In 2018, it's nearly every young woman's dream to have an over-the-top wedding.

She wants to customize the happiest day of her life to the fullest extent, hand-selecting all of the food, the beverages, the guests, the music, and the decor to ensure that her day is absolutely glorious.

And while it's wonderful that she envisions such a lively celebration for herself and a future lover…it truly costs more than it's worth.

Now, don't get me wrong—I really enjoy a good party, especially when it's thrown in honor of someone special. But weddings take countless months to prepare and pay for…and all of that effort is expended in just a few hours once the day finally arrives. In a perfect world, a bride and groom would party as much as they worked to make their wedding possible. It's a shame that this isn't feasible because only then would they truly get their money's worth.

That being said, I would much rather invest my money in something a bit more permanent. I can appreciate the sentimental value of a grandiose wedding party, but I don't appreciate it enough to empty my bank account for it.

With the money I save up in the early years of my career, I want to buy myself and my future bride a lovely home. I'll put a downpayment on a gorgeous house and use the leftover money to spruce it up if it needs any renovations. Or we might decide to invite just a few close friends and family on a tropical vacation. I could make those funds last for months, or I could put all of them towards a singular event held on just one day out of 365. While I know and respect that other people feel differently, you can't change my mind when I say I'd rather spend my money long-term than drop all of it on my wedding night.

And it's not like spending a lot of money will guarantee that my wedding meets my standards for "perfection." I am definitely an idealist when it comes to planning out my life. So chances are, unless I want my credit score to plunge six feet under, I won't be able to finance my absolute dream wedding. Not to mention the stress that accompanies putting it all together. Whether it's myself or a wedding planner, so many details go into it that I don't think I could handle it all with a smile on my face. The stress alone would be enough to drive me over the edge and, to me, it's just not worth it. It's not worth it at all.

I can't see myself dropping thousands of dollars on what is essentially a glorified adult sweet sixteen. If that's how you want to use your hard-earned money, then by all means, go right ahead. I 100% respect your decision, but that doesn't mean I agree with it. As long as you're happy, then I'm happy, too.

So I would love to be a guest at your swanky soiree. It'd really be an honor for me to be part of your special day. And I will gladly buy you a wonderful gift and congratulate you all night long. But you can keep your fancy wedding for yourself. I'd rather spend my money on other things for the love of my life and I to enjoy.