
My best friend is getting married this summer. He’s a super guy, she tells me and though I haven’t met him yet, I believe her. She’s doing the WEDDING. The dress, the bridesmaids, the flowers and the food. All of this is very expensive. Guests must be flown in, dresses ordered, you know the drill. She called the other day to say in a moment of (I’m sure out of bridal frustration) that she wishes that she could just grab her sweetie and get married under an oak tree.
“Why not just do that?” I asked.
“Deposits,” she answered.
Back in the 80’s and 90’s the trend among my exes friends was to get married out of the country, some place exotic, or European, combining a honeymoon locale for the nuptials and vacation destination for those who could afford to come. Folks were hitching up in castles in the South of France, private compounds in the Dominican Republic and on the beach in Costa Rica.
Weddings are expensive, big business for a lot of folks, so no wonder that now the recession is here, elopements are up. Save the money and frustration I say.
I was sworn to secrecy just a month ago when a former co-worker called to tell me that he and his girl were going to do it in New Orleans. Another friend just told me today that she and her beau decided to to do it. They didn’t want the fuss or the expense.
On my list of overrated things, I have to admit, that weddings come in first, followed by luxury cars (they have leather), Twitter and Valentine’s Day.
Buck the system, if you’re in love elope. Forget the deposit and create a day with your lovely that you will remember forever.
Something spectacular is just around the bend…