The average cost of a wedding in the UK is twenty thousand Pound Sterling (at present rate, $40,000). Twenty thousand pounds for a one day celebration! Are people totally frikkin' insane? Think of the eduction or the leisure time you could buy for that kind of money.
Bert added:
I remember, ages ago, a colleague who invited all of his coworkers (half a dozen or so, including me) out for lunch, and without any apparent reason.
Of course we were curious, and questioned him during lunch as to what occasion we were celebrating. He told us that he had been happily married ten years and had just finished, on that very day, paying off the expenses for his marriage.
He explained that, in the Polish tradition, all wedding expenses are at the charge of the groom. I'm sure the groom's family usually helps out, openly or not, but poor Larry's family just couldn't afford it. And since he had married "above his condition" (is this the correct expression?) and there was no way that his family could lose face to the other side, well, poor Larry got in debt for 10 years...
This is what makes me sick of this marriage business. I would find it pretty normal, even sweet if the goal was to make the day truly special for the newlyweds. But by subtly playing the "yours vs theirs" card, the whole marriage business manages to inflate everything out of control. Of course, one could argue that if the people involved were smart, this wouldn't happen. But pride is such a deeply rooted human emotion...
Indeed. We can blame "the industry" or "society" or this or that person or group. But the fact is that we all are participants.
For example, I can despise a wedding planner for his obscene fees, but if it was me, doing what I liked, and people were willing to pay such fees, would I really say no? I doubt it.
8 comments:
It's a huge business.
Think of how you could get in on some of that $40,000.
It all depends on how much money you have. If your net worth is US$1 million $40k is no big deal. On the other, I dont´think it´s a wise decision to spend $40k If you don´t have the money and have to incur in debt.
In the UK in the 80's they always said an engagement ring should cost a months wages. When I got to the US I was told it should be two months.
I can't remember how much we spent on ours, but it was disconcerting. My parents fronted as much for me as they did for my sister, but I feel she got the better deal. It was a big day, and a special day, but most of the day has faded in my mind.
Still you only get married once, at least in the grandiose way.
The people who say how much you should spend on an engagement ring, you will notice, are the people selling engagement rings.
Conflict of interest, I say.
Marketing, they say.
De Beers ad campaign in both countries.
It seems pretty ridiculous to throw a lot of money into the ceremony. Grandiosity has nothing to do with what you invest, it's got to do with how the ceremony is executed. Rarely is there any style and flair to a traditional wedding. It's all so bloody predictable. Frankly I don't see the point when the whole affair is boring as shit.
Now a wedding where sword duels take place, or the cake blows up... Hell, I'd pay to go to something like that. Granted, that might be just as expensive as a normal wedding, but I think the money would get put to much better use.
I remember, ages ago, a colleague who invited all of his coworkers (half a dozen or so, including me) out for lunch, and without any apparent reason.
Of course we were curious, and questioned him during lunch as to what occasion we were celebrating. He told us that he had been happily married ten years and had just finished, on that very day, paying off the expenses for his marriage.
He explained that, in the Polish tradition, all wedding expenses are at the charge of the groom. I'm sure the groom's family usually helps out, openly or not, but poor Larry's family just couldn't afford it. And since he had married "above his condition" (is this the correct expression?) and there was no way that his family could lose face to the other side, well, poor Larry got in debt for 10 years...
This is what makes me sick of this marriage business. I would find it pretty normal, even sweet if the goal was to make the day truly special for the newlyweds. But by subtly playing the "yours vs theirs" card, the whole marriage business manages to inflate everything out of control. Of course, one could argue that if the people involved were smart, this wouldn't happen. But pride is such a deeply rooted human emotion...
I'd have thought that by now women wouldn't be into the big, elaborate ceremony - look at what the whole thing symbolizes,
Post a Comment