>
> I know at least one couple that had the big show wedding that the mothers
had always dreamed of.  Smiled a lot and flew to Maui for the honeymoon.  On
Maui, they had a really neat little wedding on top of a sea cliff with a
hang loose sort of preacher and then were grabbed by the local beach "bums"
and dragged off to the local hangout for an impromtu (sp?) reception.  They
still consider that their real wedding . . .
>

Friend of mine got married (her first, his second) wearing a very pretty
"normal" dress, him in a suit - sort of like what you'd wear to Easter
services at your church. They had their minister perform the ceremony in her
parent's back yard -- and they expressly informed the guests to be
comfortably dressed because the reception was a bbq :) The invitation also
said something along the lines of  -We've been blessed with so much, so in
lieu of gifts please make a donation to any of the charities below, or to a
cause close to your hearts- wording is probably off, but I thought the way
they did it was really cool.

Anyway -- it was *the* best wedding I've ever been to! *Everyone* thought
so, and my friend and her new husband (a shy kinda guy) were relaxed and
genuinely having fun. (which, near as I can tell, is not usually the case)

I do NOT get the entire wedding juggernaut thing... seems to me such a
momentous event should be...well... not a circus.
Did anyone else here see the Dr. Phil show with the woman who wanted to
spend 48 thousand dollars on her wedding? (flying in dozens of a rare rose
from God knows where... most expensive rose in the world)  Her fiance had
like 2k in the bank, and she was wanting him to take out a loan to pay for
this thing... Dr. Phil looked at him and said "You're going to *love* me"
and then basically asked if she was out of her mind  It was a riot :)

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