Most weddings seem to be overblown affairs these days, these women are no different than most in that respect.
I don't even think most are big ploys to get presents, really, thousands more is spent on the wedding itself these days than they will get in presents. It's just a fantasy that sucks women in... The desire to have the gorgeous designer princess fantasy they see in wedding magazines. It gives them an excuse to spend six months to a year deciding on flowers and napkins and typefaces and play dressup.
Myself, I was never keen on the Princess Plan. Many friends tried to involve me in theirs and many tried to get me to care about napkins on my own. We did throw a fantastic party, truth be told, but I tried to keep it just that, a party everyone would actually have fun at.
How do they pay for these things is what I can't figure...
We had nothing, and got married in our backyard ( confession- we were playing house). The dress was a prom dress, off the rack. Mr. RB was in a rented tux. Future in-laws made a ham and other food, and my sister did the flowers.
I think the whole thing cost $250.00.
I guess it sufficed as we're still married 25 yrs later.
I wonder sometimes if the trauma of preparing a wedding production is a test by fire for the wedding. The couple gets so lost in planning a party that they forget to plan a life after the party.
Then again, most young ladies are not agreeable to the "elvis chappel"
Heh, me either. Of course, I was married in the mid-70's when the 'simple wedding' was all the rage. My dress cost exactly $36, and I sewed it myself. A week before the wedding, I was doing the final 'hand work', sewing the hem on the lace capelet at my desk during down times at work. My boss walked in and was stuned that I was making it myself!
Our flowers were simple, and they only cost $72, half of which was my wedding bouquet! My Granny said I was going to have a 'hippie wedding' because I was wearing flowers in my long hair rather than a veil, and we were going to have a folk Mass! LOL!
My 3 attendants wore the same design dress as I, but in a mango color with the capelet in white eyelet and a flower pattern on it in mango, purple and green! They were really cute! The men wore suits, NOT tuxes, and the reception was a punch and cake affair in the Church Hall. My cake didn't cost me anything because my older sister made it for me as a wedding gift, and it was beautiful and vey tasty. The real party was at Mama's afterwards with the food brought by my Aunts; ham, fried chicken, potato salad, beer and drinks!
Including the Rehearsal dinner, I doubt our wedding cost more than $500, and it was very lovely and memorable.