Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Weddings: And Tales of the Evil "Wedding Industry Monster"



Sometimes weddings make me angry.

I don't say this because I'm currently stressing out planning my own wedding (well, maybe a little). I blame it on this whole "Wedding Industry Monster" created by society that keeps getting over fed by little girls who grew up with a deluded dream of a 'Cinderella Wedding'. It also seems that family and friends also feed into this 'wedding monster' with their own expectations and ideas about what you "really should have" for your big day. There are countless shows on T.V. that sensationalize and promote these grand, expensive wedding themes and create this sort of expectation of what you need to do - And it's all so very frustrating.

When I hear women talk about their wedding day, they speak of it as if it's the only day in their life where they get to be a princess. These women make it sound as if this is their ONE day  to be truly special. You hear them loudly proclaiming, "This is MY day!".  This is just really sad. If your wedding day is your only chance to feel truly important and special then you are living a very pathetic existence. And to all the Bridezilla's out there- stop saying it's "MY day".  There's also a Groom who's getting married... so it's "YOUR day"... together.. two people.. marriage.



Another point that I find really upsetting about Weddings these days is that it seems like people have forgotten the true meaning of why they're getting married. It's about celebrating your new union together with family and friends. That's the beginning and the end of it. Of course it's very deep seeded and traditional to celebrate with specific things such as food, music, dancing, and so on. But the 'Wedding Industry' has turned it all into a big fat, hungry 'Wedding Monster'. Now getting married has become an endless list of things you have to do for your special day. You need the best: Venue, Church, 2 or 3 photographers, video-grapher, appetizers, linens, crystal, party favors, 'save the date' invitations, formal invitations, midnight buffets, open bar, wine on every table, limousines for the wedding party (to the church- to the reception), flowers everywhere, bouquets, boutonnieres, elaborate lighting, smoke machines, a rehearsal-followed by a rehearsal dinner, a party bus for guests, dessert buffets, a fancy wedding cake, entertainment, pre-wedding mani's/pedi's/hair/make-up/spray tan/waxing, special wedding night lingerie, Thank You cards, photo booths for guests, a Grand Exit Celebration, and a Honey Moon!

*Not to mention prior to the wedding: An engagement party, Engagement photo shoot, Stag & Doe, Bachelorette Party, Bachelor Party, Bridal Shower.... Good Sweet Moses... I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

Another point of contention I have with Weddings is that it's generally viewed as 'unacceptable' and 'tacky' to ask for 'cash only/monetary' gifts. These are usually the same people who have no problem sticking out their grubby paws and asking for money by creating their own "Stag & Doe" party, where they ask friends and families to buy tickets to celebrate their upcoming nuptials. I'm sorry...maybe I'm slow. But that seems completely hippo-critical.



Back to the Wedding Monster- do you know what the Wedding Monster's favorite food is???  MONEY! And it will eat all of your money... including all the money you can BORROW from the bank!  I seriously think that people who work in the Wedding Industry think we all have "SUCKER" written on our foreheads. I recently read someone's wedding blog where they tried to justify and rationalize all the money they spent for their wedding. The author said it was all worth it because with it she created a "singular emotional experience". *Cough*... I call 'Bull-S*#T"!  That's one bloody expensive emotional experience. Guess what lady? You can get those for free. And don't even get me started on people who go into debt for a big wedding.. that literally makes ZERO sense... much like those people in general.

Your wedding is a special day where you and your partner celebrate your new union together with your loved ones. Above and beyond that, it's whatever you TWO want it to be. There's absolutely NO reason that justifies going into debt for this occasion and buying into the Wedding Industry's deluded vision of what you NEED for your wedding- the same goes for your friends and families expectations. I realize it's hard not to fall victim to other people's demands.. let alone your own unrealistic, delusional, expensive demands. Try to remember what's most important on your wedding day and say to yourself, "As long as I'm with the person I Love, and getting married to them... that's all that really matters" :D


Cheers,
Bootsy :D

2 comments:

  1. Totally agree!!! I think you would enjoy this book: http://www.amazon.com/Brides-Inc-American-Weddings-Tradition/dp/0812220455 details how all the industries that profit from lavish weddings have played a role in suggesting we "have to" have all these things ... better to not be broke than reliving a single day forever!!

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  2. Thanks Jessica!! I completely agree! I'll definitely be checking out that book.

    There is so much more to life.. things to enjoy.. moments to capture... things that don't cost the equivalent of a down payment on a house. This sounds super cheese-ball, but the best things in life are free.

    I've also noticed this gradual shift towards sensationalizing every 'mile stone' in a person's life. From my own personal experience there were only a few key events that you 'went all out for'.. but nowadays everything's a big deal. For example, key mile stones used to be graduating elementary school/junior high, graduating high school/prom, graduating from post secondary school, marriage, then babies. Nowadays, there's a huge fuss over all of these 'new' big, important moments, for example: graduation from junior and senior kindergarten is a big deal, Prom seems to be more sensationalized now than before, there are now elaborate Engagement photo shoots/cards, Pregnancy photo shoots, New born Photo shoots, etc.

    Oh well... somebody out there is cleaning up big time on all of this lol

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