If you're holding a grand wedding to impress your guests, then you've gotten it all wrong. A wedding is about YOU and your partner, and NOT your guests. They're the sidekicks, the spectators, the audience there to celebrate what is possibly the most important milestone of your life. 10 years ago, the average cost of a hotel table was less than $1000 but now, the rates have escalated to $1500 - $2000 on average. Isn't that scary? The inflation rate for weddings is about 10% every year (that hotel / photographer / makeup artist your friend used for her wedding 2 years ago might just charge you a lot more for yours next year), and so big grand weddings are no longer in fashion anymore. My generation just can't afford to keep up with the rising costs, period. The costs have spiralled a lot faster than our wages can keep ......