A New Wedding Trend Guests (and Wallets) Love

Marital bliss, cost bliss and guest bliss. I like this new trend!

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I have been pushed — a lot — to comment on the amount of money spent on weddings nowadays. Crazy. But oh, oh. Wedding spending is a very sensitive and emotionally charged subject that I’ve stayed away from. Wisely so, I think. But I am going to dip my toes in here with a positive spin. I go to a strange number of weddings. At least four or five a year. Every year. Some years many more.

And despite my normally reclusive nature, I really enjoy them. I even dance on occasion. They clear the whole floor. In fact, they often clear the whole building. Rude. Anyway, there’s a trend I’m noticing lately that’s slowly picking up steam. And I like it. As a guest. And as the Wealthy Barber. More and more couples are having a small ceremony — maybe even a backyard ceremony — with family and a couple friends. Then they’re following it up with an evening cocktail party for a bigger group. Hors d’oeuvres, but no formal sit-down meal. The speeches are few, short and interspersed throughout the course of the evening. There’s more mingling of course, because you’re not locked in at your own table.

There’s more dancing because there’s no long meal and 45-minute speech from Uncle Clyde. What I think is interesting about all of this is that it’s less costly, but people often seem to have more fun. That’s a good combination clearly. Hey, this wedding style’s not for everybody. Obviously, it’s the most special of days, and the couple has to go the route that excites them, that fits perfectly with their needs and their desires.

But again, interesting trend. One couple I knew really wanted to go with this approach but the bride wanted her father to walk her down the aisle in front of all the guests, therefore, it wasn’t a fit, so they were leaning the more traditional way. Well then the bride’s mother suggested, “Hey, what about the father

walk you in, into the reception with all the guests clapping, take you to the groom for the first dance. Problem solved.” One more comment about weddings — and it’s an important one to keep in mind. After attending a crazy number as mentioned, I can say with certainty that there is no correlation whatsoever between money spent and the specialness of the event. Between money spent and the magic of the memories made. Whether it’s at the Royal York or at a barn,

it’s about the people and the connections. By the way, I’ve actually officiated 10-plus weddings. I’m not licensed though, so I hope the guests kept all their gift receipts.