Not to just single out this post, but you hit on something I've been thinking about.
Generally, I'd say like 90% of people under the age of 25 want a small wedding. The days of huge, distant family, "traditional" weddings are done away with because:
1) Distance. Due to modern economics, people move away for jobs. People have family members scattered in different states. Takes longer and more organization to invite everyone.
2) 'Closeness'. Not the physical distance. But because people are so far away, family members often get out of touch with one another, and don't know each other as well.
3) Risk of future embarassment. Let's face it. Divorce rates are still very high in the U.S., roughly 40%, having peaked before at 50%. The days of 20-30 years ago, 'till death do you part', seem long forgotten. Marriage is a tough commitment to keep, especially economically, where one or both parents are working full-time jobs and never see each other. Very easy to forget the importance of spending time with your loved one. Anyway. With divorce so common, why have a huge wedding, when someday you might have to explain to all these people why you got divorced?
4) Cost. Hey, weddings can be expensive. Renting a place and/or a bar, for dozens, hundreds of guests, can cost $20k, $40k+, depending what you get. And most people 25 and younger are skeptical towards getting into debt, especially with the recent economic crash, and the outrageous costs of college. Why get into more debt over a wedding?
5) Socialization. This is a cultural reason. Today, more than ever, people are chatting online, text message, email... dare I say phone, or is that becoming outdated too? Let's face it, today in 2011, most young people aren't accustomed to face-to-face communication. And feel awkward doing it. Especially with strangers.
Unless people grew up in a very close family, or have strong beliefs of tradition, I think most young people don't feel the need to pay exuberant amounts of money for both the risk of embarrassing yourself to more people one day through divorce or for the awkwardness of socializing with people you don't know that well, not to mention the headaches of organizing everything together.
I would not recommend to any young person a career in wedding planning haha.