my friend has three mothers-in-law

Weddings are strange beasts.

Some friends of mine got married on the weekend. She's a wedding photographer by trade, he once had a career as a wedding DJ - needless the say, they had the situation sussed and the whole thing went smoothly (if you don't count rain).

Everything was just so - from the picturesque South-West farm, to the ever-so slightly mismatched cups and saucers for the "English afternoon tea' after the ceremony.

I found the wedding ceremony disturbingly twee. I'm not sure whether it was because I didn't know many fellow guests, but it just wasn't fun. Far too formal. But if it means something for them, then good on them.

The reception, however, that was fun. The food was ok - they didn't do that annoying thing where they give half the table the beef dish and the other half the fish dish - they had a buffet. Guess whose table got called to the buffet last? Yep. I don't mind potato salad and bread rolls.

And although the reception had a quirky take on the 'disposable camera on each table' by having a photo booth, the real highlight was the speeches. Yep, there was a toast to the bride's parents, a toast to the bride's parents and a toast to the groom's parents.

I didn't do a typo there. There were two lots of toasts to the bride's parents. The bride has two mums in an overly politically correct Play School kind of way.

So there was a toast to her mums and a toast to her dad and step mum (who by the way introduced herself as the 'evil step mother').

Now families are interesting organisms and they're take on many different shapes and forms. The bride's family refer to themselves as a motley crew. But they love and care for one another so it motley yet functional.

All I know is my friend now has three mothers-in-law. Unlucky.

At least they all seemed to get along on the night.

I was seated on the table with three lots of newlyweds, so every second sentence began with, "At my wedding...". I can't help but think that weddings are a colossal waste of money for what you get in return for those thousands and thousands of dollars. There's clothes you'll never wear again, people you have to (but don't necessarily want to) invite, who inevitably get shit-faced and make a complete fool of themselves. And all those little things - place cards, invitations, those little gifty things that always include almonds in some shape or form.

Wouldn't it be more special to be standing there in a way you feel comfortable, with those you really want to share the moment with, eating food you actually like? You can keep the copious amounts of booze though, after all it is a cause for celebration.

The whole occasion, even the thought of it makes every fibre of my being want to elope.