Doonesbury by Garry Trudeau for September 01, 2019

Can’t people go down to City Hall or their family house of worship? Why does every other wedding have to be in Hawaii?

“Dean Kaitlin, Thank you for formally notifying me of the end of our friendship. Best regards.”

“Dear kaitlin , I’ m sorry but for that day I will attend to a funeral party” .

My wife and I eloped, called our parents next day. Easy.

My wedding was in my parents’ house (so no one’s “religion” could be involved) and that suited us fine. The big splurge was the reception at the Four Season’s Hotel in Vancouver (my sister negotiated it down to actual cost, for sending lots of business their way. ;-) . We got some nice gifts, but no one spent more than about $30 on one. Parents gave stuff worth much more, however. I paid for my bridesmaid’s dress and the fellows rented theirs. It’s ridiculous to go over the top for a wedding that will eventually end in divorce.

‘Dear Kaitlin, Congratulations and thank you for the invitation. I will not be able to attend, but in lieu of a gift, I’ve decided to make donations in your name to the Bail Fund, Planned Parenthood, and organisations assisting with the efforts to rescue animals in the Amazon. Enjoy your special day. Love and kisses.’

This is not a good sign for your marriage, starting out life together in debt.

Marriage is a religious ritual that needs to be purged from our laws.

Cultural commercialism invents wants and then converts them to needs. The silliness of events to mark every so-called life passage drains everyone’s emotional, psychological, and fiscal resources: births, baptisms, first communions, confirmations, birthdays, quinceañeras, graduations, weddings, housewarmings, baby showers, anniversaries, funerals, etc. should be treated as the legitimate private, personal occasions they are. Instead, they’re organized to force one and all to long for the relative calm and tranquility of New Orleans and Rio de Janeiro Mardi Gras events, combined. All these events are just silly, attention-starved people celebrating themselves and, in the process, demeaning their fundamental self-worth.

My niece’s wedding was in my brother’s backyard and was basically a picnic with a really nice cake. Everyone had a great time.

“Return to sender… addressee deceased.”

I guarantee that if I ever DID get married, my Husband and I would just find a Justice of the Peace at the Courthouse…

This is the upper middle class approach, and of higher income people as well. Ordinary Americans do not do this.

Everyone wants to be a Kardashian.

I don’t understand why the future groom now proposes in front of the future bride as well as 100 of her closest friends and relatives, It must be part of all of your comments above about consumerism. -

Regrets & send a gift?

I got married in my home town and in the church I had been confirmed in as a teen. The church ladies gave us our wedding reception in my churches recreation hall. The church members cut flowers from their gardens to decorate the church. I didn’t get an engagement ring, just a plain gold band. Local for me, but my husband family was from the other side of the continent. So for them it was a destination wedding.

My grandson had a wedding just like this. A year in the planning. Massive expense. And, two days after the actual event, massive letdown. Nothing to plan for or look forward to. Thank heavens they’re a level headed couple.

My house of worship is the bank.

Every wedding we have attended in the last 25 years, has ended in divorce. One has escaped so far, but it looks like it is heading the same way. A couple of them were married 10 years, and one hit 15 years…When we attend a wedding now, the private talk at the guest tables is setting up a betting pool for how long this couple will stay married.

“Regrets.”

I suppose ‘no’ is not an option?

Ya, ask me weddings are stupid, most people get divorced anyways!!

My niece’s wedding was elaborate in a good way. The groom’s family made a plywood castle façade. All the SCA members wore full costume. My niece carried a sword. My sister, who picked up a mail-order ordination in the 70s, performed the ceremony. The tables were covered in white paper, and felt-tip pens and such were provided. I’m no fan of wine, but the home-made fruit wines were actually quite tasty. Second best wedding I’ve been at. The best, needless to say, was mine.

See you next Tuesday, Bridezilla.

Some of us have family in Hawaii, so not as pricey. Even if you get married in the Midwest, you can spend plenty. It is surprising people still want to spend so much, given all the student debt that many have.

Oh, yah, this happened to me. . .once. And the dress was horrendously ugly. . .nice little detour in thought here: was at the doctor’s t’other day, and the young women there were all talking about what courses they were going to take, in what direction they wanted their medical careers to go, what community colleges were in the area and the various pros and cons of each one. . .nary an engagement/wedding melodrama in sight. . .VERY REFRESHING!

What is wrong with saying no?

Living in a tourist destination as I do, I see crap like this all the time. There are sums of money changing hands that would rival the GDP of a small country. Being friends with one of the people who works at the inn, I found out that not only did the bride’s father pony up for the wedding, but he paid for the airfare and lodging of the bridesmaids (no word about the groom’s pals) AND a fireworks display that rivaled the 4th of July shoot of the city we’re a part of.

My cousin and her husband established a set amount, the same for each daughter, and offered it for either a wedding or a down payment on a house. The daughter with a well established profession and fiancé with same chose the wedding. The social worker daughter marrying a mechanic chose a backyard picnic and a down payment. Seems like the perfect parental approach to me.

One of my sisters got married in Cuernavaca, the other in Kathmandu. The latter sister was living in Saudi Arabia at the time, so it was actually a reachable destination for parents and friends. I was the only one to make the trip from the States.

How old is Sam now?

This is a pet peeve of mine — friends making plans for me that I can’t afford.

Nothing like Honesty in Wedding Invitations.

Boundaries…learn the word “no.”

I was hoping for something more political.

That reminds me of that story of the bride who invited people to her wedding demanding they pay $1,500 to her as a wedding gift.