This will be long, but am trying not to drip feed, biscuits avaliable at the end for anyone who gets there!
My OH's Cousin is getting married. The Bride is from Ireland so will be getting married there, in her home town. Bride and Groom are lovely. Really nice, genuine people, DD was named on the invite, no gift list, no poems etc. All good.
Except that it is going to cost us over £1000 to attend this wedding.
The issues:
Travel: The nearest airport is about 4 hours away from the venue. The ferry is about 45 minute drive away, but will take us a few hours to get from home to Ferry. Neither me or OH drive. As such we are at the mercy of OH's brother, who is driving. He wants to get the ferry, which means a three hour drive to ferry, 4 hour ferry crossing, 45 minute drive to venue. DD will be 18 months when wedding happens. It will cost £185.50 for us to get the ferryl and an extra £100 to give OH brother as petrol money.
Hotel: Hotel costs ?400 for the four nights we are there (again, at mercy of OH's brother, he wants to leave Thursday, return Monday, we have no way of getting there on our own). This does not include any meals. Google informs me this is about £340 and add an extra £150 on for meals, drinks snacks etc over the four days. Current total cost is now £775.50
Work: OH is self employed. He does not get paid if he does not work. Current contract is £100 a day, so he will lose three days pay to attend wedding. Total now £1075.50
Add on £100 for a wedding present (same as we gave Grooms sister when she got married, though she got married locally so none of this extra outlay) and we get a grand total of £1175.50 to attend someone else's wedding. This does not include clothes as I am wearing a dress I already have, OH has suit and shirt, just need to buy a dress for DD.
Other random issues with are relevant:
I have a complete and utter fear of cars. Parents and brother killed in a car crash by a drunk, drugged up driver when I was 14. Since then I have not willingly got into a car. Had to be sedated when I broke my leg to get me into the ambulance. I'm going to need much Valium to spend so much time in a car.
We'll need to get someone to feed the cat (minor issue I know).
DD has never spent so much time travelling. Am worried how she will cope (especially if I'm drugged up on Valium!).
SO!
This is my plan.
OH goes. Me and DD stay home. Benefits of this, cheaper hotel (he can share a room with his brother), less travel costs, less meal costs, no drugged up me, no stressed out kid, OH can have a nice time without worrying about us.
All estimate wise, cost of OH going on his own would be £700. Still a large chunk of money, but less if the three of us went.
Downside is, I will be gutted to miss the wedding because the bride and groom are truly lovely.
Does this sound like a reasonable solution? Am using you guys as a sounding board before I approach OH.
for anyone who got this far!