Weddings and things.

Jenna Bush got married this past weekend and the wedding looked like a straight-forward and happy affair (photos on People). She had an outdoor ceremony at her parents' ranch, followed by a fancy dinner under a tent. The dress was a beaded organza by Oscar de la Renta.

I really like big weddings. But I understand lots of people don't. More than a handful of people have argued to my face that big weddings are wasteful -- in lieu of a wedding, they say the bride and groom should get a cheque so the couple can make a down-payment on a house, or a number of other practical suggestions relating to the material survival of the husband-and-wife to be.

To each his own. I happen to like big weddings, because to me marriage is a frivolous bit of fun* and kooky weddings are a great way to remind ourselves of that. Nobody ever marries to consolidate two families anymore; in fact, there are plenty of nonsensical pairings around (not least my own), where the two families don't even live in the same country, let alone speak each other's language.

The overwhelming sense I get from my own experience, and from looking at those of married couples around me, is that marriage is a fun thing that happens between two people who feel they are "in love," and maybe want a shot at having kids together. And there's usually a bit of economics involved, too -- like, it's easier to manage one household on a combined income.

Next to that, being single can appear to be boring and tough, and lots of single people I know are dying to get married so they can have an easier life (as they imagine it). But in actual fact, people can have a marvelous life by staying unmarried. There's nothing in modern-day society that prevents a person from being happily unmarried, if that's what they truly want from the bottom of their hearts.

But, should you decide to get married, I think it's sweet of your mother and father to throw you a big party. It's their way to celebrate how awesome you are, and at the same time say goodbye to you -- because, when you marry, the parent-child dynamic will change and things won't be the same between you anymore. And since this is goodbye for your husband, too, he should withdraw his full share from the family holdings so that he can establish his own independent fund, which, of course, he'll co-manage with you. Your duty as the bride is to negotiate a sum on your husband's behalf that, within the context of his family, reflects his full worth, not some random figure that means nothing -- like RM80. He deserves it, and you deserve it!

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*Of course, the "fun" should last for the rest of your life, barring any calamities.