I've been wanting to blog about this for quite some time. I was worried that people who are getting married soon would get offended. But I just can't help myself when I saw this article in The Star today. My hands are itchy...
Trust the Chinese to make money out of everything in life... even a beautiful thing like the declaration of love between two people is a money-making avenue. Whatever happened to simple beautiful traditional weddings like Maria and Captain Von Trapp's in The Sound of Music?
It seems that in this day and age... only the rich Chinese can afford to get married. It's all very systematic:
1. buy house (30-year commitment)
-must be big enough to fit a family of at least 5 people.
-must have good appreciating value in years to come.
2. renovations
3. professional photography
-must rent about 5 dresses and above!
4. extravagant dinner
-must have at least 30 tables, where 1/3 of the guest does not even know the bride and groom and vice versa.
5. guests must give ang pau
-must be at least RM80 and above or else the couple's parents go "hah? why ur fren so kiam siap one??" because the guests are expected to pay for the dinner.
6. One year later, must have first kid. (lifetime commitment)
7. Three years later, must have 2nd kid. (lifetime commitment)
Why can't a wedding album be real photos of the couple and not touched-up ones with fake backgrounds? Why can't weddings be just in a church or in a garden... where all the attendees are people the couple knows and who knows them well. Why can't the couple not spend their money on a wedding but rather on the marriage... on the life together after that? Why would anyone want to burden their friends and family with the cost of their own extravagance? Why can't a married couple want to live in a romantic little 1 room condo with a magnificent view with no resale value or just a rented property? Why can't a couple not want to have kids, ever?
Wouldn't love be so much more romantic, interesting and everafter if the couple were to embark on many adventures together, just the two of them? No other commitments in life but to each other. No responsibilities to keep them away from being and staying in love...
Maybe I'm just the weirdest Chinese girl alive????
But I have traditionally Chinese parents...
6 comments:
harlow! good post! I totally agree with you! :) it's terrible how it's become a multi-billion dollar industry these days. the ones who are making the most $ are actually the hotels, the studios, etc etc. that's why they're creating the impression that weddings must be done this-way, or that-way... to enrich their own coffers. you honestly don't need these 3rd parties to make your wedding a memorable one. all u need is:
(1) your fiance(e)
(2) a pastor/registrar to marry you
(3) a dress (ok concession for the bride! ;) )
I left you some messages on yahoo messenger. too personal to write here! ;) and.. possibly offensive to traditionalists.
hehehe... thanx!! i saw them already. thanx 4 d advice. m glad m not weird!! :D
yeah agree with u too. why should we waste so much on something not important and its memorable for a short while then later u will forget it n leave it aside...
I'll prefer garden wedding style where friends gather and have fun together...not those formal ceremony.
no need to do in hotel... do at home only... i prefer that kinda of wedding... where families and friends come to celebrate the unity of two people whom they love... and going back, wishing the new weds happily ever after...
actually, its not the tradition, its the 'people' who makes the tradition so costly... mana ada org zaman2 dulu sibuk nak buat besar2? its just this kinda 'people' who wants to show off... and most of the 'show offs' ended up with divorced/ separated or worse, still together but the hubby is having an affair with another woman or another man =)....
hehehe... thanx leo. i think not all d show-off couples will end up that teruk la :-p
actually org cina zaman dulu memang suka buat wedding besar2, sebab tu dah spoil market! it's time for a change!!! :-D
ya lor... even for Malay now, market rate for 'hantaran' is RM10k!!! kesian my bf... maybe kalau dia sanggup nak bg RM10k, i think i'll use that money for our honeymoon or downpayment for a new house... hik hik...
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