It takes months of stress for everyone involved to plan a one-day party. Limited return on investment?

It costs about a year’ salary, but you quite possibly can’t afford a home and wouldn’t think about paying for a private school for your kids’ better education.

Your marriage probably won’t last.

Everyone thinks their wedding is gonna be unique, but they’re almost all pretty much the same.

There’s not an ounce of similarity in a wedding to your everyday life.

Lots of people get inconvenienced at great cost to attend, some flying in from thousands of miles away.

Most of these people you hardly know, if at all.

Few people actually have a fabulous time, though many pretend they do.

The food isn’t so memorable. I could have my favorite dinner for under 15 bucks, but I’ll bet most weddings budget more than that.

The couple probably won’t be all that happy with their pictures, and even if they are, how often are they gonna look at them?

There’s always a few dicks at the reception.

You have to dress up uncomfortably and smell good and be on time.

You have to try to figure out a way to get out early when you’re tired of being there, but you don’t want to look like a jerk.

You have to have a permanent smile all day long when you’re the “happy couple”. Not easy to do.

You could get hundreds of pretty flowers at Trader Joe’s that people can take home for a fraction of the price of the overly pretentious bouquets they put on the table that get thrown away, just so the planners and florists can rape you (financially).

Vegetarians are never super happy with teir food selection.

A lot of people who feel awkward around certain other friends and family are pretty much forced to be there, pretending.

People get all formal and stuff, where they’re never like that in their daily lives.

People get drunk, and that’s never good.

People have to pretend they’re a lot more religious and optimistic about marriage than they really are.

The bands usually aren’t anything to write home about. DJ’s are better, but we’ve all heard this stuff before.

The VIPs sit at the table up front and make silly speeches and look like “The Last Supper”.

You’ll complain later about the things that didn’t go right.

Stress, stress, stress. Money, money, money. Pretentiousness, pretentiousness, pretentiousness.

What a pain in the ass. I’d rather go to Marine World.

I think ALL women are entitled to a beautiful day, but I think what makes a wedding most special is the look in your husbands eyes as you exchange vows, the smiles on your loved ones faces, the beauty around you that is simple and understated.

Not all of us can be princesses that live in castles, but we can be imaginative and not have to out do every other princess out there that wants to have the bigger and better wedding.

How about donating your time to a charity on this day? Remember, weddings can’t always be about you as a couple. It’s about emitting the love you share as a couple to those around you.

I am getting married this June, and I was hoping to keep the cost to around $3,000, but it is closer to $4,000 after everything has been tallied up. The biggest expense, (not included in this 4K budget) is my engagement ring, which is 5K. My guest list is frozen at 30 people. Only immediate family is invited, plus one best man and one bridesmaid. I chose a Sunday, in the evening, for both my ceremony and the reception, saving thousands. Because I do not want to stint on good food and good wine for my family, the venue is a beautiful historic mansion overlooking the Pacific Ocean and Santa Cruz, with in-house chef and restaurant. I also wanted a good photographer, since photos and videos will be the only things left of the wedding long after the flowers have wilted and the cake has been eaten. I will be ordering fresh flowers and making the table arrangements and bouquets myself, and I will be making my own invitations. The money I saved by being frugal will go towards the down-payment for a house in the Santa Cruz area. I think THAT is something worth splurging money on.

She says she only knows one person with a cheaper wedding. That person spent $30, but it was 30 years before her, so she figures she wins after inflation.

(her boss didn’t believe she was really getting married, so he didn’t give her the day off…he still doesn’t believe she’s married, about 20 years later)

Tell me you’ve never made an extravagant purchase purchase? If so, I have nothing but pity for you. We’re only on this earth for so long, why not put our five senses to good use.

Even though it’s a ton of money, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share a beautiful few days with everyone you love. These chances don’t come around that often, and they’re worth the price. My feeling is that as long as we’re still meeting our savings goals, and not financing the wedding (rather, paying in hard-saved cash), it’s fine to spend on this sort of occasion.