Today while chatting with my girls we began discussing the wedding industry. The hoopla and money associate with a wedding. During this conversation I stated that how happy I am I didn’t stick with the original budget we had for our wedding. How I would be mad if I had spent that much now that I am married.
Some times I feel like I am anti-weddings. It might be from being on The Knot (TK) since this past July. Or seeing couples, especially the women, put so much work, time and focus into their wedding and its over in a snap! Some spend a year or more planning their wedding. Researching, looking, buying and stressing over every detail of it and the day is over before you know it. I am NOT saying don’t do what YOU want, but do NOT get caught up in the hype!
I mean seriously, would you put this much time in planning a party? A get together? A retirement party? Nope... so why your wedding? It's technically a party. It is a celebration of your union. Definition of wedding (1) a marriage ceremony usually with its accompanying festivities (2) an act, process, or instance of joining in close association
I think the wedding industry tells and shows us we should do this and that, but who says we have to? Why can't you just have something simple or do what fits you? Some say because it is expected to be an elaborate (or close to it) event. Originally my husband and I would have spent at least 12K because of the venue I just had to have, but then I realized um... it's not THAT serious!
We, brides, fall for the hype almost every time. Some say they don't want to regret doing it big the first go around. Who says what you want isn’t doing it big? Why isn’t your desires good enough?
I dare you to say engagement pictures to someone who isn’t married or engaged and see if they know what you talking about (shoot some of them don’t know). They think you took some pictures at Sears or Walmart. Most folks / guest know nothing about weddings and think whatever you do at your wedding is GREAT. They are not on TK and know about all this crap that those of us who have been sucked into the wedding industry, etiquette and sites. As a guest do you really care if your chair has a sash or even a cover! A chair is a chair! No matter what color they are still chairs! Like Tia said “Chairs are for butts!” Do you really have to have a seating chart or place cards? Does not having any of these things make your day any less special?
I promise you I knew nothing about a lot of stuff before I got on TK! I knew nothing about bridals or boudoir pictures. Shoot my husband can just take my boudoir pictures! Then I won’t even have to explain who took them and if they were male or female.
Before being on TK I thought the weddings I been to were nice, but now I find some of them cheesy. I am starting to think we're being brainwashed by the wedding industry. I know I catch myself thinking the way "they" want you to think and believing that certain things are necessary. When reality is the only things required is the bride, groom and minister or officiate.
Some say we are being brainwashed by TK, but I feel it is the industry overall. The venues do it, photographers do it, bakers do it and bridal shops do it. They tell you what the trend is. Ask are you doing this or that and say that most couples choose it. They are telling you what to do and milking you for your cash. “Have this” “Have that” “Use this” “Use that” It’s more money for them.
So who do we blame? Anything you attach the word wedding to cost more. Even bridal magazines is more than regular magazines. It's the industry in general. We can’t put all the blame on a certain individual or company.
Like I said before, I realize that I'm getting caught up in the hoopla of TK. I’m over analyzing things. Viewing stuff I would of “Oooooo” and “Awww’d” at before as cheap. Yes, I have learned more about weddings but I do not feel my standards should have changed. Well at least not this much. I just feel some of us need to take a real hard look at our plans, views and actions. Some are trying to impress other knotties, yes it really is a competition for some. Others are trying to “keep up with the Joneses.” Some just like what they see and want to do it all. You can have it all, but at what price? Let’s not get so caught up in the hype that we lose sight of WHY we are getting married.
Some times I feel like I am anti-weddings. It might be from being on The Knot (TK) since this past July. Or seeing couples, especially the women, put so much work, time and focus into their wedding and its over in a snap! Some spend a year or more planning their wedding. Researching, looking, buying and stressing over every detail of it and the day is over before you know it. I am NOT saying don’t do what YOU want, but do NOT get caught up in the hype!
I mean seriously, would you put this much time in planning a party? A get together? A retirement party? Nope... so why your wedding? It's technically a party. It is a celebration of your union. Definition of wedding (1) a marriage ceremony usually with its accompanying festivities (2) an act, process, or instance of joining in close association
I think the wedding industry tells and shows us we should do this and that, but who says we have to? Why can't you just have something simple or do what fits you? Some say because it is expected to be an elaborate (or close to it) event. Originally my husband and I would have spent at least 12K because of the venue I just had to have, but then I realized um... it's not THAT serious!
We, brides, fall for the hype almost every time. Some say they don't want to regret doing it big the first go around. Who says what you want isn’t doing it big? Why isn’t your desires good enough?
I dare you to say engagement pictures to someone who isn’t married or engaged and see if they know what you talking about (shoot some of them don’t know). They think you took some pictures at Sears or Walmart. Most folks / guest know nothing about weddings and think whatever you do at your wedding is GREAT. They are not on TK and know about all this crap that those of us who have been sucked into the wedding industry, etiquette and sites. As a guest do you really care if your chair has a sash or even a cover! A chair is a chair! No matter what color they are still chairs! Like Tia said “Chairs are for butts!” Do you really have to have a seating chart or place cards? Does not having any of these things make your day any less special?
I promise you I knew nothing about a lot of stuff before I got on TK! I knew nothing about bridals or boudoir pictures. Shoot my husband can just take my boudoir pictures! Then I won’t even have to explain who took them and if they were male or female.
Before being on TK I thought the weddings I been to were nice, but now I find some of them cheesy. I am starting to think we're being brainwashed by the wedding industry. I know I catch myself thinking the way "they" want you to think and believing that certain things are necessary. When reality is the only things required is the bride, groom and minister or officiate.
Some say we are being brainwashed by TK, but I feel it is the industry overall. The venues do it, photographers do it, bakers do it and bridal shops do it. They tell you what the trend is. Ask are you doing this or that and say that most couples choose it. They are telling you what to do and milking you for your cash. “Have this” “Have that” “Use this” “Use that” It’s more money for them.
So who do we blame? Anything you attach the word wedding to cost more. Even bridal magazines is more than regular magazines. It's the industry in general. We can’t put all the blame on a certain individual or company.
Like I said before, I realize that I'm getting caught up in the hoopla of TK. I’m over analyzing things. Viewing stuff I would of “Oooooo” and “Awww’d” at before as cheap. Yes, I have learned more about weddings but I do not feel my standards should have changed. Well at least not this much. I just feel some of us need to take a real hard look at our plans, views and actions. Some are trying to impress other knotties, yes it really is a competition for some. Others are trying to “keep up with the Joneses.” Some just like what they see and want to do it all. You can have it all, but at what price? Let’s not get so caught up in the hype that we lose sight of WHY we are getting married.
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