I think if you're at the point where you're popular enough to

In the words of Johnny Vegas—“I think if you’re at the point where you’re popular enough to sell your wedding photos to OK! Magazine then you don’t need the money.”—there lies a rebuke both sharp and wise. He speaks not only of weddings and fame, but of the human tendency to barter the sacred for the fleeting glitter of gold. The wedding, a union meant to be pure and intimate, becomes in such bargains a spectacle for sale, and thus the heart is traded for the applause of strangers.

The ancients often warned against this hunger for outward gain at the cost of inner truth. Recall the tale of King Midas, who asked that all he touched be turned to gold. At first he rejoiced, yet soon his food, his drink, even his daughter turned lifeless in his hands. So too do those who sell their most intimate joys for coin discover that what once was living has been rendered hollow. Vegas, with his words, unmasks this same folly: for those already blessed with fame and fortune, the hunger for more wealth at the expense of dignity is but another form of greed.

Yet there is also a deeper wisdom: that true abundance is not measured in riches, but in the treasures of life that cannot be bought or sold. To stand beside one’s beloved, to speak vows before those who truly matter—these things are greater than any price a magazine might offer. The Stoics, like Epictetus, would remind us that to value what lies outside our control—fame, applause, wealth—is to become enslaved. Freedom, they taught, is found in honoring what is within: virtue, love, and loyalty.

Consider the example of Cincinnatus, the Roman farmer called to serve as dictator in a time of crisis. Though he was granted supreme power, he returned to his plow after victory, seeking no reward but the quiet dignity of his fields. His greatness lay not in the trappings of wealth or fame, but in the humility of one who knew where true worth dwells. Likewise, Vegas’ words remind us that those who already possess recognition should not corrupt the sanctity of their weddings for shallow gain.

Thus, let this teaching be passed down: do not sell what is sacred. Let your love, your vows, your most cherished moments remain untouched by the marketplace. For gold will fade, magazines will crumble, and the voices of applause will fall silent. But the memory of a covenant made in truth will endure, shining brighter than all the wealth the world could offer.