when our dollars go towards “tzedaka” that ends up paying for others to have Lavish weddings
I don’t mean to defend gross overspending and lavishness, but you do realize that when a person overspends on a wedding (and uses goods and services obtained in the community), he ends up creating business opportunities for people in the community, right? It’s easy to say “forgo the photographer* at the wedding…” but then you’re just depriving the photographer of a job.
IOW, buying goods and services in the community — even when “overspending” on “lavish” items *reduces* the need for tzedaka and makes us better off financially.
The Wolf
* Please — don’t go on about my example about how people need photographs — if so, then put some other expense in there instead. And please don’t go one and state that I’m defending photographers because I am one. I’m strictly amateur and have never gotten paid a penny to take a single picture.