Melnick, other than size, that doesn't sound all that different from a US wedding in the Northeast. Typically 100-200 people, with a cocktail hour and full dinner - could never in a million years imagine giving guests something lesser than the bride and groom were eating, that is the exception not the norm. Not sure what the cost is now, but 13 years ago, it was $75-$200 per plate, the venue provided the cake (flowers, photographer, limo, etc. were all extra). If budget is an issue, the guest list is limited, but guests are not deprived of being served decent food and drink.

I just came across this one Yahoo Answers and thought it fit in nicely with the theme of this thread...it starts out "How Much of a Profit Should I Make Off My Wedding"...
Yikes.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ArvCMQWXmgiLKaaP1dDKg28D53NG;_ylv=3?qid=20100601193722AAgcUUC

I loved these 2 answers:

You should have stood at the door with a baseball bat and threatened to whack people if they didn't cough up.

and this one:

Profit? Gee and here I've been all these years thinking a wedding was all abut two people getting married....never realised it as a money making venture.

Ahem...wedding gifts are a tradition however they are NOT mandatory and no where in any wedding etiquette book does it say the cost of the gift should equal the price of your plate of food.......

Unbelieveable......


BTW: the 2nd poster's name is: Garnet Glitter's No BS Zone

Manners never go out of stye.

It's as if nowadays brides are trying to one up each other to have the "best" wedding and passing the cost on to us guests!

I got invited to a close family's wedding but due to the fact that I live an ocean away I couldn't go. The bride's (the in-law to be) aunt messaged me saying that since I couldn't come I SHOULD just buy a gift from the registry on line or send a cheque to the B & G. She said the same thing about a shower present (that since I couldn't be there I should just send a gift). Since when did giving presents become mandatory??? I had every intention of sending them something but I after I was made to feel OBLIGATED to choose from her (very expensive) registry, I lost my enthusiasm. What a turn off.

I was told that at their (very expensive) wedding the cake was 5 tiers tall but it wasn't served. They had a fake cake with a small insert of real cake and only the B & G had cake. Everyone else was served A PIECE OF CHOCOLATE. Ugh!

In every invitation the bride is supposed to send a bill for the expenses she expects to have reimbursed, doesn't she know that?

Those kinds of people usually just want the gifts.