Weddings are useless: I'll tell you from personal experience why

You must think I am so cold, reading the title above, "weddings are useless" but let's put this into perspective as I outline why I feel this way.

You already know what I am going to say as #1, I'm sure. Divorce rates, yes. That's right. I read an article recently that said Quebec has the highest level of committed relationships (with children) that work but the lowest amount of marriages.

What's happening? Apparently their relationships are successful because they are common-law.

Weddings.  Marriages.

Marriages are a legal contract and their basis of existence are mainly from religion. Since we have moved away from religious states, and most people appear secular or mixed culturally nowadays (mixed race/religion couples and families), the religious basis for a wedding is becoming less and less important. There is also less social pressure to get married.

Yet still, women and some men (and gay and lesbian etc. individuals) wish to get married! Why!?

It's a huge party.

Your friends and family get to see you have a public announcement of your commitment to one another.

You share your "special day".

You get presents. You get money.

Alright, so the last point makes a bit of sense, except for the fact that nowadays, money is tight. It's not just *me* that thinks money is tight. The whole world is tight for money.

Yet there is still an excess of expensive weddings occurring.

Look, I'm not trying to undermine the industry or individuals who make their living off of other peoples' weddings. No.

And yes, they are fun parties. I had a wedding myself, once. It was a fun party.

But the reality is that perhaps...and just perhaps...the cost isn't worth it.

For example, let's look at a reasonable budget.

Wedding Dress: $800
Tuxes: $250
Catering and Venue: $12,000 for 50 people.
Band: $800
Limo: $150
Honeymoon: $5,000

Now let's see.....take this ...add that....ummmmm

That's $19,000

If we remove the honeymoon, that's $14,000

Take in mind, most weddings are usually $20,000 and up. Some people spend about $70,000 on the wedding.

Let's imagine that 50 people show up. So you get, hey, maybe $10,000 worth of money from friends and family? That reduces your wedding to about $9,000, and then maybe a few gifts worth $5,000? But that's not cash that's just stuff, so you still have money out of your pocket. I'm thinking out loud here folks.....

Maybe my point is coming through?

Now, 2 years later, you decide - hey, you're unhappy, let's get a divorce. Okay, so a lawyer nowadays is about $350 per hour. If you're both fighting with one another, I can assure you that your legal bills will most likely reach about $25,000 each. So that's about $50,000 in total.

Just because you're both brats and need to fight about every little stupid thing.

So now, you have - together  - wasted approximately $70,000 on your "wedding" (and consequently your divorce). I'm sure you've lost a lot more money because obviously I forgot a whole bunch of numbers. I'm not an accountant.

Now let's see how much it costs for your children to get a university education.

2 chilren x 4 years @ $7,000 per year = $56,000 (yes we're not speaking ivy league here)

Congratulations. Because you need to not only get married but also pursue a divorce, you have, in the span of your lifetime, potentially wasted the cost of sending two children to university/college.

Yay You.


Now, if you want to get married - DO WHATEVER YOU WANT. Maybe one day I will get married. But I don't think I would have a huge super duper wedding unless I was super duper rich. And even then, I'd much rather spend the money on important matters, and maybe a pedicure.

I can think of so many things I could do with $70,000. I could invest it!! Wow, I could go on a world wide trip?! I could take a year off work with a family of 3 and travel europe!!!!!

WOW!

Where were we?!?

Oh yes. Weddings are useless. Honestly. I can't see why you're bothering with them. I hope you all realize how extremely financially wasteful they are nowadays.

If you want to have a public affair, go ahead, have a party. Why not. But don't waste so much of your money doing it.

Please. Feed hungry Ethiopian children if you wish to give away your money. Anything is better than wasting it on a white dress that ends up in the closet forever after.

(I'll still take a diamond ring however - FYI. Or a diamond bracelet. I said weddings are stupid. Jewellery are still a woman's best friend. Well, I don't need it, but I certainly like pretty shiny things still).

White Wedding by Billy Idol