Author Topic: The Corporate Sponsored Wedding  (Read 4904 times)

justajane

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The Corporate Sponsored Wedding
« on: August 26, 2014, 07:59:21 AM »
In an age of gofundme and social media, this is perhaps not surprising, but I do think a corporate sponsored wedding is particularly egregious. I guess they're thinking - if the Bachelor franchise can do it, so can I! No cake and punch celebration for me! I'm going to find a way to have others pay for me to go to Thailand. After all, I deserve it.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/alisonvingiano/meet-the-couple-planning-a-corporately-sponsored-wedding


NumberCruncher

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Re: The Corporate Sponsored Wedding
« Reply #1 on: August 26, 2014, 08:35:13 AM »
Wait - they need $30k for an 11 day trip to Thailand?? How the heck do you spend $30k in 11 days in Thailand?

Quote
“We take a vacation every year, but we’d never been to Thailand so we decided to go to Thailand together for the wedding without any other guests,” she said. After the Bangkok ceremony, they’re planning to spend 11 days traveling in South East Asia, going scuba diving, bamboo river rafting, and elephant trekking.
Their goal is to raise about $30,000 for the trip. They still have a long way to go, as a major brand has yet to sign on.

It sounds like it's just the two of them...you could spend months in Thailand for $30k, easily. Looking at some sites like
http://www.travelfish.org/faq_answer.php?qID=131, it sounds like $200/day would be very cushy. If we assume flights are $1500 per person, that leaves $27k for the rest of the trip. 135 days of it! If you're frugal, a year! Am I missing something? Are they only going to the most expensive parts of Thailand and staying at the swankiest, most touristy spots? If travel and adventure were important to them...why??? O.o

Per day cushy budget in Thailand:
hotel: $30
food: $30
alcohol: $10
activities and travel: $130


Honestly, that's more shocking to me than a corporate sponsored wedding. ;)

MillenialMustache

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Re: The Corporate Sponsored Wedding
« Reply #2 on: August 26, 2014, 09:03:09 AM »
There are some wedding costs associated, like the rings, but I still don't know how it adds up to so much.

justajane

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Re: The Corporate Sponsored Wedding
« Reply #3 on: August 26, 2014, 09:17:27 AM »
To figure out how to spend 30K in Thailand in 11 days, I guess you just have to put yourself in their likely frame of mind.

You've got the wedding dress, which no one but themselves will see. I imagine she would expect that should cost several thousand. Plus if you want to spend hundreds of dollars a night on a hotel in Thailand you certainly can. But even at $500 a night, that still only gets us to $6,000.

For 30K, I don't imagine they are factoring in a first class ticket to Thailand, since those would probably be over 10K each. How frugal of them to choose coach or business ;).

But overall you are certainly right that the number is pretty shocking. I've never been to Southeast Asia, but I imagine that like any other city in the world, they have luxury places that charge Western prices.

Gimesalot

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Re: The Corporate Sponsored Wedding
« Reply #4 on: August 26, 2014, 09:31:10 AM »
FYI, this how a lot of weddings for celeberties are done these days.

They Tweet that they love the invitations from so and so.  Boom! Free invitations! 

The first Kim Kardashian wedding was completely paid for by some magazine, maybe "People."  All of the stuff was "donated" in exchange for mentions.

One last fact: Kim Kardashian gets paid over $30,000 for a tweet.

eyePod

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Re: The Corporate Sponsored Wedding
« Reply #5 on: August 26, 2014, 10:23:23 AM »
To figure out how to spend 30K in Thailand in 11 days, I guess you just have to put yourself in their likely frame of mind.

You've got the wedding dress, which no one but themselves will see. I imagine she would expect that should cost several thousand. Plus if you want to spend hundreds of dollars a night on a hotel in Thailand you certainly can. But even at $500 a night, that still only gets us to $6,000.

For 30K, I don't imagine they are factoring in a first class ticket to Thailand, since those would probably be over 10K each. How frugal of them to choose coach or business ;).

But overall you are certainly right that the number is pretty shocking. I've never been to Southeast Asia, but I imagine that like any other city in the world, they have luxury places that charge Western prices.

We stayed at one of the nicest hotels in Bangkok, got their honeymoon suite, stayed on the executive level (needed a key card to go up there). All this was $120 a night. We splurged for those 3 nights and it was well worth it, 30k is unbelievable. Even if you had a limo drive you everywhere that is ridiculous.

justajane

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Re: The Corporate Sponsored Wedding
« Reply #6 on: August 26, 2014, 11:51:06 AM »
Quote
We stayed at one of the nicest hotels in Bangkok, got their honeymoon suite, stayed on the executive level (needed a key card to go up there). All this was $120 a night. We splurged for those 3 nights and it was well worth it, 30k is unbelievable. Even if you had a limo drive you everywhere that is ridiculous.

Wow. I had no idea. That really puts their number into perspective. Perhaps it does include first class tickets from the States to Thailand?

Either way, the underlying ridiculousness from my perspective is branding your wedding. I was certainly aware that "celebrities" (I use that term loosely in the case of the Kardashians) did these type of things, but I don't understand why a corporation would fall for it in this case, since these people are not famous and have exponentially less influence. But evidently some companies have committed, since they got their wedding rings and wedding attire for free.
« Last Edit: August 26, 2014, 01:42:08 PM by justajane »

frugalnacho

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Re: The Corporate Sponsored Wedding
« Reply #7 on: August 26, 2014, 12:49:37 PM »
Wait - they need $30k for an 11 day trip to Thailand?? How the heck do you spend $30k in 11 days in Thailand?


OMG I could buy myself so many little Thai hookers to love me long time. 

fantabulous

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Re: The Corporate Sponsored Wedding
« Reply #8 on: August 26, 2014, 03:39:18 PM »
Wait - they need $30k for an 11 day trip to Thailand?? How the heck do you spend $30k in 11 days in Thailand?


OMG I could buy myself so many little Thai hookers to love me long time.

From my time living in Bangkok, I would imagine blowing $30K USD in 11 days there would involve human trafficking.