http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2015/05/wedding_calculator_what_would_i_have_if_i_invested_instead.html

Does the happiest day of your life also have to be the most expensive? Whether the average cost of a wedding is $31,000, as the Knot reports, or more likely closer to $10,000, it’s a steep price to pay just to watch your cousin’s latest boyfriend abuse the open bar. If we eloped and invested that money instead, we could spend it on things we’ll truly need down the road, like college for the kids or Jet Skis. Use Slate’s calculator below to find out how much money you’d have today if you had invested that money instead of throwing a wedding.