In general, do you like going to weddings?

[kenny]

Generally means generally.
Don't focus on that one terrible or that one special ideal wedding experience, or whether you SHOULD enjoy weddings.

Just, in general, do you like to go to weddings?
I'm not asking if you like to make people happy by going. (a totally different question)
Do you LIKE to go to weddings?

 

[vc10um]

I love going to weddings!

I love to see how each couple makes their day THEIRS.

I love oogling the dresses and the bling.

I love sitting in the church, or the park, or the ballroom, or the barn, holding my husband's hand and remembering when *we* said "I do."

I love celebrating love!

(Bonus points if they throw an awesome party at the end.)

 

[isaku5]

I love going to weddings and most other celebrations.

I'm willing to go to funerals simply to offer condolences to relatives.

As an aside, I like the idea of a funeral for an older person as a 'celebration' of their life, but have yet to attend one where their life and accomplishments were actually celebrated.

I have no idea about how that could be done either.

 

[sonnyjane]

I LOVE attending weddings when I am not a part of them!

 

[manderz]

I LOVE attending weddings when I am not a part of them!

This!! I can't remember the last wedding I went to, that I wasn't a part of. It's been a long time!

 

[Laila619]

Love, love, LOVE them!!!!!

Did I mention I love them?

Seriously, I so look forward to going to peoples' weddings. I'm a romantic at heart and I love seeing the wedding ceremony the most. I can't wait to hear their personal vows, see the bride's dress, watch the groom's face when he first sees his bride coming down the aisle, look at the beautiful flowers, etc.

 

[marcy]

Yes. I enjoy seeing the bride all dressed up, getting to see the jewelry, remembering our wedding and our vows and plus you get cake.

 

[TooPatient]

I love going to weddings and most other celebrations.

I'm willing to go to funerals simply to offer condolences to relatives.

As an aside, I like the idea of a funeral for an older person as a 'celebration' of their life, but have yet to attend one where their life and accomplishments were actually celebrated.

I have no idea about how that could be done either.

I love when funerals are celebrations of a life lived! I have (saddly) been to many funerals. Some were for older people and so generic I was sad. Some were for older people and so very personal they were amazing! One of the best was for my grandma -- she'd planned every detail herself down to when she wanted the hula dancers to dance and what songs they'd perform to The only thing we changed about her plan was that we added a special song that I sang for her.

The day really can be a celebration. Just like a wedding, the trick is to get the personal details so that it isn't just generic. You can do so much with music, flowers, and food!

Odd as this may seem, I'd really have a lot of fun helping people plan funerals! (well... maybe not fun, maybe satisfaction? -- I just like to see a person celebrated for who they were and what they accomplished. It just seems like that is the least you can do for someone at the end of their life.)

 

[sonnyjane]

I love going to weddings and most other celebrations.

I'm willing to go to funerals simply to offer condolences to relatives.

As an aside, I like the idea of a funeral for an older person as a 'celebration' of their life, but have yet to attend one where their life and accomplishments were actually celebrated.

I have no idea about how that could be done either.

I love when funerals are celebrations of a life lived! I have (saddly) been to many funerals. Some were for older people and so generic I was sad. Some were for older people and so very personal they were amazing! One of the best was for my grandma -- she'd planned every detail herself down to when she wanted the hula dancers to dance and what songs they'd perform to The only thing we changed about her plan was that we added a special song that I sang for her.

The day really can be a celebration. Just like a wedding, the trick is to get the personal details so that it isn't just generic. You can do so much with music, flowers, and food!

Odd as this may seem, I'd really have a lot of fun helping people plan funerals! (well... maybe not fun, maybe satisfaction? -- I just like to see a person celebrated for who they were and what they accomplished. It just seems like that is the least you can do for someone at the end of their life.)

Sorry to thread jack but I work at a zoo and last week some of my animals and I were requested to appear at a "Celebration of Life" ceremony at the park. I didn't know what to expect going into it and thought it would be somber, but it was exactly like a wedding. They were seated at tables eating, watching slide shows and listening to happy speeches. There was a lot of laughter and a few tears but mostly it was a really positive experience. It was cool to be a part of it!

 

[distracts]

Friends, food, and dancing all night? COUNT ME IN.

I find the ceremonies mostly boring (it's why we're having a very short one), but I always cry like a baby during the first dance and father-daughter dance.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Yes! I love any & every event that is about celebration and fun! We accept invitations for all close by weddings, but only attend out of state if we can drive to the location bc airfair for 4 is pricey.

 

[monarch64]

Nope. I'm always happy for the couple, but in general I feel like it's a huge expense that a guest has to undertake (I know, I'm a horrible person but you asked!) as far as potentially taking time off work, buying a gift or writing a check in the appropriate amount which may or may not be determined by figuring out how much it costs to "cover your plate" and making sure we both have semi-formal or formal attire to wear that is clean and in wearable condition plus accessories, and now securing child care and paying for it plus travel expenses.

Now, do I like ATTENDING weddings? I guess...it's been awhile since I have attended a wedding when I wasn't pregnant/breastfeeding/etc. but they were fun back when I was in my twenties and could cut loose, drink with the best of 'em, and party all night and sleep in the next day. I WILL say that I rarely ran into a cash bar situation, but when I did I thought it was awful, and when I had bad food (also rare) I was severely disappointed, but shitty music was even worse and when that happened everyone ended up at wherever the closest local watering hole with a jukebox was.

I've always thought the perfect wedding reception (which is what I assume you're really asking about) was one where the couple only invited those very near and dear and made sure they did just a few things REALLY WELL and didn't bother with the little things. I think many times, people try to do a bit of everything and everything seems half-assed because of it. Send me a beautiful invitation, serve 1-2 wonderful, filling foods, have a cake that's actually edible, and be present for all of your guests. I don't need a photobooth/pony rides/sign a million canvases-guestbooks-your mom's boob/blow bubbles at you/take pictures as you instruct via a card on my place setting/etc. I just want to celebrate YOUR MARRIAGE and know that you appreciate it.

 

[TooPatient]

Nope. I'm always happy for the couple, but in general I feel like it's a huge expense that a guest has to undertake (I know, I'm a horrible person but you asked!) as far as potentially taking time off work, buying a gift or writing a check in the appropriate amount which may or may not be determined by figuring out how much it costs to "cover your plate" and making sure we both have semi-formal or formal attire to wear that is clean and in wearable condition plus accessories, and now securing child care and paying for it plus travel expenses.

Now, do I like ATTENDING weddings? I guess...it's been awhile since I have attended a wedding when I wasn't pregnant/breastfeeding/etc. but they were fun back when I was in my twenties and could cut loose, drink with the best of 'em, and party all night and sleep in the next day. I WILL say that I rarely ran into a cash bar situation, but when I did I thought it was awful, and when I had bad food (also rare) I was severely disappointed, but shitty music was even worse and when that happened everyone ended up at wherever the closest local watering hole with a jukebox was.

I've always thought the perfect wedding reception (which is what I assume you're really asking about) was one where the couple only invited those very near and dear and made sure they did just a few things REALLY WELL and didn't bother with the little things. I think many times, people try to do a bit of everything and everything seems half-assed because of it. Send me a beautiful invitation, serve 1-2 wonderful, filling foods, have a cake that's actually edible, and be present for all of your guests. I don't need a photobooth/pony rides/sign a million canvases-guestbooks-your mom's boob/blow bubbles at you/take pictures as you instruct via a card on my place setting/etc. I just want to celebrate YOUR MARRIAGE and know that you appreciate it.

I agreed with every word of your perfect wedding reception right up to "your mom's boob". Trying to figure it out but I just can't!
Of course it is late. I'm sick. I'm taking care of a sick FI and a sick 13-yr-old. So.... my brain may be a bit clouded.

Your last sentence hit it right on. That is the big thing that so often gets forgotten.

 

[pandabee]

Nope. I'm always happy for the couple, but in general I feel like it's a huge expense that a guest has to undertake (I know, I'm a horrible person but you asked!) as far as potentially taking time off work, buying a gift or writing a check in the appropriate amount which may or may not be determined by figuring out how much it costs to "cover your plate" and making sure we both have semi-formal or formal attire to wear that is clean and in wearable condition plus accessories, and now securing child care and paying for it plus travel expenses.

Now, do I like ATTENDING weddings? I guess...it's been awhile since I have attended a wedding when I wasn't pregnant/breastfeeding/etc. but they were fun back when I was in my twenties and could cut loose, drink with the best of 'em, and party all night and sleep in the next day. I WILL say that I rarely ran into a cash bar situation, but when I did I thought it was awful, and when I had bad food (also rare) I was severely disappointed, but shitty music was even worse and when that happened everyone ended up at wherever the closest local watering hole with a jukebox was.

I've always thought the perfect wedding reception (which is what I assume you're really asking about) was one where the couple only invited those very near and dear and made sure they did just a few things REALLY WELL and didn't bother with the little things. I think many times, people try to do a bit of everything and everything seems half-assed because of it. Send me a beautiful invitation, serve 1-2 wonderful, filling foods, have a cake that's actually edible, and be present for all of your guests. I don't need a photobooth/pony rides/sign a million canvases-guestbooks-your mom's boob/blow bubbles at you/take pictures as you instruct via a card on my place setting/etc. I just want to celebrate YOUR MARRIAGE and know that you appreciate it.

I agreed with every word of your perfect wedding reception right up to "your mom's boob". Trying to figure it out but I just can't!
Of course it is late. I'm sick. I'm taking care of a sick FI and a sick 13-yr-old. So.... my brain may be a bit clouded.

Your last sentence hit it right on. That is the big thing that so often gets forgotten.

Great advice! I enjoy going to weddings to socialize, catch up with people I haven't seen in a while, and of course celebrate with the happy couple. SO really, really dislikes them though because he is a bit of an introvert and feels like it's an outrageous show to have guests you potentially do not know at your wedding and he just doesn't get them. I've managed to get him to attend a few though!

 

[MissStepcut]

Agree that the best weddings are one I am not a part of. If there is no open bar, I don't think it's possible for me to enjoy the wedding. I hope that doesn't make me sound like a booze hound, but it's true.

I threw the wedding I would have wanted to be a guest at: we served drinks before the ceremony started, had the ceremony at the reception site, kept our vows to under 5 minutes and served a lot of food. I am not saying that every bride should have thrown the wedding we did, but I do think sometimes the happy couple focuses too much on their experience and not enough on what the guest experience will be.

 

[monarch64]

Nope. I'm always happy for the couple, but in general I feel like it's a huge expense that a guest has to undertake (I know, I'm a horrible person but you asked!) as far as potentially taking time off work, buying a gift or writing a check in the appropriate amount which may or may not be determined by figuring out how much it costs to "cover your plate" and making sure we both have semi-formal or formal attire to wear that is clean and in wearable condition plus accessories, and now securing child care and paying for it plus travel expenses.

Now, do I like ATTENDING weddings? I guess...it's been awhile since I have attended a wedding when I wasn't pregnant/breastfeeding/etc. but they were fun back when I was in my twenties and could cut loose, drink with the best of 'em, and party all night and sleep in the next day. I WILL say that I rarely ran into a cash bar situation, but when I did I thought it was awful, and when I had bad food (also rare) I was severely disappointed, but shitty music was even worse and when that happened everyone ended up at wherever the closest local watering hole with a jukebox was.

I've always thought the perfect wedding reception (which is what I assume you're really asking about) was one where the couple only invited those very near and dear and made sure they did just a few things REALLY WELL and didn't bother with the little things. I think many times, people try to do a bit of everything and everything seems half-assed because of it. Send me a beautiful invitation, serve 1-2 wonderful, filling foods, have a cake that's actually edible, and be present for all of your guests. I don't need a photobooth/pony rides/sign a million canvases-guestbooks-your mom's boob/blow bubbles at you/take pictures as you instruct via a card on my place setting/etc. I just want to celebrate YOUR MARRIAGE and know that you appreciate it.

I agreed with every word of your perfect wedding reception right up to "your mom's boob". Trying to figure it out but I just can't!
Of course it is late. I'm sick. I'm taking care of a sick FI and a sick 13-yr-old. So.... my brain may be a bit clouded.

Your last sentence hit it right on. That is the big thing that so often gets forgotten.

Aw, TP, sorry you're the nurse in charge tonight, that's no fun! I was trying to say that I don't enjoy (as a guest) being given a million tasks to do, or things to sign, like the guestbook plus a canvas, plus writing little notes so you can open them five years from now and have a date night, so "your mom's boob" was thrown in there as my way of being silly and hopefully humorous. Having explained it, now it doesn't seem very humorous. Oh well. I can't be funny alllll the time. I hope your sickies get well soon and that you don't contract it. Stay well.

 

[monarch64]

Agree that the best weddings are one I am not a part of. If there is no open bar, I don't think it's possible for me to enjoy the wedding. I hope that doesn't make me sound like a booze hound, but it's true.

I threw the wedding I would have wanted to be a guest at: we served drinks before the ceremony started, had the ceremony at the reception site, kept our vows to under 5 minutes and served a lot of food. I am not saying that every bride should have thrown the wedding we did, but I do think sometimes the happy couple focuses too much on their experience and not enough on what the guest experience will be.

If you won't say it, I will! Every bride should throw a wedding that takes her guests' needs into consideration. There you go.

It's not a day to pose (as candidly as you possibly can) for pictures that impress your friends on Facebook. It's a day to celebrate your commitment to each other for the rest of your lives, in front of your good friends and family and perhaps the deity of your choice(s) so that you have a great memory to fall back on in times of sickness/sadness/struggle. It's about YOU, not what everyone else thinks of you.

 

[TooPatient]

Nope. I'm always happy for the couple, but in general I feel like it's a huge expense that a guest has to undertake (I know, I'm a horrible person but you asked!) as far as potentially taking time off work, buying a gift or writing a check in the appropriate amount which may or may not be determined by figuring out how much it costs to "cover your plate" and making sure we both have semi-formal or formal attire to wear that is clean and in wearable condition plus accessories, and now securing child care and paying for it plus travel expenses.

Now, do I like ATTENDING weddings? I guess...it's been awhile since I have attended a wedding when I wasn't pregnant/breastfeeding/etc. but they were fun back when I was in my twenties and could cut loose, drink with the best of 'em, and party all night and sleep in the next day. I WILL say that I rarely ran into a cash bar situation, but when I did I thought it was awful, and when I had bad food (also rare) I was severely disappointed, but shitty music was even worse and when that happened everyone ended up at wherever the closest local watering hole with a jukebox was.

I've always thought the perfect wedding reception (which is what I assume you're really asking about) was one where the couple only invited those very near and dear and made sure they did just a few things REALLY WELL and didn't bother with the little things. I think many times, people try to do a bit of everything and everything seems half-assed because of it. Send me a beautiful invitation, serve 1-2 wonderful, filling foods, have a cake that's actually edible, and be present for all of your guests. I don't need a photobooth/pony rides/sign a million canvases-guestbooks-your mom's boob/blow bubbles at you/take pictures as you instruct via a card on my place setting/etc. I just want to celebrate YOUR MARRIAGE and know that you appreciate it.

I agreed with every word of your perfect wedding reception right up to "your mom's boob". Trying to figure it out but I just can't!
Of course it is late. I'm sick. I'm taking care of a sick FI and a sick 13-yr-old. So.... my brain may be a bit clouded.

Your last sentence hit it right on. That is the big thing that so often gets forgotten.

Aw, TP, sorry you're the nurse in charge tonight, that's no fun! I was trying to say that I don't enjoy (as a guest) being given a million tasks to do, or things to sign, like the guestbook plus a canvas, plus writing little notes so you can open them five years from now and have a date night, so "your mom's boob" was thrown in there as my way of being silly and hopefully humorous. Having explained it, now it doesn't seem very humorous. Oh well. I can't be funny alllll the time. I hope your sickies get well soon and that you don't contract it. Stay well.

Got it!
Thanks for explaining. I thought there was some trendy "wedding tradition" that I just wasn't familiar with.

I was the one who started the whole sick thing
It hit me hard on Monday so I did the cooking for the Passover seder with a fever then made it through the actual seder with a fever at 100+. I'm feeling lots better just in time for the other two to get it

I'm in the middle of planning our wedding now. If you've ever got a minute, I'd love your feedback on stuff in the brides area. I'm trying to make as comfortable and enjoyable for the guests as possible. All of the negatives mentioned about attending weddings is what I'm hoping to avoid for people!

 

[distracts]

sign a million canvases-guestbooks-your mom's boob

Hadn't ever thought of using my mom's boobs as the guestbook. It would certainly add that special, personal touch that would make our wedding stand out.

 

[diamondringlover]

Yes I like going to weddings...my son is at the age (27) that all his buddies are getting married and I am always crying thru them all..lol.. seems like yesterday they were all playing travel baseball together...sigh...time goes by so fast.....

 

[Missy]

Yes!!! I love happy occasions and reasons to celebrate! I love people being in love and I just love weddings! But I'm a true romantic and the best thing to me in life is love.

Plus, I love dancing cheek to cheek with my dh!

And I'm very excited because we have a wedding in May that I am very much looking forward to. My friend is going to be a gorgeous bride and her FI a handsome groom (diamondrnglover-they're both 27 too-that is a popular age to get married it seems) and it is going to be a lovely happy full of love affair!! Cannot wait-despite the almost 3 hour car trip it will take to get there. It's worth it!

 

[luv2sparkle]

Most of the weddings I have been too in the last few years have been the weddings of my closest friends children. I LOVE them! I have 11 friends that have been my besties for the last 20+ years and when one of our kids get married everyone of us is invited! It's a rule! We all usually sit close together and just laugh the night away. It is one of my very favorite things! It doesn't matter if the wedding is a grand affair or a simple BBQ like the one we are going to in April. I love being with these women and their hubbies!

That said, a few years ago we went to the wedding of one of my DH's men (fireman) and it wasn't quite as fun. I always feel like I have to watch everything I say and do as the bosses wife. That is not nearly as fun.

 

[VRBeauty]

I love weddings. I love the hope and the promise, and I'm always blown away by the commitment they represent. To me the ceremony's the thing, and I'm rarely disappointed by the ceremony.

I guess the weddings I attended as a child -- potluck receptions in the church recreation hall -- really imprinted me because I still don't expect much of the reception. I tend to go into a reception with more curiosity about what the couple might have come up with than expectations, and as a result I'm rarely disappointed with the reception.

BTW the wedding I attended yesterday was just lovely in every way - thank you for asking!

Oh, and I'd guess that about 1/3 of the couples whose weddings I've attended are no longer together, but that's a topic for another day.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Agree that the best weddings are one I am not a part of. If there is no open bar, I don't think it's possible for me to enjoy the wedding. I hope that doesn't make me sound like a booze hound, but it's true.

I threw the wedding I would have wanted to be a guest at: we served drinks before the ceremony started, had the ceremony at the reception site, kept our vows to under 5 minutes and served a lot of food. I am not saying that every bride should have thrown the wedding we did, but I do think sometimes the happy couple focuses too much on their experience and not enough on what the guest experience will be.

I'd prefer the wedding reception has alcohol, too. For my DH it would be mandatory if it were a couple he doesn't know.

One of my relatives got married a few years back and our invitation "got lost in the mail." He went from being a partier to highly religious and married a religious girl. I think he thought we'd be too wild for his new group of pious friends. lol I saw photos of the ceremony and was relieved an invitation never made it to us... it was funny too as this was his second marriage. His first wedding was a blast! A big party. Everyone had a ton of fun. The second one looked dull.

 

[packrat]

I love going to weddings!

I love to see how each couple makes their day THEIRS.

I love oogling the dresses and the bling.

I love sitting in the church, or the park, or the ballroom, or the barn, holding my husband's hand and remembering when *we* said "I do."

I love celebrating love!

(Bonus points if they throw an awesome party at the end.)

Yes. I don't think it's something my husband enjoys to my giddy girl extent necessarily, but he does check out the same things, and he does get quite "awwww" w/me, reminiscing about our wedding.

Being in weddings has always been fun for me-the only time I've not had as much fun was a couple years ago when I was 30# heavier..but it's still fun to get all fancied up.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

I love going to weddings!

I love to see how each couple makes their day THEIRS.

I love oogling the dresses and the bling.

I love sitting in the church, or the park, or the ballroom, or the barn, holding my husband's hand and remembering when *we* said "I do."

I love celebrating love!

(Bonus points if they throw an awesome party at the end.)

Yes. I don't think it's something my husband enjoys to my giddy girl extent necessarily, but he does check out the same things, and he does get quite "awwww" w/me, reminiscing about our wedding.

That is so sweet!

 

[chrono]

No. It takes forever with tons of talking and saccharine sweetness when I'd rather be doing something else more productive. I am very happy for the couple though; it's just not something I enjoy.

 

[princesss]

I love going to weddings and most other celebrations.

I'm willing to go to funerals simply to offer condolences to relatives.

As an aside, I like the idea of a funeral for an older person as a 'celebration' of their life, but have yet to attend one where their life and accomplishments were actually celebrated.
I have no idea about how that could be done either.

I've been to one and I loved it. It was sad, yes, but the day was so full of love and stories about him that it truly was a great celebration.

 

[princesss]

I suppose I should answer the question, huh?

I love going to weddings for close friends - I love being there for them when they say their vows, and I love celebrating with them afterwards.

That said, I would probably turn down an invite from somebody I wasn't *really* close to, because it is a lot of expense just to be there for a few hours to mark somebody else's big day.

I will say that I was trying on bridesmaids dresses last week and heard a bride talking about her wedding and was just...turned off. It just seems like there is so much people feel like they have to do, and it sounds like a nightmare to me. I just want 10-20 people, a good photographer, and a gorgeous location. I feel like anything else would stress me the heck out.

 

[iLander]

No. Hellz no. I would rather get a root canal than go to a wedding.

Everything is such a BIG deal, and everything's a crisis, every word is parsed, every faux pas magnified. It's such a stressful, highly charge event, that I can't possibly relax and I hate them.

And every wedding I've ever been to, they take away my table! Seriously people, spend the bucks or reduce the guest list, and get a place with a dance floor SEPARATE from the tables. DH and I are amazed that this keeps happening, we think it's kind of freaky! Supposedly these are the "best" tables we're sitting at, with the bride's parents or groom's parents, but why are these the ones that get taken away? It's so weird. Then the rest of the day we have no real place to sit, and it just feels so awkward.

And I'm always stuck at a table with people I don't know, and will never see again. What's the point of that?

And you never see the bride and groom for more than 5 minutes, then it's back to the boring strangers.

And the food is always cold. Never had a hot meal at a wedding. Note to brides; cold lamb is extra DISGUSTING! Serve gazpacho or salad and let's stop pretending that a caterer can make 200 meals hot at the exact same moment.

And that mash the cake thing? No, it's not funny. Or cute. It's overdone and lame. The garter tease? Please. Have some dignity, the time for raunchy was the bachelor party the night before, not when grandma's in the room.

Honestly, I can do without them. Next time, we'll just take the bride and groom out to dinner some night, congratulate them, ask how they met, buy them desert, pass over the gift and leave it at that.

I am in the minority here, but honestly, I can totally do without weddings.