Now, where do I start?
No one asked me to do this, I'm (still) not even sure why am I doing this. I technically don't have any vested interest in replying to what you have said. Because, (1) am not yet married, (2) not planning to get married anytime soon (or later) either, (3) never attended any pre- nor post-engagement ceremony in which the bride-to-be had 7 sisters tailing next to her (or 7 twins sisters as you said, I believe it's actually septuplets, I took my time to google actually), (4) never attended any bachelorette party/ bridal shower, (5) never been a bridesmaid, (6) never had to RSVP for a wedding, never sent out one either, what else, oh, (7) I hardly attended weddings, in fact, been missing my friends' weddings coz I had to go for my part time classes during weekends, such a bummer really! So, what I'm saying is, I really don't have any reason to give you this reply, but I do it anyway, why? Let's just figure that out along the way, shall we? Or not, you don't have to if you don't want, why would you listen to what I tell you to do isn't it?
Should I go line by line? Don't think so, I'd like this to be short. I even skipped my dinner for this, you see (it's very bad for people with gastritis, mind you). Thing is, if you can have your wedding (and whatever pre- or post-events that come in association with it) the way you want to be, why can't others have their weddings the way they want them to be? I'm sorry if they happen to have 7 sisters or 14 good friends (Oompa Loompas is it, you called them?) that they would want to be by their side on their big day (or any associated pre- or post-events), to share their nervousness, their happiness and anything in between, God knows, maybe one isn't just enough. I'm sorry, if they feel the need to get together with their girl friends before they get hitched, be it at Flora Terrace or Harrods Cafe, for them to just have that oh-look-at-how-time-flies-that-one-of-us-is-getting-married conversation (God knows how often this get together will happen once they got married!) while having some desserts (never blame the desserts!) although I have to admit that some possess very little sensitivity when it comes to how the dessert is decorated and feel much less ashamed about it that they have to post it and show it to the world. RSVP cards, those are made with a purpose which you have kindly elaborated, and though the RSVP cards may have very little significance for those weddings held at less sophisticated places, they may have just distributed the cards so they could predict how many guests would be attending, should they order more food or extra canopies or should they not? Doesn't this make any sense at all? Candy bar, guest book and photo booth? For some couples, and I mean the bride and groom, I guess they would really want to give the best to those who actually spent their time coming to the wedding that the couples paid attention to even the smallest things like the RM1.00 per packet sweets from Giant, hence, the candy bar. Oh, the guest book! The one which the newlywed couple would later take time to go through, read the messages and thank the invitees for coming, you mean? And that includes the pak cik and mak cik from Meru who wrote Bismillah in it. The couples (again, the bride and groom) may also know who actually came for their wedding, spent their time to write wishes, be it only Bismillah or the cliche #tilljannah, or even for them to say sorry to those who actually came but didn't get the chance to see the celebrated couples. Wedding day could possibly be the busiest day in one's life, you see. Also, I'm sorry if the newlywed couples feel the need to prepare a proper booth for photo-taking session, regardless whether the reception is held at Dewan Felda or dewan sekolah, for the photos hold memories that they would want to reminisce. I mean, if you are going to take pictures at the wedding, what is not right about having a proper place to do so? Or if you don't want to take pictures at the wedding, then don't. The signage? Again, people's sensitivity and humor pretty much vary from one to another. And if you can have a hashtag for all sorts of event in your life, why can't it be you wedding day? What more, photos? Henri Cartier-Bresson (a quite famous photographer) once said, "I spent my entire life trying to capture the decisive moment, but every moment in life is a decisive moment." I'm just saying, to some people, it just happen to be pre- and post-wedding, or may even be after a baby was born. Any other events that come after the wedding, i.e. anniversaries, baby showers and etc, good things in life are to be celebrated. The how part tho, I'm not one to say. Of course, there are things and ways better than the others, but you can't say that eating noodles with fork is better than chopstick, or that it is wrong to use fork instead of chopstick, even though it is sunnah to simply use your hand. I hope this metaphor isn't too cryptic. Why am saying sorry for something I didn't do, again?
Those things may be unnecessary, but are they wrong? Spend your money wisely, yes. But if you can actually afford to spend on those without putting yourself in difficulty, how is that wrong, when those things you do are not without basis?
Also, it's not nice to call people stupid. It's not nice to ridicule people's reasoning just because it doesn't agree to yours too, when in fact there are no laws and regulations saying what they did are wrong either.
When I went out for lunch with my colleagues today, we sat at the open area instead of the air-conditioned inside because one of my colleagues wanted to smoke. I cannot stand people smoking, especially not when I'm eating. Although I wished I could've just screamed at the people there to stop smoking just so I could eat comfortably, I didn't. Because, it was more logical for me to just get the heck out of that area instead. Those people, they smoke because it's their prerogative. And those couples, who held their weddings in such ways you mentioned, because they wanted to. It's their wedding after all. And that though it annoys you to your bones whenever you have to attend such weddings, it's not that you are trapped in that moment forever. Bear with it. You don't have to understand it that those things may seem ridiculous to you, but believe it or not, they may not seem so for them, so, just bear with it. Those POTE posts, scroll past through them. It's not that people get married everyday. Every weekend, yes.
Please blog, nicely.
(Okay, you may say that this is your blog that you may blog whatever you want whichever way you want. Freedom of speech, yada yada. Same concept applies here, those people, it's their wedding, they may do whatever they want with it, whichever way they want it to be. The universal truth of right and wrong applies still, that you don't do things that contradict what is preached by your religion.)
In conclusion, message delivered. Spend wisely, don't do things just because others do it too, and practice prudent sensitivity. But really, there's no need for so much hatred. People can judge, by seeing what they do as unnecessary, but don't punish by labeling and calling people stupid. Again, not telling anyone on what to do here, but just doing what you did, saying what I felt like saying.
P.s. I'd expect people who wrote 'jazakallah' in their posts to have more patience and positivity than I do.
P.p.s. I felt the urge to correct your so-called typo or grammatical errors, despite it not being a PHD Dissertation. Why? One reason being because I am OCD in that way. Second reason being, errors are to be corrected. When you see something's that apparent to be wrong, you try to correct them, not condemn. Last time I check, correcting and condemning stood pretty far for each other.
P.p.p.s. The first rule of not giving an F, is simply to not give an F at all. The subsequent rules are merely referring back to rule number one.
I guess, that'd be all.
