Ah, I have been needing a post like this recently! In the midst of the engagements of a few close friends, I have decided that weddings, as we know them in our current culture are truly, truly bizarre. I get frustrated some of my engaged friends, once intelligent women who cared about important issues are now singly focused on the most superficial wedding components. It dominates the conversation! It bothers me as well that they are embracing some of the most obviously sexist and/or socially detrimental aspects of weddings, and not giving it a second thought.

Especially in the midst of the economic situation, these weddings just seem bizarrely out-of-place. I like that you mention the honeymoon-as-gift thing. Bella, all of my friends have been affected by the economy and no one has much money for luxuries. Yet my engaged friends are still planning elaborate honeymoons to exotic locations I could never afford to go to. If they want to do that, fine, but recently I've been hearing that something they "need" for a gift is money for the honeymoon. I can't wrap my head around this! Plus, as I am downsizing my own living situation, these couples are having showers! These are not 20 year-olds moving out of their parents' house for the first time, these are people in their 30s who already have very nice stuff! It's very frustrating to be involved in all of this and have to go along with it, least I be accused of not being "happy for" the couple.