Tradition Reimagined

      Marriage means, by definition, the state of being united as spouses in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law. Nowhere in this definition does it say that one must have a huge reception, or that one must spend thousands of dollars on one night, or even that one must be married in a church. Why then, are people judged so harshly when they get married at an in-n-out wedding place in Vegas? The answer is simple: social standards. Society tells us that we must all follow the age old tradition associated with marriage. Tradition states that you be married in a church, the couple be of opposite sex, the bride be wearing a long white dress with a beautifully stitched veil, and the venue be filled with countless friends, family members, and coworkers you barely tolerate. However, society is changing, and these traditions are quick to follow. Nowadays the couple does not necessarily have to be a man and a woman. In addition, wedding dresses are becoming bolder each year. Likewise, you can get married on a beach, in your backyard, or even in a Taco Bell. After all, who would want that four course meal at the reception when you could have a $4 bean burrito and a Baja Blast Freeze, on the house? All these changes to tradition have been allowed, if not happily accepted. So, how come getting married in Vegas is still considered so 'trashy' and 'impulsive'? Perhaps it is because of the belief "that there is no "time" in Las Vegas, no night and no day and no past and no future," (Didion). Or, maybe it's because of the popular saying, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." It could even be the fact that Vegas just has that reputation. Regardless, marriage is not defined by where you get married, or by how long the ceremony is, or even by how much you spend on the whole ordeal. The only aspect of a wedding that truly matters is the love between the bride and groom.

 Waking up in Vegas by Katy Perry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-pUaogoX5o