Taking on the WIC

WIC: "Wedding Industrial Complex," the hodgepodge of companies dedicated to selling you your "perfect day."

As I'm writing at work, I don't really have time to take on the whole of my feelings of the WIC. Suffice it to say (for now), that a lot of companies give me the impression that the process is more about planning a one-day event (which must be perfect, or you/your mom/your wedding planner suck) rather than preparing for a lifetime commitment.

So far, I've tried to be pragmatic. I spend a lot of time thinking about this one-day (really, one-weekend) event, and how I want to make it meaningful and memorable. But, I spend about as much time planning for our future--looking for jobs in areas where Jay can get combat experience, signing up for premarital classes, borrowing books about personal finance from the library. And, of course, day dreaming about coming home to my little house and my new husband (maybe even with dinner waiting...).

So, when we bought my dress at David's Bridal, Chrissy said to me,

"Now the hard part is over. It's kind of sad, though, because there's not really anything else to look forward to."

Really? Really?

Looking beside the fact that I am SUPER PUMPED for cake tastings, what about the fact that I'm getting married? That Jay will be my husband? That I will spend my life with someone who brings out the best in me? I'm looking forward to those things.

Obviously, Chrissy didn't mean to ignore/belittle these things, and I don't hold it against her. I just find that this is my problem with the WIC in general: it places far too much importance on the wedding and overlooks the sole reason for it.