Why the Fuss?

It has been quite some time since I had thoughts of marriage. As a young urban single, I often justify the piles of wedding magazines on my floor with one single statement: “I have no plans to marry just yet. I just want to have a wedding.”

What an odd way to see an event so entrenched with meaning and sentimentality, when that sentimentality has not yet entered my life. Then it occurred to me, the aesthetics of a wedding are nothing more than an exercise in self-expression–something we all crave, engaged or not.

Here’s something I can get my head around. Let us, for a moment, remove the sappy factor, which I’ll admit is not always one to be ignored. A wedding is an opportunity to invite those closest to you into the world of your imagination. It is a way to make the fantasy come to life. Quite fitting considering a wedding is a dream-come-true.

Suddenly I can understand why there are so many options, why every detail matters, why every piece of the day must have that personal touch. I use this as a jump-off point to begin my own exploration of the magic, the mystery and the drama of The Big Day. Though I understand the simplicity and dignity of a modest affair, I feel invigorated by the capacity of a big wedding.

Just as with any other aesthetic aspect of our lives–how we dress, how we speak, how we decorate our homes–we yearn to translate our imagination into reality. And the choices before us are dazzling. I’m curious to hear, readers, what the Big Day means to you. How is it set apart from any other party you might throw, or rite of passage you reach? And how do you envision your special day?

Carla Gonzalez-Hart

(photo credit: jurvetson)

April 15th, 2009 by admin | Posted in Tips | (0)