Yikes. Satirist Tina Dupuy writes a very cranky -- but interesting -- commentary on the American marriage in today's Huffington Post.

She spins the political angle around the idea that gay marriage is getting more support in this presidential election than any other in history. It sets the stage to chat in general about her opionons on marriage, but really, these are her opinions on weddings.

Honestly, I do not disagree with some of her assertions that the hyper-sales approach the wedding industry lures brides into believing a big wedding means a good marriage. Sigh. Unfortunately, for some couples, it can mean the opposite.

Essentially, Dupuy sites a survey about American marriage that says people ain't getting hitched like they used to (reported in Wedlok.com months ago) and a recent Census report that states their are more "unmarried" households than "married" households.

She does point out a pithy factoid about why she believes less people are marrying and more are shacking up without a license: "According to a survey done by the Fairchild Bridal Group, the average American wedding costs $30,000. On the other hand, according to the US Census Bureau the median American household income is only $44,389."

The fact that the average American wedding can cost $30,000 (other's say it is $23,000 to $26,000 by the way) and be the equivalent of two-thirds of the Average annual income is indeed a sobering thought. Perhaps this is why Las Vegas is host of 120,000-140,000 of the two million weddings in the US each year.
They certainly require a smaller portion of your annual income!

Read Tina Dupuy's column at the HuffingtonPost.com.