That averages out to over $15,000 per wedding. Which in some places would give you a nice down payment on a house, for crying out loud. And no matter where you live, it's probably safe to assume that ceremony of marriage is probably a big part of the culture around you.
Of course, many weddings cost a lot more than $15,000. And I know from personal experience that it can be done, and done well, for a lot less than $15,000. (Thanks, Sis!) I'm also sure there's nothing inherently wrong with a lavish wedding if it's within your means. But I really can't believe that a wedding is supposed leave the new bride and groom (or their parents, for that matter) with a walloping debt.
It's not just a trend exclusive to Canada, either. An on-line article in The Viet Nam News reported that more and more urban couples in that country are Marrying in Haste, Paying in Leisure. According to that report, couples are choosing to stage weddings that are well beyond their fiscal means.
And as you might expect, the event becomes less and less about celebrating the important commitment the bride and groom are making to each other, and more about flaunting social status.
But all is not yet lost. The Viet Nam News also reported in an earlier article that in at least one rural commune the trend is definitely moving away from elaborate and costly weddings, as couples reject some of the trappings that have long been associated with weddings in their culture.
The pressure on the bride and groom must be enormous; rejecting the traditions of your parents is never easy. And the couple themselves may be loathe to appear to be scrimping on one of the most important celebrations of their lives.
It can become an emotional minefield. When a little girl daydreams about getting married someday -- I'm assuming little girls still actually do this -- I'm pretty sure she doesn't spend very much time planning how she can do it on the cheap. For her, the big day is about romance, Prince Charming and the magic of grown-up love. And when most couples decide to marry, the cost of the wedding itself is probably not the first thing that pops into their minds. (These days it may very well be the second thing to come to mind, but it's probably not the first.)
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