Saturday, September 29, 2012

Weddings That Leave A Hole In Your Pocket


Weddings are probably the most awaited event of anyone's life. Moreover, this happens across all cultures although the traditions vary. However, the statistics of money being spent on weddings is appalling. Surprisingly, people are happy to shell out a good amount of money and haven't been even thinking to do something about it.

Isn't a wedding about two people deciding to spend the rest of their lives together? About them realizing that they have found the one, they have been looking for. Then, why does it have to be so grand that it leaves you checking for finances and counting every penny spent and every penny left.

It doesn't happen with just a few people, it's something that is followed almost everywhere. People seem to be competing to make the wedding day better that the rest and making it a 'different- from others- wedding' and a memorable event for everyone on the guest list. Well, isn't the purpose to make it memorable for the couple getting married and just the fact that they would then be pronounced as husband and wife is enough to make it memorable.

The comparison can be made to the Indian dowry system, which is followed in a few communities there. The only difference seems to be that there the groom's family officially asks for money and here that money seems to be spent on the wedding day itself.

A much known example of this to cite is the wedding of Prince William, The Duke of Cambridge and Catherine Middleton. It was estimated that the wedding cost was around $20 million. This also happened to be around the recession time.

Wouldn't it be so much better if the weddings happened in the presence of just the people who are genuinely happy to be there and so for them it would not matter how grand the event is. The wedding gifts could instead be given to the underprivileged like how a Loving Bride Gives Selfless Gift to Charity, marking the day as important not just to you but also for many people who would appreciate it.