Weddings are big business. Some utter the words “recession proof,” some call it highway robbery. Whatever you think, Till death do us part, translates into a lot of green for vendors peddling an unforgettable day of love and romance. Check out these mind boggling statistics:

• The wedding industry and related ceremony expenses generates $60 billion a year in the U.S.
• The average cost for a ceremony is $22,000.
• 2.1 million weddings took place in the United States in 2008 compared to an average of 150,000 in Canada each year.
• The top 3 cities for weddings in the U.S. are Las Vegas (number 2 in the world behind Istanbul, Turkey), Gatlinburg, Tennessee and New Orleans, Louisiana.

Add even more Benjamins to the wedding industry coffers for commitment ceremonies and the newly minted gay marriage dollars in Iowa, Massachusetts, and other progressive states, and this whole thing turns into what my friend Stephanie would call “ridonkulous.”

Not to sound cynical, I already did this wedding thing once before and feel no need to do it again. However, I get the desire to join as one and the Fort Knox of a bank account couples need to make it happen.

With the median age of first time newlyweds rising – the average bride is 25 and groom is 27 these days – this brings with it an extra set of wedding expenses – the famous prenuptial agreement.

The Law Office of Marta Papa, a St. Louis divorce, mediation and family law attorney, gave me a quick look at prenups and the merging of houses, hearths, comic book collections…

Marta said, “I have seen a change in the number of clients who are seeking such services… one or both of the people may have accumulated substantial assets before the marriage. The smart ones will protect such assets by drawing up a pre-nup. It is no longer a document used only by the wealthy or famous.”

Such contracts can be short and sweet. Marta explained, “Today’s pre-nups sometimes only address one issue like a business.”

Add one more line item to your wedding budget.

To show you that I’m really not that cynical when it comes to all things bridal I will end this post with a ray of hope for the happy couple. If you still have that dream wedding in your heart, check out these two upcoming wedding showcases:

ALIVE Bride Hosted By ALIVE Magazine

DATE: Thursday, January 14, 2010
TIME: 6-9pm
PLACE: Lumen Private Event Space (22nd & Locust)
RSVP: For complimentary admission, email alivebride@alivemag.com

St. Louis Magazine’s UNVEILED Bridal Show

DATE: Sunday, January 17, 2010
TIME: 12:00 – 3:00pm
PLACE: The Chase Park Plaza, Khorassan Ballroom
TICKETS: Tickets are $30 and can be purchased online at stlmag.com/events or by calling 314.918.3026

Pamela is the Business and Networking Editor for Girls Guide. She is the owner of The Raymond Experience, an events and public relations company, and she moonlights as a business blogger here and as Business Commentary eXaminer for St. Louis. You can email her at pamela [at] girlsguidetothegalaxy [dot]com, and follow her on Twitter.