Weddings are monumental, memorable, and fun events for family and friends. They add a richness to life. People in my family still talk about weddings from literally decades ago and it's a great way to bring people together and make memories. You don't need to spend $50k on a wedding. You also don't need to go uber-frugal. There's a happy medium out there for most people.

It really depends on your financial situation. What if you have no student loans and a six-figure income?

A $10k wedding (or a $50k one, for that matter) is only a waste of money if you don't value big fanc events where you're the center of attention, and it's only a financially unwise decision if you cannot afford it.

I don't, and it is. This is coming from someone who spent a multiple of that amount on a wedding.

My issue though, is that you're attempting to apply logic to something driven almost entirely by emotions in the first place.