a lot of people are of the view that a wedding should be at taco bell for $100. imo, a wedding is the only time where you can have all your close friends and family together. you're not going to be able to get your aging mamoo in pakistan to come over for your child's birthday party or eid but most likely you can get him to visit you for a wedding. even better, you can have most of your friends and family in one place at once. it really is a once-in-a-lifetime, memorable experience.
i'm known for being a simple ponytail and jeans sort of girl but for my wedding i plan to spend several thousand dollars. would love to have my cousins from pakistan join me here, and i would like to pay for their airfare. they've always hosted me so many times and dealt with my complaints about their dear country (i didn't realize then..oops). so far i've saved $200 for my blockbuster wedding :D