From around the world comes this news from China: short, simple wedding ceremonies have become the new hip trend.  In America, current estimates put the ceremony/chapel/officiant cost at $250 out of a $24,000 budget, while the article describes a Chinese tradition of making the ceremony a “grand show.” Although many American couples do spend a lot of money on the wedding, others choose to celebrate with an intimate group of friends after a small service or civil ceremony. American wedding budgets allot about $8,000 on average for the cost of the reception site. However, a DIY movement among brides and the popularity of budget wedding books shows that Americans, too, value spending their wedding cash on more permanent items than wedding cake.

One groom described watching the butterfly release at his wedding as the fluttering away of so many $5 bills.