Sir: It is amazing to see how outrageously people are spending on weddings these days. If you want to book a hall for a wedding you need to book six to eight months in advance. Same is the case with wedding planners as they are all so heavily booked. Gone are the days when weddings were a simple affair with functions being arranged by the family members and catering being done by common caterers. Now it is all about the frenzied competition of who hires a bigger name to do their wedding. The thematic events force people to get new attire especially designed for each event. People ask questions like who is doing the photography and makeup and who designed the bride’s dress and jewellery. And God forbid should you come up with a name that no one has heard about. Prices of dresses have shot up to as much as the price of a brand new Honda Civic car! Quite unbelievable as this dress is worn only for a few hours at the most. The giveaways at weddings now include chocolates and mithai that is imported from Dubai at times. Who would imagine that such extravagance and waste is practiced daily in a country where people are dying of hunger and cold. AMNA KHAN Lahore