All I see is money being wasted that I could spend on a new car or something useful, instead of a dress I'll wear once, centerpieces we'll use once, overpriced food, a stupid cake, etc.
Feeling guilty about money really put a damper on planning my wedding too, so I completely understand where you're coming from. I was very anti-Wedding Industrial Complex when I started planning-- I was determined to go "off the beaten path" and save money anywhere I could. There's a ridiculous amount of pressure heaped on brides-- some of it is from the WIC, pressuring you to spend, spend spend on your "One Perfect Day" (barf.) There's also a ton of pressure in the complete opposite direction-- from people shaming you for "wasting money" on a wedding. "My wife and I went down to the courthouse and got married for a button and a shoestring, and we've been married 500 years!" etc.
Here is what I came to realize:
You, your fiance, and your love are WORTH CELEBRATING. You are both important, wonderful, unique, AMAZING people. Your love is special, and your marriage is worth celebrating.
Your wedding is one of only two times in your life where your family and friends will gather from afar to celebrate YOU, the other being your funeral. There's no need to feel guilty or ashamed for having the wedding that you want-- give yourself permission to relax and have a fabulous, impractical party if that is what your heart desires.
The wedding isn't just for you. It's a chance for family and friends to come together, celebrate, laugh, and share stories. I love going to weddings because, as bad as the world can seem at times, weddings remind me of the most important things in life. Two people finding each other, falling in love, and building a life together. Family and friends, love, laughter, and shared memories. Sometimes you just need to celebrate in defiance of all the horrible things that are happening elsewhere in the world and on the news.
And just remember, it's your wedding, and there are no rules that you need to follow. You can have whatever kind of wedding you want. If you don't want to buy a dress and wear it once, consider buying a secondhand dress, a non-wedding dress that you can wear again, or a new dress that you can donate for another bride to enjoy. Imagine how happy she will probably be to get a chance to wear your beautiful dress on her special day.