Statistics

Well, what a way to round out an evening. I got in late, played a little chess, talked to this guy that I have met over eHarmony. (Quick review of eHarmony: My mom suggested it, and though I haven't told her, I tried it. After 3 months, only 1 person has made it through to the open communication and is actually interested in talking. They are the most expensive one, and you have the least amount of control. I don't like that so much, but there is a little method to the madness.) We talked for a good while, and it's fun. He lives out in Leesburg (talk about BFE Virginia!) but we'll see. I had to open my mind up for that, because the distance is pretty far out from where I am, just about the limits of where I'd date anyone right now. Conversation is pretty good right now, I may meet him next week. So, after that, I finish watching Rock Star: INXS and can I say, WOW, Marty and Ty are simply awesome. Marty took a real risk and did an acoustic version of a song from The Killers, and Ty gave an absolutely fantastic rendition of No Woman, No Cry. The night is rolling along fairly smoothly, until I start reading The Washington Post. I start reading this article about a couple that is getting their wedding planned and paid for by the Today show. Nice, huh? Talking about bridal marketing, yadda yadda... and then I read this:

The average American bride is 27 years old, her fiance 29, and they will be engaged for 17 months before exchanging vows.

Holy shit, eh? I'm way behind the power curve. I'm about to turn 31, don't have a boyfriend let alone a fiancé. More statistics:

The average American wedding now costs $26,327, plus another $10,000 or so in cities like New York or Washington. Only 25 percent of brides' parents pay for the entire shebang, 27 percent of couples pay all the costs themselves, and the rest some combination thereof. The bad news: Almost half the couples spend more than they had planned, and many go into debt to fund the festivities.

Well, hot damn. That's about as much as you need to have on hand if you want to put a down payment down and close on a fucking HOUSE. In Florida... here, that wouldn't even cover the 10% down on a standard single family home. Maybe you can get a condo with that. :p This shit is depressing. No wonder they wait 17 months - they have to live hand to mouth just to pay for all this shit! So where does this leave me? I'm resolute on finding the right guy first. Half of those 27-year-olds will be divorced by the time they're 31, or separated from their husbands. In that way, I am ahead of the power curve, because I know myself and my proclivities and my attractions a lot better than the average 25-year-old fiancée. As for the money, you have to have priorities. My parents will want to foot the bill, but I will want to do a lot of the stuff myself. It'll be a labor of love. I'll design my own dress; my first cousin once removed (my mother's cousin) is eager and willing to make my dress, should I marry before she passes away. I plan to make a lot of things myself - invitations, for example. I have family that have many cooking/baking talents. There are a bunch of things I can do and want to do, should a wedding actually occur for me. There are lots of inexpensive options. But the priority will be getting our own house. The fiasco that is the purchase of this townhome won't happen again for me and my prospective future husband. So all in all, it's been a good evening. I won't be disheartened by my advancing age. I am empowered to make better choices. And that's comfort enough for me.