Thursday, August 18, 2011

The way it shouldn't be.

I'm not sure what to do now. We just received a wedding invitation for a nephew, complete with a note on the announcement that they are registered at Target. It also said "There will be a Card Box." I guess that means there will be a place to put congratulatory cards, especially those containing money. I've never seen a note like that on an announcement before; there are usually places at a reception to put cards. This felt like avarice.

The wedding ceremony will be at "their house" where they have been living for more than a year. I guess I am hopelessly old fashioned, but if they already have a functioning home, why do they need a reception and gifts? Greed.

I think a standard white wedding and reception is stupid and selfish. They should get married in a simple family ceremony and then, if they want, have a party and invite friends and family to celebrate with them. Doing things this way is all wrong and I am really worried about the mind-set of so many. It's so much me, me, me, what I want, what you need to give me, what I deserve.

Mom told me she had caught some new reality show about a man, with his teenage children, looking for an engagement ring for their mother. Really? After being together long enough to have teenagers, getting all old-fashioned about proposing with a diamond? Then I imagine they'll plan a lovely traditional wedding. The media puts it on air and young people watch and learn.

I'm stopping now, so much is being lost and I feel a bit....sad.


3 comments:

Kay said...

I think the gifts of every kind is meant as a celebration of their commitment to each other. It's a different world out there and relationships are not always going in the order we knew them to be.

Mare said...

There are no rules anymore.

Jo, a retired teacher said...

Kay, I guess my problem is when does that commitment actually begin? When they move in together? When they buy property together? When they have children together? I don't feel like we are celebrating commitment. With the divorce rate approaching 50%, I don't think commitment has the same meaning as it used to.

If I were a betting gal, I'd wager they'll be divorced within 7 years. We'll see.