):
Challah roll = .75
Knish: (pastry dough+potato+ mushroom sauce) =1.50
Soup: (carrots+zucchini+onion+spices) = .50
Chicken cutlet (btw Quarters are cheaper) = 2.00
roasted potatoes = .25
green beans = .25
soda (fountain) = .10
cookies = .15

Total= $5.50

With waiters, setup/cleanup, and a bit of profit for the caterer??

[Dan]

With waiters, setup/cleanup, and a bit of profit for the caterer??

~12 waiter/cleanup hours would add ~$2/person for a 100 person wedding.

[coffeebean]

Lets break it down to the raw numbers (based on a Bais faiga wedding):
Challah roll = .75
Knish: (pastry dough+potato+ mushroom sauce) =1.50
Soup: (carrots+zucchini+onion+spices) = .50
Chicken cutlet (btw Quarters are cheaper) = 2.00
roasted potatoes = .25
green beans = .25
soda (fountain) = .10
cookies = .15

Total= $5.50

U forgot pickles coleslaw and all the first coarse stuff things add up. Do you know how much work goes into food and clean up? 15 people times 15 an hour times 8 hours equals $1,800. There's just no way

[Dan]

15 people times 15 an hour times 8 hours

120 hours of work for a 100 person ultra-basic wedding 

[coffeebean]

Maybe I over did the workers, but my message is clear. There's just no way the hall is either not losing money, or someone is sponsoring.

[Afrages6]

120 hours of work for a 100 person ultra-basic wedding 

Yes. Making food takes lot of preparation.

[Dan]

Maybe I over did the workers, but my message is clear. There's just no way the hall is either not losing money, or someone is sponsoring.

Your numbers are a fantasy. It's like reading in the travel section of a newspaper saying that you can't have a really great vacation for less than $20,000 when we know that there are many corners that can be cut to pay a fraction of that.

[coffeebean]

120 hours of work for a 100 person ultra-basic wedding 

There's definitely over 8 people working for over 8 hours between chef, kitchen staff, manager, waiters etc.

[Dan]

Yes. Making food takes lot of preparation.

Amazing that there are restaurants with 1 cook that can churn out more than that many meals in a day.
Must be a miracle or black magic without 12 people working 8 hours.

[Dan]

There's definitely over 8 people working for over 8 hours between chef, kitchen staff, manager, waiters etc.

You need to rethink what a basic wedding is and requires. This should be a paradigm shift.

[coffeebean]

I've cooked for 100 people before. It takes man power or time. 8 hours for 100 people from start to finish takes at least 6 staff. This is in just the kitchen.

[EliJelly]

Don't go down the rabbit hole with the wedding night should't total more than $5k. Even $10k- $5k per side is great. So many other pricier and less important wedding costs to cut away first.