are weddings too expensive?

taken from www.wedbykez.com
Weddings are expensive, any couple knows that regardless of what decade they got married. If you compare the average wedding in 2004 was $28,700 to the what no seems outrageous $50,000 in 2009 you can see what a healthy industry weddings are.

But mine, is not to question whether $50,000 is an astronomical amount. If we, as a society, are guilty of promoting the "wedding" over the importance of the "marriage" then we also bare the blame when it comes to why the wedding cost so much.

From the moment young girls are taught to think, they are taught to dream of their one white wedding, to plan and imagine what that day might be like, what they would wear, what they would do and sadly, there is not much mention of what the day actually means.

If you lay down the barest of bare cost the total price for a no-frills wedding is exactly the amount that you pay for your celebrant. Now, that is a massive difference compared with the $50,000 that we average on weddings this year.

I'm not for one minute suggesting that if can afford, and want, a $50,000 wedding that you shouldn't have it but I am suggesting that if as much energy went into the preparation for a life long commitment as done time spent agonising over stretch limo versus hummer then maybe more marriages would be successfull?

How much are you spending on your wedding? Do you hate yourself when you look at the total budget? Are weddings getting out of control? Leave your comments here.