The wedding industry angers me. The way that people increase the price of goods, when the word matrimony is uttered makes me fume.
We went wedding dress shopping one unsuspecting Friday in November, my mum, Granma, jen and I. However the day confused me, upset me and made me double think the way that we would approach our big day. Are you serious when you ask me for $4,000 for a wedding dress?
We decided we would keep it Local and in anyway, cut out the middle man, and go directly to the source and support local industry for our wedding supplies.
The caterer is a local company in my home town, who donates soup every week to my mums street soup run. The flowers will be arranged by my friend who has just finished her floristry course, our wedding will be her second only.
Here in Bali, Dad and Charl’s suits have been made by a local tailor, as well as our flower girls and Bridesmaid dresses. Whilst walking the beach I negotiated my jewellery with a local fisherman, who sold me two pearl bracelets and two pearl earrings for the girls.
I brought fans, for our programs from the local markets and we found the groomsmen’s ties here in a local store, ready for our boys back home.
Not everything is possible to stay local, but we are trying to do our bit for the environment, the poor and the underdogs for our wedding.
The fact that people spend more than 50,000 dollars on their weddings and walk into their marriages with debt, really makes me wonder, just who are we trying to impress?
Even if I wore a dress from best and less, some food from Nando’s and a group of friends standing around chatting for an afternoon, my heart would be dancing still, because the wedding day is just the prelude, it’s the day after the beginning of our marriage where the real story begins.
Keep it local.
Even just a bit,
A
