I overheard the following snatch of conversation between a young man and woman, strangers to me, while standing in line behind them at a Towson, Maryland, delicatessen. Since I was too busy reading the menu to consider writing it down, this was transcribed from memory. (And anyway, I never carry a pen or pencil.)
SHE: You’re doing it again.
HE: What?
SHE: Smiling to yourself. What’s that you’re thinking?
HE: It just popped into my head, I guess because your sister’s going to be a June bride and my brother’s getting married in October. I was thinking how much I love weddings—especially wedding receptions and the dancing and all—and how much I hate the very idea of marriage itself.
SHE: Oh?
At that dramatic point in the dialogue the young folks (a couple?) gave their sandwich orders to the deli clerk and moved on, leaving me to wonder what happened next.
Copyright © 2009 Jim Sizemore.
Doodlemeister's Weblog 
I think this gentleman has made a very good point. Looking back at my wedding, there isn’t much thought aside from, “man my parents spend a lot of money for no good reason.” (Then again, I think about the seven year old cousin who told me that it was the best wedding he had ever been to.)
Today, with the divorce rate so high, what does a wedding mean ten years later when you are signing your divorce documents? I’d rather spend a few thousand on a nice vacation with my man than spend it on feeding friends and family. I think the next time my wedding memories will be of enjoying the man I love, having a great time, doing what we want to do. Money and time much better spent in my book.