We Need 50/50 Raffles At Weddings

Alright so a clip has come out via Pardon My Take that a wedding of 270 people received back $3000 in cash as gifts, and instead of shaming those wedding guests (which I will still do) I am here to help fix it. 

Let's first shame the guests. 

Actually let's first celebrate the bride and groom (kind of). 

Paying for your own wedding is a bitch. I did it and we booked a place that wasn't a traditional wedding venue it was more of an event space that could hold a wedding. Which meant we had to bring in all the vendors and coordinate a lot of moving parts (advice to all: get a day of coordinator- trust me). I'll never forget my best friend calling me on Wednesday of wedding week saying he looked up the venue and was intrigued as to what it included. I said the tables chairs and 4 walls. He immediately said "are you out of your mind?" referring to how much work that entails. I replied "its a little late now." So all the planning was a bear and we paid for everything ourselves and it turned out terrific so credit to these two for taking on that endeavor, it's something they should be proud of. 

Now these fucking guests ... listen the rule of thumb is cover your plate meaning if it's $200 a head you give a gift of $400 minimum. Now I also understand weddings have become insanely gaudy and paying near $1000 for a couple is not feasible for everyone, and the value of being at someone's wedding should mean a lot if your are really good friends with someone. Also people are art different phases of life and incomes and just because you picked a $500 a plate wedding doesn't mean your dear friend barely making it by is any less of your friend if he doesn't stuff his card full of hundreds. At least that's how I was raised. A healthy mix of the rules of "cover your plate" and "friendships matter more than money". But my God dude and average of $11 a person as a gift? Holy fucking hell. How are earth can these people sleep at night? Where did they think they got married a Taco Bell? $11 is essentially a slap in the face. Especially if you knew the people broke their ass and paid for it themselves. Disgusting. 

In an unrelated/ semi related note ... I think we need 50/50's at weddings. 

I suggested this on Healthy Debate and it turns out someone actually did it. 

My rationale is that weddings are very interchangeable. You remember the really good ones and the really bad ones ands the rest all just mesh together. If you wanted to do something to stand out, a 50/50 is the way to go. Can you imagine the conversations at the cubes the next week??

"How was Bill and Mary's wedding?"

"It was awesome I won the 50/50" 

Incredible. People would be hooked. What do you mean you won the 50/50? Does anyone going to the next wedding need a plus one? Everyone would be clamoring to attend the 50/50 wedding. Forget getting excited about meat or fish, people want the action. 

Now as the official chairman of the 50/50 at weddings I think there should be some rules and parameters. 

A- it should be discreet. 

It's still a wedding. Do not have a girl or boy walking around with a bucket and tickets on the dance floor or at tables. There needs to be some decorum. Very simple have a person from your town you trust, or a local business owner or a friend of a friend sit at a very small table in the corner with a manilla envelope and a very small sign the size of a sheet of paper, and a pen to write their name on the tickets. That's it. People walk up and quietly pay for their tickets. When it's time for the drawing (literally at the end of the night like the last song) the DJ makes a very quick announcement congrats to _____ for winning the 50/50) that's it. No big production just straight business. 

2- You can't give it back.

The thrill of this thing is someone wins. You can't just hand it back to the bride and groom. If the person wants to buy them a gift with it after for Christmas that's ok, or blow it all on the bar tab at the afterparty as a gift as well that's great but someone wins this thing and you have to take the money. 

D- Deciding where the other 50% goes. 

In a case like the people above who were hard pressed to pay for their own wedding, the 50% should go towards the honeymoon. 

If people are well off and got help from their parents the other 50% should be donated to a children's hospital or a cause they are very passionate about. 

Win win for everyone. 

I may be crazy...but I think this thing can work. The listener who tried it said it was awesome, so hopefully it's just the beginning.