[poundwise]

This is not in response to any posting in this thread, just a general comment on the subject.

I think what many people plan, do, and spend for a wedding ceremony and the surrounding trappings is completely asinine.

I know a couple who, a few years ago, had a wedding that cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $50,000. The father of the bride paid for most of it but the bride and groom fronted about $10,000 themselves and then spent an additional $10,000 on their honeymoon; largely on credit cards.

Three years later, they were in bankruptcy and contemplating divorce.

Besides the fact that $50K-60K could have been better spent and a fine wedding could be had for far less, I find the largest misgiving about weddings to be the reasoning that this is the most important day of your life and so, apparently, should be extravagant.

While I agree that the day of your marriage (not specifically your wedding ceremony, reception, etc.) is huge on the importance scale, far more important than if you had goldfish in bowls or released a hundred doves, etc. is what you start to do with your lives from that day forward. In my view, being foolish and wasteful on the day you begin a new life together is not setting the right precedent for the future.

I'm glad to see so many postings here talking in more sensible terms. I wish more people would put the greater emphasis and effort on their marriage and life together following the honeymoon as they do for the wedding day itself.