Gifts? Really?

MT & I went to his folks' house this weekend. We were supposed to have a big BBQ with his extended fam last Sunday, but after missing our flight out of Paris Saturday night (3 hours on a payphone at the airport and $1,500 later we got home Sunday night) that plan had to be reworked.

His extended fam didn't know he was proposing in Paris. His parents and sister knew, but not the big Rhode Island Italian faction. In the week between the 1st incarnation of the BBQ and the actual get-together they were all told and the engagement fiesta has now officially begun. We got gifts. Gifts! Who knew? We are now the proud owners of a set of Waterford toasting flutes, a silver photo frame, a silver cake serving set and a big photo frame that you sign instead of a guest book. Not being the very traditional sort, we didn't even know most of these things existed. I guess this means we have to have a sort of formal cake cutting thingamajig at the wedding, eh?

Now if only we could find a place that wasn't $40k for ONE SILLY NIGHT. I'm so disgusted with the wedding industry. I just want to get married. I want to get married and have a party with our friends and family to celebrate it. That's it. It shouldn't cost a decent yearly salary. It just shouldn't. Even if I had that kind of cash to blow I couldn't bring myself to do it.

I just keep thinking about The Princess Bride. "Mawwiage. Mawwiage is what bwings us togezzah todaaay...