maybe it's because of my age, when my friends started getting married back in the day, the whole wedding machine was just getting started.
That Wedding Machine and all of the buy-in from brides kicked into high gear, then OVERTIME. A wedding that was $6k in 1995 was $26k in 2005 and probably around $50 in 2015.
then we had the pandemic, and i think that is what finally ran the oil dry on the Wedding Machine, and we've seen prices go down...a little. my cousin just got married, and it was more than she had expected, but not more than she WANTED (or maybe was willing) TO PAY.
and layered into ALL of this, are societal pressures and norms, religious and cultural traditions and good ol'family pressure.
I would have liked to ONLY have had my backyard surprise wedding celebration, but there was no way in HELL my Mother In Law was going to let that fly. So we did a reception as cheap as we possibly could basically to please her. I get the familial pressure issue - i lived it!!
there are just SO many facets to Weddings, so many variables that i think are interesting. I also admit I watch way too much Say Yes to the Dress.
