By COLlive reporter
A group of competing premium vendors have teamed up to offer a new affordable wedding package to the Jewish community in Crown Heights, in light of continued financial strains.
The package, which will reflect savings of between 15% – 20% off, has been put together by a committee who arranged for the businesses to offer an affordable option for an inexpensive, yet elegant simcha.
The price begins at $14,400 and includes a spacious hall, quality catering for 280 people, the best in wedding music, respected photography and video, and fresh real flowers, organizers told COLlive.
But it’s not only the price- the lowest package being offered for the highest quality- that this group is seeking to present.
“We hope the package we are offering will really change the way people make weddings in the community,” explained Fitche Benshimon, a Crown Heights musician and participating vendor.
He said the perception that a wedding must cost $40,000 is proven wrong – “and there is no reason for a family with many weddings to arrange to spend such unnecessary amounts.”
Mendel Meyers, a known photographer in the New York wedding scene, agreed.
“Making a wedding is a financial strain for many, if not most, families in our community,” he said. “We wanted to offer a community service that is truly affordable for those people who want a beautiful wedding without going overboard.”
Participating vendors include Oholei Torah and Razag halls, Catering by Levi Feigenson and Benzion Kohen, and musicians Chony Milecki and Benshimon. Photography and Video is provided by Mendel Meyers Express or Alon Anava Precision Studios and flowers by One-of-a-Kind Flowers, owned by Shmuel Rendler.
Chony Milecki, musician and participating vendor, summed up the impressive array of businesses offering their services at a reduced rate: “We worked very hard to offer the highest quality at the lowest price.”
The reactions to this positive development await to come, but judging from one Crown Heights resident’s rant to COLlive a few months ago, this will be well received.
“Our last wedding put us in debt for a year! Someone needs to do something! Help!”
For more info, visit TheWeddingPackage.com or email [email protected]
To Book, call:
Chony Milecki – 347 439 8493
Fitche Benshimon – 718 594 3122
what if you are shluchim and have to invite the community on top of friends and relatives and end up with 400 pp?
can u pls give more info on cheap album?? that sounds rediculously cheap but would love to hear how u did that! thanks in advance
not nesecarry. nowadays you sign up for a webside like snapfish or artscow.com and you choose 800 pictures for free. I made a nice album for my wedding 6 months ago for $0.99. everyone loves it!
to #41 . If we allow ourselves to be dictated as to what we “should” rather than “could” do in the gift department…we will have alot of agmas nefesh. A Menorah is also part of the Chassan package?? Times have changed . When I got married my husbands family could not afford a fancy engagement ring. I have a very small diamond with a little blemish and I didn’t care about the size, color or whatever. My parents gave me the beginning essentials (no furniture) and we were happy. We thought differently years back. Today, it’s about showing off and… Read more »
Thank you for this whoever made it happen!
thanks for clever planning, to help good people who are all struggling to make payments happen. then we can work on paying tuition and our basic bills.
Thank you Mendel Myers and Chonie Milecki for giving back to our community! People on a budget still deserve the best vendors!
Nothing beats a community coming together to help each other – an for happy occassions too! This is so beautiful. Thank you!
I’m happy Chony Milekei is part of it! Great musician and a mentch!
mendel meyers is a real mentch!
I’m sooo exited that Mendel Meyers is part of this package. We used him twice and were thrilled with the work. The last wedding our Mechuten insisted in using someone else and we were very diasapointed 🙁
I got married two years ago, and I know my father in law is tight so I told him not to buy me anything (and he didn’t). You don’t have to do what the Johnses do!
(Incidentally I won a shas in an auction a year later, so it all worked out!)
This was arranged by the vendors themselves which is really nice and the nicest part is that on their website they write that they will include any vendor who wants to join….take advantage! I can’t wait to see which other vendors join.
Come on, jewelers? bentchers? l’chaims? sheitals?
One thing…why don’t these packages include leichter, necklace, earrings, rings, shaas etc? These items can bankrupt us and let me tell you, I gave my daughter in law rings that are top quality and a carat size thats comparable with her friends. She chose her necklace and also her ring setting which was almost $1000. I didnt want to be cheap so I swallowed the cost and she is happy.We bought our chassanim top notch shaas bechers, menorahs, tallis/tefillin bags etc. It would be nice if vendors could offer deals on these things as well. These are costs that people… Read more »
I used one of a kind for every simcha and they are a pleasure to work with. So are Choni Milecki & Alon Anava. May we all be zoche to make many simchas in a balabatishe way so we can still afford the next one!
Thank you all for your wonderful compliments. I’m looking forward to continue serving the CH community. One correction; “Mendel Meyers Express” package indeed includes 8 hours of photography and 6 hours of video coverage.
Since the “8 hours of video coverage” has been published already, I’ll honor the first 5 customers with 8 hours of coverage at no charge.
they did a beautiful job!! with the best prices out there!!
I used them for all my Chasunas.
Go Rendlers! One of a Kind is the BEST!
Used one in England and USA. Brilliant most things covered always a few extras and 50/ 50 us the best way means that its about 7500 each
Kol Hakovod for making this package, it is amazing that the community finally stood together and accomplished something for our community
For those that this package can help…great grab it..it sounds amazing and affordable
However in my opinion they should offer upgrades for example for more people…Most families I know Kein Ayin Hora come from large families, some of us have close to 100 people in just grandparents, aunt uncles and first cousins, and thats just one side of the family. When making a wedding you have to remember there are 2 sides doing the inviting.
if you have a smaller wedding, less than 280 ppl, then how much will it cost??? will it still be discounted? that would also be a huge mitzva for those who mamash cannot afford.
But kol hakavod to these efforts….this is an example for others.
Am I the only one who is shocked that this is considered reasonable? We bring in reasonable income- above the crown heights average and after tuition and living expenses there is no way 14k is doable. Who can afford such expensive weddings? Why does anyone need 250 people?
What is Mendel Meyers Express? How is this different to his regular wedding package?
I gave up trying to figure it out after about $15,000 but a big part of the problem was machatonim demands and the hidden costs we were told we had to cover, no choice. This could work very well for a 50-50 simcha. Like 18 said there’s invitations, bentchers and booze. Chosson pays for Chuppah and Rav. Personally, I don’t see why it is mandatory or necessary to have wine (at least 2 bottles per table) and free flowing bars AND chosson pouring large shots of Grey Goose (or better) and top scotch.That was over $2000 at my last simcha.… Read more »
This is wonderful keep the positive things coming and let this open the gates of heven to bring many weddings
PLEASE MAKE A PACKAGE FOR LECHAIMS
I hear CJ STUDIOS is offering a package that offer Photo @ Video for around $2000 with stunning work !!!! They are a great option for a fraction of the prices people are normally charging!
Yosher Koach!!
Greatly appreciated and needed!!!
We just had Levy cater a wedding and the food and service was amazing!! So glad that he is part of this great package!
What about deducting for smaller crowd?
Who is in charge of this package deal?
This initiative is so heartwarming that it prompted my first ever COL comment.
Yasher Koach to the participants, and may the Aibishter repay you many times over for your concern and efforts.
Of particular interest here is that this did not come from the CHJCC or some other bumbling alphabet bureaucracy: but from the men and women themselves who can make this happen and wanted to.
is the BEST !!!!!!!!!
excellent we got a wonderful package but not enough shidduchim so please get up and come share profiles @[email protected] and lets share more simchos!!!
Wow.. What a great package.. I’m impressed that such a high end photographer is part of such a great package. Kol hakovod to Mendel Meyers on giving back to his community.
Dj Kozy
You can pay to have more guests, more musicians, etc. It’s limited, but the option is there.
Wow, I did a wedding and it cost close to $25K for basics!
Does this assume that both families are going to split the costs? Yeah, I’d like to see that happen…
Lots of costs not covered: invitations, chuppah (and sound system,etc.), mashke, bentchers, and so on. It’s all of the “little extras” that really add up, plus makeup, hair, gowns, and more.
Is there a breakdown available for families that insist on only paying for ‘FLOP’?
Can one upgrade for more food by the Simchas Chossen v’Kallah or to hire a singer or does that exclude them from the package deal?
Is there a comparable package for smaller groups?
how much extra does it cost for albums and more time for the band and photographer?
This package gives you more for your money!
He did a superb job on my wedding pics and video!
No-one beats him. Period.
Why not throw in at least 1 basic photo album for the Chassan Kallah. That is usually deemed important for the young couple.
I know someone who is using this package, saving them a boatload of many and still a beautiful wedding, no one would know the difference. the question is why wouldnt someone use this package
Great vendors and a transparent package. Wow!
this is how a community should be caring for each other!
you have no idea how touched i am that this was done and how much this will be of help! may hashem bless you with parnasa and gezunt
we should take a cue from the ‘secular velt’ ….on this one…they only invite their closest friends and family, the people the choson kallah really want at their wedding anyway, not their parent’s friends etc. in the good weather they have backyard or tent weddings , or they get married in their shuls……not too expensive……everything looks beautiful, simple, elegant, good music, good food and good photos to remember…close friends say a few words, the focus is on the chosson kallah, and shocking as it may be, the young couple even get to sit together at their own wedding!!! vos noch… Read more »
I guess u meant ‘yasher koach’. I know a relative of mine just used a package and it was beautiful but they couldn’t choose the musician they wanted which was a bummer so I’m glad everyone’s on board this time and I’m happy that they price is even less!
U get high quality. Enders like mendel meyers studio for an affordable price. Too bad this came out after ii finished marrying my kids off
This is great. Curious what happens if there are more than 280 people. Sometimes although we would like to cut the wedding invite list drastically..it seems impossible, especially when you are related to 3/4 of Lubavitch. A friend of mine tried to cut her list and only got negative responses from friends and extended family that were not invited…they were insulted. Kol Hakovod to this Simcha plan and I hope a new trend will start with smaller and less expensive weddings.
I know there was a similar package offered but they didn’t want to include all the vendors. Taster koach to all the vendors that pulled this off on their own. They should all be benched with hatzlacha!!
takonos packages in the willi and bp communities offer all of the above for 320 people, plus singer and badchan, no video, more elaborate kabolos ponim shmorg, no flowers for 13,000$
I attended a relative’s wedding in Montreal 3 years ago. The parents purchased a similar package. The wedding was elegant and classy, for a very reasonable price!
wow!!! something we’ve been waiting for, for years!!
Not done marrying the kids off & it’s killing me. This will be helpful to most of the community. The people with more money to spend will continue to outscore each other on the 10 piece bands, dinner for 500 and a lavish smorg and viennese.
The rendlers rock the house!!!! Go dovid!!!