Wedding Economy Tidbits:

• In ancient Rome, the ceremonial kiss was not romantic but legal. It marked the mutual acceptance of the contract of marriage. (from Martha Stewart Weddings Fall ’99)
• Because wedding gown advertisers threatened to boycott, bridal magazines refuse to take ads from, or even mention the existence of, companies selling used bridal gowns. (from the book Adcult USA)
• Diamonds are not really rare, but DeBeers has made absolutely sure that you don’t know that. And Microsoft’s business practices pale in comparison to theirs.