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By Greg Gaudio
VIRGINIA BEACH
Jesus toast. State-shaped cornflakes. Empty Dr Pepper cans.
Now you can bid for a spot in Kelly Gray's wedding.
To help pay for her big day, the 23-year-old hairdresser has turned to eBay, auctioning off an opportunity to be one of her bridesmaids.
"As weird as it sounds, I just think somebody might be interested," she said. "Somebody who's never been in a wedding and always wanted to, or somebody who does weddings and wants to help out."
Gray said she hopes the auction brings in enough to cover the $18 she paid in eBay fees, the cost of the winner's dress and shoes - and then some.
With a 1 -year-old daughter and a combined salary of about $32,000 per year, she and fiance Karl Gau, a 23-year-old roofer, are struggling to make ends meet, let alone save for the wedding, she said.
They intend to keep costs under $7,000 by using an iPod instead of a DJ for music and baking their own cake, Gray said. Booking the venue, the Virginia Beach Resort Hotel and Conference Center, alone will cost $3,100, she said.
At press time, the auction was up to $202.50. It ends at 4:27 p.m. Wednesday.
"I really hope that people take it seriously, and they're not bidding to try to crash a wedding," she said. "That would break my heart."
Gray first tried wedding giveaway contests, but when she didn't win, she thought about raising money with a bake sale. Gwen Lala, who works with her at Dimensions Hair Studio, came up with another idea.
"You won't believe this," Lala told her. "There's this Dr Pepper can on eBay right now going for $400. Somebody else sold a Fritos bag for $500."
Gray posted her auction Wednesday under the title "BE A BRIDESMAID IN MY WEDDING." The winner gets to attend the ceremony and reception, scheduled for April 19, 2009. They get to bring a guest and keep the dress and shoes Gray provides.
The auction doesn't say the winner has to be female.
"We've already had that thought: What if we get a transvestite or something?" Gray said.
"I don't want to discriminate. Whoever wins, they're in. If he wants to wear the dress, I'll let him, and I'll stand next to him."
Greg Gaudio, (757) 222-5125, greg.gaudio@pilotonline.com
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Do you know Kelly
Someone said that Kelly should save her money and someone else inferred that the money should go towards the care of her daughter.
Kelly has had a dream her whole life and now she MADE that dream come true. She CREATED that opportunity, she used her imagination to make this a possibility and for that I prsise her. Kelly is my hairdresser and she'd help ANYONE, she is as nice a person as the day is long.
She deserves to have, anyone deserves to have; what we CREATE for our lives. Do I detect just a hint of jealousy?
Annie N.
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coolguy
I understand your point- weddings can definitely be cheaper, but the cost of things in my area is ridiculous. I splurged on a few things like location but I stuck to a budget on everything else. $500 wedding dress at a charity auction with all proceeds going to families of breast cancer victims, $30 shoes from Payless, $50 on all invitations because I did them myself, ceremony music free from a family member, re-using items from another family member's wedding, etc. But the cost of my wedding is not really the point.
I think the reason she did this auction is because she didn't want to go into debt, she wants to make sure her family is well taken care of despite the rising costs of weddings. She did a great job too because I just read that she got a corporate sponsor. I applaud her efforts, and I'm sure my parents wish I had come up with something like this 3 years ago.
Corny
My wedding in 2004 costs about 6k with honeymoon included (which was about 2k of that). Seven Thousand can buy a really nice wedding at a hall. For what you paid, a tremendous bash could be thrown. Then again, when you have to have top of the line stuff, hire wedding planners, and pay for everything including transportation of the guests, I guess the price does get up there. Seriously, you can get a hall catered for about 50 people for 4k or less, cake is about $200 (assuming you cant manage to make it yourself or know someone who can help you), tux rental is about $100, invitations $200, gold bands $200 or less, reasonable dress, 2k, DJ about $500, and I think the license is like $25 or something like that if I remember correctly. I think a wedding over 10k in cost is approaching the absolutely rediculous level. There is no need to pay for transportation, hotel accomodations, bridesmaids dresses or groomsmen tuxes, caviar, live bands, vintage wine, Vera Wang dresses, diamond encrusted bands, gold leafed invitations, etc etc. Its rediculous.
This is pathetic
This is another example of why so many Americans struggle financially. The current mortgage crisis was created by ignorant people like this who attempted to live well above their means.
IF YOU CANNOT AFFORD SOMETHING, DO NOT BUY IT!!! That is apparently a difficult concept for most people to comprehend. This couple has a one-year old child (is it his?) that would be much better served by parents who have a little something for a rainy day, as opposed to a hack job wedding with an ipod for a DJ.
$35,000????
I'm just glad I'm not Corny's mom!!! I thought it was the marriage that was important, not the wedding. Silly me!
PS - Granted, I have been married for 22 years...but my wedding cost less than $1K. We had a lovely civil ceremony, I wore a suit, he wore his uniform; we paid for the celebrant, the flowers, the rings and the photographer. The cake was a wedding gift, as was the lovely hotel for the wedding night...my parents and I (along with a couple of friends) catered, and we had the best ever party at my house.
Maybe some of you haven't
Maybe some of you haven't gotten married recently, but weddings are very expensive. Their $7000 budget seems pretty frugle to me. My wedding 3 years ago cost about 5 times that, and it was not extravagant by any means. Let's focus on the fact that this is a happy time for them, so try not to rain on their parade. I wish them the best of luck with the wedding planning and with their marriage!
10:00 am $4,250.00!
PT Barnum was correct...
Dang....
...frankly, it's my personal belief that you should live within your means...and spending this much on a wedding doesn't make too much sense to me...especially when you don't make a lot of money and you already have a child to think of. But, that's me...and the couple isn't in my pocket!
However, I have to say, all this back and forth about the child being born out of wedlock. Y'all are some sanctimonious people! Tell me again about the speck in you brother's eye and the plank in your own???
Bridesmaid
Everyone has their opinions but it's not really fair to point fingures or call any one names. How many of you actually know Kelly or Karl that posted something? This is a young lady and man that want to have their dream day. Does it really matter how they do it? This is their day and not mine, yours or anyone else. And really who cares how much they make or don't make, it's still their wedding. This is creative and thinking outside the box. In today's era everyone is doing something diffent and creative. I wish them the best of luck and am really excited for the two of them. Congrats