free service...

For the past week, I have been contacting our local newspapers to submit the information for Jacquie & Dan's wedding announcement. The local Williamsport paper, the Sun-Gazette, will be publishing their photo and the writeup in this coming Sunday's edition on Mother's Day (what a nice coincidence!). The East Lycoming Shopper, which is distributed to every home in the area (at no charge) will also be publishing the announcement within the next couple of weeks.

And - you might ask - how much are these newspapers charging me for this service? NOTHING. Absolutely nothing. No charge.

I thought it would be nice to announce the wedding in Connecticut, where Jacquie lived and graduated from high school, so I checked into sending the announcement to the Hartford Courant. Online, it states: Our Classified department publishes wedding announcements on Sundays in our Life section and online at courant.com. The cost for a standard 2" announcement is $94.24.

$94.24? You've got to be kidding!

I also emailed the local newpaper for central Connecticut, The Journal Inquirer. An employee replied: The JI has a wedding form that will need to be filled out. If you would like, I'll mail a form to your Williamsport address. There is a fee of $29 per announcement.

So I replied:

I am sorry but I am no longer interested in submitting this information. Here in central Pennsylvania, none of the local newspapers charge any fee for any announcement in their Life sections. They provide this free service to the community. I think it is outrageous that Connecticut newspapers charge fees for publication of engagements, weddings, anniversaries, etc. I lived in Bolton for over twenty years and was constantly reminded of the extremely high cost of living there. I am sorry - you have no control over this matter but I wanted to express my disappointment and frustration.

I know the cost of living in Connecticut is very high (at least 20% higher than central PA)...my friend told me recently that her second floor condo in central CT (1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, kitchen, living room) is worth just as much as my home in central PA (3 bedrooms, 1 1/2 bath, kitchen, living room, dining room, back porch with hot tub, fenced-in yard, and one-car garage) - $80,000. Unbelievable, huh? I know.

And don't get me started on those crazy CT drivers!

People ask me if I miss Connecticut. No. No, I don't. I miss my friends who live there but that is all. I still can't believe the Courant charges almost a hundred dollars for a 2-inch announcement. That is almost as much as I spent on Jacquie's wedding gown!