My youngest daughter, Ashley, was married last month.
This followed my oldest daughter Rachel’s wedding seven months earlier. A wedding ceremony springs from a simple concept: two people publicly profess their love and announce their intention to spend the rest of their lives together. It occurs to me, however, that intention is fulfilled by the invitation, which seems in my mind to nullify the need for the wedding itself—but that fact is rendered academic to the blushing bride. Somehow the wedding ceremony has evolved into something so elaborate it is terrifying to the average American male.
Now to be fair, weddings have been lavish occasions throughout recorded history in every culture. Intellectually, I understand why, but it seems today they are not merely elaborate. They have become exorbitant spectacles in which the bride must be appeased like some sort of volcano goddess who makes demands at the point of an emotional gun. I think the term in pop culture is bridezilla. Continue reading
