There's tremendous social pressure about weddings, and a lot of people to please. I can't fault people for falling prey to traditions if they care about support from their families.

My best friend, a fellow atheist, attended her niece’s wedding last month. Bride wanted a June wedding but the church found out Bride and Groom were living together and threatened to ban them from church participation. So they had a “shotgun wedding” in August with a reception at a casino. Ceremony declared that she “has cleaved to him” and takes his name and how he will now lead them with his “wisdom.” BF was pretty grossed out.

That's why humanist weddings are so popular, to avoid having just a church worship service, with the "I do" and "Repeat after me" vow and rings, yada yada. I feel the churches purposely make it into a worship service in an attempt to attract new members, but I wonder how often that actually works. (yawn)

Though another reason for the wedding you attended not to have included a more personal or human touch could be that the couple are private people and chose to have a less personal ceremony.

Even with the humanistic weddings I perform, I get couples who just want the bare minimum, without personalization and attention on them, or a longer script with a lot of "filler" material, but not so much in the way of their own relationship and future. Sometimes the couples don't want to be judged on their performance or choices, so remove themselves from the process and let the marriage performer or minister take the credit or blame for a moving or boring ceremony.

It's wonderful to have choices, where church weddings are actually losing popularity in favor of more meaningful and memorable services, at least with the younger generation, unless they are forced to have a church-y wedding due to parents paying for the event.

Many religious weddings are

I don’t understand weddings at all especially religious ones. Pretty brave of you to attend and all kitted out in the new dress!