Ah, weddings. Often over the top, sometimes sappy, always romantic and often a catalyst for the inevitable question: is all that hype, expense, planning, stress and anxiety really all that worthwhile?
I get it. Your wedding day is supposed to be the most important day of your life. I understand that most women dream of the day they will walk down the aisle in a perfect white dress being showered in confetti, while the groom stands there grinning proudly at the sight of her in an outfit (albeit it resembling a cupcake).
But I often wonder … for those of you who did the whole shebang, if you had to do it all over again, would you do the same?
Actress Salma Hayak says "no way". To her, big weddings are indeed a waste of money. She says that, for her second time around, she'll ensure that she doesn't mix up the wedding part with the real meaning of marriage.
"I think a wedding is about love, friends, family and fun," she told reporters. "I think spending millions of dollars on a wedding is ridiculous and it has never been my dream."
Despite some sharing Hayak's view, the wedding industry is still having the last laugh. Capitalising on the emotion we attach to the big day, the industry is now worth a whopping $2 million in Australia. Seriously.
And the most worrying fact of all is that many weddings in Australia are costing in excess of $20,000.
So who's to blame?
Sure, it's worth celebrating (in a big way) the fact that you've finally pinned down that magical dude who defied the notion that there's a Great Australian Man Drought. Sure, you should be shouting from the rooftops (or from the church steeple) that you've finally found a man who likes you enough to call you "the one" and doesn't mind your penchant for clipping your toenails in the living room and can actually stomach being related to your mum.
But hold on for just a moment. Has anyone ever stopped to ask what "marriage" actually means? Or are so many folks (mainly women) way too focused on the one-night party?
I have many weddings to attend this year. Overseas, in Sydney, at parks, in churches, at expensive hotels … the list goes on.
And they're causing all sorts of problems. Do the single girls get to bring their latest squeezes? What is an appropriate gift when the couple is asking for cash? Are there going to be enough hot groomsmen for all the single desperate bridesmaids?
And do we really have to fork out that much cash for the plane ticket?
Polly McGregor, a publicist, says her friend's destination wedding in Mexico cost her a couple of thousand dollars. However, she had no choice but to go.
"There was no way around it. I would have been branded selfish if I didn't go. I probably would have lost a friendship if I didn't attend, even after I expressed to her that I was financially in a bind and couldn't really afford to take off work."
It's no wonder there is so much anti-wedding sentiment … at least from the guests. In fact there's even an entire website dedicated to hating weddings titled IHateWeddings.com… and the comments in response to the website creator's first article are astounding.
But one comment caught my eye: MrsBrideToBe claimed that, of course, many people say they hate weddings. But, to her, those who voice their frustration at the industry are really only doing it because of one thing: they're just darn jealous.
She might have a point.
Either way, whether you love or hate weddings; whether you're going to spend tens of thousands on yours, or you'd prefer to elope, I think there's one thing we all have to remember: weddings are about the marriage. And the marriage is about two people becoming a team who are uniting against the world. The party is just the by-product … so relax and enjoy it … no matter how you choose to do it.
I get it. Your wedding day is supposed to be the most important day of your life. I understand that most women dream of the day they will walk down the aisle in a perfect white dress being showered in confetti, while the groom stands there grinning proudly at the sight of her in an outfit (albeit it resembling a cupcake).
But I often wonder … for those of you who did the whole shebang, if you had to do it all over again, would you do the same?
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Actress Salma Hayak says "no way". To her, big weddings are indeed a waste of money. She says that, for her second time around, she'll ensure that she doesn't mix up the wedding part with the real meaning of marriage.
"I think a wedding is about love, friends, family and fun," she told reporters. "I think spending millions of dollars on a wedding is ridiculous and it has never been my dream."
Despite some sharing Hayak's view, the wedding industry is still having the last laugh. Capitalising on the emotion we attach to the big day, the industry is now worth a whopping $2 million in Australia. Seriously.
And the most worrying fact of all is that many weddings in Australia are costing in excess of $20,000.
So who's to blame?
Sure, it's worth celebrating (in a big way) the fact that you've finally pinned down that magical dude who defied the notion that there's a Great Australian Man Drought. Sure, you should be shouting from the rooftops (or from the church steeple) that you've finally found a man who likes you enough to call you "the one" and doesn't mind your penchant for clipping your toenails in the living room and can actually stomach being related to your mum.
But hold on for just a moment. Has anyone ever stopped to ask what "marriage" actually means? Or are so many folks (mainly women) way too focused on the one-night party?
I have many weddings to attend this year. Overseas, in Sydney, at parks, in churches, at expensive hotels … the list goes on.
And they're causing all sorts of problems. Do the single girls get to bring their latest squeezes? What is an appropriate gift when the couple is asking for cash? Are there going to be enough hot groomsmen for all the single desperate bridesmaids?
And do we really have to fork out that much cash for the plane ticket?
Polly McGregor, a publicist, says her friend's destination wedding in Mexico cost her a couple of thousand dollars. However, she had no choice but to go.
"There was no way around it. I would have been branded selfish if I didn't go. I probably would have lost a friendship if I didn't attend, even after I expressed to her that I was financially in a bind and couldn't really afford to take off work."
It's no wonder there is so much anti-wedding sentiment … at least from the guests. In fact there's even an entire website dedicated to hating weddings titled IHateWeddings.com… and the comments in response to the website creator's first article are astounding.
But one comment caught my eye: MrsBrideToBe claimed that, of course, many people say they hate weddings. But, to her, those who voice their frustration at the industry are really only doing it because of one thing: they're just darn jealous.
She might have a point.
Either way, whether you love or hate weddings; whether you're going to spend tens of thousands on yours, or you'd prefer to elope, I think there's one thing we all have to remember: weddings are about the marriage. And the marriage is about two people becoming a team who are uniting against the world. The party is just the by-product … so relax and enjoy it … no matter how you choose to do it.
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