In a way, marriage is like graduation. At the end of the day, the grad ceremony isn't for you, it never was: It's for your parents, your family. Walking across the stage to receive my masters Diploma will mean next to nothing for me - All of the things that have meant anything to me will have been long past - but it will mean a HELL of a lot to my parents, as I am the first child to receive that high of an accolade in the immediate family. The wedding and the reception, at the end of the day, aren't REALLY for you. you already know you love the fuck out of each other. It's a formality for your families and for society, though some people also enjoy the event (Bridezillas, anyone?)because our parents and siblings really wanted to attend, and the other locations were very impractical. But then our parents still insisted that we have a "party" here in MI that is turning out to be just a plain old wedding reception.