A Wedding or a Marriage

This is a topic romanticized so much in literature and movies, that every little girl is almost forced to have rosy ideas about that day when she will tie the knot. Starting from the dress, the ornaments, the decoration and of course the whole arrangement has to be grand. The focus on the event becomes so acute that the love which has brought the two souls together into holy matrimony is left behind. The question I wanted to ask in this article is not one that would be particularly favoured by the multi-million dollar wedding industry. What do women want? A grand spectacular wedding or a meaningful marriage. If one can afford the huge expenditure and also acquire truthful vows, then it’s the best combination. But what happens in most cases is an extreme burden taken by people especially the parents to put up a nice show in order to please a society which either does not care or mostly envy the splendour. So why is it necessary to spend all the money just to feed the insatiable appetites of gossip mongers and critics whom you cannot please no matter what you do. The ostensive pomp and show most often than not point towards the hollowness inside.

A relative of mine had once told me that after her marriage, her parents were so much in debt that after retirement, they were left with almost no savings. She confessed that she felt very sad about how she had wanted the grand celebrations. While pouring her heart out, she added with a wry smile that not one person who had been a part of the wedding had come to help her father when he was admitted in a hospital after having a massive heart attack.

Yesterday, while reading “little women” by Louisa May Alcott, I came across the part where “Meg” the eldest of the March sisters is getting married to Mr. Brooks. There the author has beautifully described the flower ornaments and the elegant but simple dress that Meg was wearing. The most impressive part is how the family had contributed personally to put together the modest arrangement and made it look splendid with their refined taste and bountiful love. Above all the lovely couple and a merry and caring family made the occasion so extra-ordinary that even their wealthy relative “Sally Moffat”, remarked about the  beauty of the event somehow feeling very satisfied.

This satisfaction is something which can be only accomplished by true feelings and doing things without stretching your limits. No matter how much the jwellery advertisements try to fill our minds that without gold and diamonds no wedding ceremony is complete, the greatest happiness lies in the ornaments of love and care from those who are our near and dear ones. Even for those who can afford the display of wealth, it is better to spend money in things which are more important. Sometimes too much wealth creates a vacuum in the soul.

The whole article can be summarized into a few sentences. When you are dying of thirst, only water can quench the pain in your throat, not honey or milk. So, marriage is only thirsty for love and affection of the beloved can only make the ceremony a memorable one, not a massive fortune.