Money. Greed. Humans have been programmed to believe that you need a big extravagant wedding so the wedding industry can enrich itself.

Certainly that's part of it, but its not what I'm driving at. The point of these public things is that community holds us accountable.

Its a recent phenomenon of American yearning to return to Monarchy fueled by Fiat and vanity.

Interesting take. I'd like to hear more - I like psychology. What I was aiming at is just the function of community in accountability. If a thing is private, you can easily reneg on it ; if public, the fear of disappointing your fellows helps to keep you on the path you've committed to. Baptising an infant is a public commitment to raising them a certain way. But from the standpoint of the infant being "saved," its retarded. As with almost anything concocted by Augustine, just utter retardation. But if it gets people to stop physically harming children, then it's good. IMO.