My problem with the wedding industry started when I studied in

In this reflection, Jessica Valenti speaks with deep frustration about the wedding industry and its power to reduce sacred unions to shallow entertainment. She recalls her days in college, where a show called “A Wedding Story” on TLC would play in the background. Instead of inspiring awe or reverence, the show stirred irritation in her heart. For how could the lifelong commitment of two souls be condensed into a half-hour program focused only on the party rather than the profound journey of love and partnership? Her words reveal a conflict between the essence of marriage and the way modern culture commodifies it.

The wedding industry, in its grand displays and endless advertisements, often turns a deeply personal moment into a performance for society’s gaze. Where ancient ceremonies once centered on sacred vows and spiritual union, many modern weddings are dominated by the pursuit of perfection — the perfect dress, the perfect venue, the perfect Instagram-worthy images. Jessica’s irritation is not merely about a television show, but about what it represents: a world where the surface has overtaken the substance, where the ritual of love has been overshadowed by commerce and spectacle.

History offers a sharp contrast. In ancient cultures, weddings were deeply communal and spiritual events. In small villages, families would gather around a fire or beneath the open sky, offering blessings and prayers for the couple. These ceremonies were not about impressing others but about binding lives together, weaving two families into one tapestry. Even in royal courts, where grandeur was inevitable, the focus remained on alliances and vows rather than the fleeting details of a party. Jessica’s words echo a longing for this authenticity, a return to the heart of what marriage truly signifies.

Her critique also carries a warning about how storytelling shapes our values. By encapsulating a wedding into a brief, glittering episode, television teaches viewers to see marriage as a single day rather than a lifetime of shared labor and love. It is like reducing an epic poem to a single verse — the depth and meaning are lost. This mirrors the myth of Narcissus, who became so captivated by his reflection that he forgot the world around him, ultimately fading away into nothingness. So too, society risks becoming lost in its own shallow reflection of weddings, forgetting the soul of the commitment itself.

Thus, Jessica’s reflection is a call to future generations: do not be deceived by appearances. A wedding is but the first page of a long and winding story. The true beauty lies not in the flowers or the feast, but in the everyday acts of devotion that follow. Let your unions be built not for cameras or crowds, but for the quiet, steadfast love that endures when the music fades and the lights are gone. In this way, marriage returns to its rightful place — not as a spectacle for the world, but as a sacred promise between two souls.