Wedding thoughts

Woo hoo! I'm blogging again!

So, my current thought is about weddings. I helped my cousin's wife photograph a wedding this weekend. I had a blast helping and enjoyed going to the wedding and reception. I actually like going to weddings and seeing how different, unique and couple centered they are. I LOVE when a wedding and reception is a complete reflection of the couple and what they like and what their personalities are like. I've been to a lot of memorable and great weddings.

But then I started thinking about all of the weddings I've attended and been in.. A wedding is about two people become one (cliche' but you get my meaning). But how much time do the "2 become 1" actually spend together on "their" day. First, they each spend all day getting ready with their friends (not seeing each other). Then there's the wedding where they get to see each other for the first time. (Maybe 20 minutes). Then immediately after the wedding they'll take pictures together and with family. (Maybe another 30 minutes). Then they hit the reception together to cut the cake. (10 minutes). After they cut the cake, they disperse to meet and greet the people that came to see "them" on "their" special day. So, so far, on "their" day, they've spent an hour together. The whole shindig is about them, but they aren't even together. So then, depending on how long the reception is, they won't get to celebrate until later in the evening/night.

Now, I am not against weddings and I'm not saying anything bad against people who have weddings because everyone likes different things. And I love being privileged enough to be invited or asked to be in weddings. So please don't take anything I say to heart or in offense.

Maybe I say this because I know if I ever got married, I'd be the one paying for it since I'm "past my prime", so to speak in the South .But over the last 28 years of attending and being in weddings, I've pretty much decided I don't want a "wedding." For my personal feelings, I cannot justify spending boo coos of money on a 20 minute memory. The whole point in a wedding is that you are getting married. I want that to mean more than stressful planning and money spending. I'd be happy wearing overalls and flip flops instead of a big elaborate dress I'll only wear once in my life.

IF I ever get married, I don't want to have a big, elaborate wedding ceremony. I'd be completely happy having my immediate family stand there at the courthouse to witness me getting hitched in the morning (because you gotta have witnesses), spending the day with my hubby (because it's "our" day), and THEN having a HUGE reception that night with everyone who wants to celebrate our marriage (not our wedding).

Maybe I've just become cynical, but that is what would make my "wedding" day most like me and what I like: private and intimate focusing on the most important thing (marriage) and super fun and exciting and happy celebrating two people who are completely in love with each other and starting the rest of their lives as 1 (the reception).