The cynic has not left the building.

Weddings and divorces have a lot in common in that the industries are full of money vultures. Or maybe it's just a belief that the more spent, the greater the depth of feeling.

Example: For my Big Day, my parents rented this expensive, old house that was in great demand by insane brides all over the peninsula. Chairs were included so that my 75 guests could sit during the ceremony and dinner except they were those garden variety, institutional beige folding metal chairs. (Nowadays, they can be disguised with slipcovers and sashes to look like short guests.) But wait! Stored right next to the ugly chairs were the deluxe, faux-bamboo gold chairs that could be rented for an extra $1.50 per. In a moment of clarity, we went with the ugly ones. It's not a given that falling in or out of love will destroy the financial center of your brain.