I had a big huge lavish wedding and it was a fricken blast. Friends and family are still talking about what a great time it was and we are coming up on our 10 year anniversary. But, I love to throw a good party, so it was fun for me. We spent money where it mattered and made the day memorable both for us and for our guests. And I was very relaxed about it all because I was of the mindset that all that really mattered was that it was the day I was committing the rest of my life to my best friend. Everything else was gravy.

My brother met his wife at the courthouse one day after she got off work and they got married, just like that. No special party, no special dress....he called me 30 minutes later and told me and I was happy for him. Big parties would not have suited her at all, so it worked for them.

To each their own.

Nothing pisses me off more than when people assume that I was more concerned with my wedding day than with my new marriage just because I had a big wedding, unless it's when people assume that no wedding means, no planning or thought went into it. It's as bad as thinking that a guy wearing lycra bike shorts is gay.