would you "pay " for a place at a wedding ?

[BahrainB]

My cousin and his long term girlfriend are marrying at the Ritz in London in the summer and at Christmas asked us to save the date and for our boys to be involved . Most of her family live in Austraila
I booked flights from our home in Dubai and a extortionately inflated ( Olympics are on at the same time ) holiday let .
Today I recieved the official invite which along with Harrods wedding list details was a little printed note - I want to give an extrodinary day surrounded with all our beloved friends and family I am asking for the more fortunate amongst us to contribute £500 per couple so everyone can be here .
We promise exceptional wines and a lovely time . Ax

OMG - Am I livid .
I'm being asked to fund other guests travel ? or pay for our place at a wedding
that is really too OTT in my opinion .
I'm too embarrassed to discuss with my husband .
What would you do ?

Why didn't they just go for a beach wedding in Fiji? We saw loads of Aussies doing this and its a relatively short flight (depending which side of Aus you're on) and at least people can do it in a weekend, which you can't do if you are coming halfway around the globe.

I am curious as to what type of work they do to go the Ritz'n'Harrods route. Don't they know that since Al Fayed sold it it has got even more tacky (hard to believe I know) unless they really have diamond studded i-phone covers on their list?

I would go purely for the banter around the dinner tables.

OMG! What a cheek Absolutely outrageous to ask people they think can afford it to pay for others to come.

If they need to be able to finance her side of the family themselves, then they should pick a cheaper venue and use the money that way.

Maybe the grooms parent's want the kudos of a wedding at the Ritz?

Ooh, just caught up with your last post, Bahrain! The groom's parents won't stump up for the bride's family because they don't like them???! Eek!

Thar be trouble ahead ....

Meanwhil, it seems a bit more logical for them to do their honeymoon somewhere in Australasia and have a second 'wedding' there, dunnit?

Oh, I'm loving this thread. I would need to say something.

I also think the bride had a fucking cheek actually, the more I think about it.

She us happy to accept for her new in laws to pay out for a very expensive wedding knowing that her relatives won't be able to cone. Then she decides to finance this by asking others to pay fort it.

You say in the op that they have been together a long time. So would it have been beyond the realms of possibility to wait for another couple of years to have the wedding when it isn't going to be at super inflated prices because of olympics and so that she (and relatives) can take time to save for their own flights and accommodation?

I would go purely for the banter around the dinner tables.

Me too, Frontpaw

OMG brides intiative!!! Uggghh, disaster looms.

How awful that she has sat down and thought about who is well to do etc. It makes it even worse. I can't help but think that by not objecting to the idea your aunt/uncle/cousins have allowed her do this.

I'd definitely think she should have just sent it to her friends if at all. The logical thing as someone else suggested earlier would be for them to have two weddings one in the UK and one in Australia.

Still can't get over how shameless the bride is.

The Ritz isn't all that great anyway. I've been to most of this type of location in London (work related) and seen it both sides. Its ok but there are far more fabulous venues. I would go out of town tbh and do a nice NT property (my own palace for a day). Dreams of perfect next wedding...

Hold on, so far we have "feral family", "pikey" type of behaviour - . Honestly, this type of language is not on.

£500 request and a wedding at the Ritz.
I need to lie down.

Wow,I thought I'd heard all and then this, that's outfuckingragious, she must have balls of steel. Wow again.

Agree very strongly with garlicbutter

As for Harrods - why, oh why?
What a nightmare.

Thank you for the explanation garlic.

I would go and bring a nice collection tin, all wrapped up and get the bride and groom to open it.

What on earth is wrong with saying feral family and pikey.

Seems ok on here to call family a bunch of C*s amogst other stuff?

Just a quick idea - could any of them quickly go on talent show or something so they can then sell the wedding photos to a mag and recoup expenses?

Bakers Feral- I don't know, but pikey is a slang word for Gypsy or Traveller.

read this - especially the bit relating to Romany gypsies - and then you'll understand (perhaps) why it's considered an offensive and racist term

Feral, otoh, isn't racist. Nor bogan. They're just rude.

It is the stuff of family legend though. People will be talking about it for years (I am sure we will be on here, anyway!).

that wiki link lead to me to revisit all manner of slang words hadn't heard in AGES.

Do you think the bride realises how unbelievably rude she is being by having a very expensive wedding with excellent wines AND asking the guests to pay for it?

I mean does she actually think it's OK or does she realise that most people would choke on their breakfast whilst reading the invite?

Serious question OP. It kind of goes beyond thick skinned!

You have got to be kidding? No you are most definitely NBU to be pissed off about this.

I don't blame the bride. I think this is an AIBU to piss off MIL's relations because she is excluding ours? I think they (bride and groom) said they were getting married. PILs said they'd pay, "oh, how lovely". Then the venue was discussed, MIL likes the Ritz God knows why. Then bride is told the rellies from Oz aren't invited because MIL is a bitch snob who thinks anyone from the Colonies is scum. Bride, well pissed off and an Aussie to boot (and they don't fuck around) says, "screw you, let's ask you rich, bloated friends to pay instead". MIL calls her bluff.

This sounds like its going to be an absolute cracker of a wedding.

If I pay the £500, can I go instead?