answer:Yes, I am an introvert and don’t like crowds. I have hundreds of friends around the world and would love to have them all present for one huge party, though. However, I do not like the pomp and circumstance or the pretentiousness of many weddings. I simply don’t grasp the concept of having a professional photo shoot with dozens of images of the engaged couple in contrived poses, nor the necessity of custom calligraphy for save-the-date announcements or even the official invitations. I know people who are photographers and calligraphers, and I don’t begrudge them their right to earn a living, but something about it just seems so wasteful. This isn’t just weddings, either. People blow tons of money on bar/bat mitvahs, confirmation/communion parties, quinceaneras/sweet-sixteen parties, graduation parties, etc. I just feel like the people who make all that fuss are doing it for show. To me, it’s like the people who have to “Like” and “Share” those posts on Facebook that say how much they love their child, and being a parent is the best thing in the world. Who are they trying to convince? Do the folks who do all these things love their kid more than I love mine? No. He knows he’s loved by my actions, and he doesn’t resent that he never had a huge party at a banquet hall with a band.