Weddings nowadays are an expensive affair, with couples looking to tie the knot having to think about the venue, catering, the dress, and well, a million other things. But one of the most important aspects to keep your guests happy and entertained (apart from the booze) remains unchanged from years gone by: the food, obvs – especially at a Maltese wedding.

We came across these receipts issued by wedding suppliers back in 1933 and 1961 respectively, listing all the delicious Maltese sweet treats prepared for local weddings at the time, and they both offer an incredible insight into the past! 

The 1933 receipt

According to this wedding reciept (assuming we've understood the handwriting), the total cost of the wedding cake, ice-cream, panedispagna, fruit, t’artal biscuttini, pastini, perlini, and cioculatini, including the wedding car and waiter was nine Maltese liri and three shillings. And, based on the receipt’s signature and locals’ calculated assumptions, the caterer was Giovani Bonaci.

Locals are estimating that nine Maltese liri (the catering cost) back in 1933 would be a wage of six months to one year, mentioning that back in the day, weddings were also extravagant, by those measures. #Bargain or not?

The 1961 receipt

There’s quite the difference between the 1933 and 1961 receipt. For starters, the total cost of this second receipt with way fancier sweets was 58 Maltese liri and seven shillings. This included sandwiches, hors d’oeurves, kannoli tal-irkotta (ricotta-filled cannoli), almond pastini, coconut pastini (a personal fav) and toffee perlini among others.

The wedding cake price was significantly different, with the 1961 one costing eight liri, and the 1933 costing two liri and ten shillings. The 1961 caterer is easier to make out thanks to the formatted receipt! This couple chose Tanti Palmier.

Considering the fact that the value of the Maltese lira changed over time, as well as wages and costs of living rising accordingly, it’s no wonder weddings become more expensive as time goes by.

Have you come across anything like this?