From the Readers

Real meaning of wedding lost

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-10-15 08:12

Comment on "To go, or not to go to a wedding" (China Daily, Sept 11)

I can identify with what Xu Xiaomin has written about wedding practices in Shanghai. In the United States, too, there are certain expectations about how expensive a wedding gift should be.

There is no set amount that a guest to a marriage party is supposed to spend. But the bride and groom pick and choose what gifts are acceptable by setting up a bridal registry. Often, the gifts they like to receive are rather costly. As a college student working hard to support myself, I feel the money spent on attending a wedding party can be a heavy burden.

I work for an upscale catering company in Philadelphia where couples spend thousands of dollars on their wedding. But why should friends and family members provide the money to make a couple's dream come true? Why cannot couples save for such an occasion? Weddings are becoming more materialistic and their meaning is getting lost. The prevailing standards are not only unfair to guests, but also shift the focus away from the romantic aspect of the ceremony. So, we should stop ogling at engagement rings and designer gowns, and move our focus back to what weddings are supposed to be really about.

Natalie Wimberg, via e-mail

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(China Daily 10/15/2010 page9)