by Umique Artison

Created on: February 13, 2009   Last Updated: February 23, 2009

Are big weddings worth the cost? To answer this question, two things will need to be evaluated: what one's perception of "big" truly is and the actual "costs" involved. Reality is that every woman dreams of having a fairy tale wedding. This has been programmed in our psyches from the day we took our first steps. Over time, those first steps down the road to matrimony have become influenced by external forces.

One of the most dominate of those forces is the media. We have seen hundreds of glamorous weddings on television and in magazines. In fact, the buzz that celebrity weddings create seems to send the media into a nuptial frenzy. The resulting images are permanently etched into a woman's mind and we are lead to believe that big is better - at any cost. This is the driving force behind the growth of this billion dollar industry.

Before a woman embarks upon her journey to marriage, she must test her motives. Unfortunately, there are some women who are so caught up in the prestige of weddings that they forget the reason they are getting married in the first place. A wedding is just a formality and the eternal gain is love. In this perspective, we will evaluate the perception of "big".

A big wedding could mean a lot of different things if one allows their mind to wonder...

Big could be large as in size. Two people with large families could have a wedding of modest means with an enormous guest list. Big could mean importance. The social status of a couple could determine the type of wedding in this aspect. Big could be both- large scale in size and importance. Big could be widely used or popular. Big could be more than average. Big could mean a myriad of things in the vulnerable mind of a new bride-to-be.

Now, let's evaluate the costs involved. Cost could be the expenditure or outlay of funds. Many couples spend the first years of their marriage paying off the wedding debt. Cost could be sacrificial or entail the loss of something. Cost could also be described as obtaining a result by any means necessary. Can't you just hear the moral cash register beeping?

If a woman's motives are not supported by a moral foundation, then a big wedding is not worth the cost. A small wedding could be just as expensive as a big wedding with all the fixings if the love that couples share is not in the forefront of things. Forget about the glitz and the glamour. Forget about making a statement. True love can not be disguised by the scope of an event or how much money was spent to make it elaborate.

A big wedding is only worth the cost when the value at stake is love.

Learn more about this author, Umique Artison.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.