It was nicer. Weddings say a lot about the society in which they're held, and what Israeli weddings say today about Israeli society is, for the most part, off-putting. But that's only if the rabbi, the parents, the friends, or the couple themselves mention something about who the bride and groom are. At Israeli weddings, nobody stands up to say anything about the man and woman whose special day it's supposed to be. An Israeli wedding is like a dinner-dance, except there's one couple dressed a little fancier than everyone else.
Most weddings here are all dolled-up, trivial, stereotyped.
But the truth is I've never seen such a thing. But there's good news on the style front that some of the worst excesses are gone. It went out a few years ago. Now the couple greets the guests as they come in. You might have a Chinese chef stir-frying in a wok, or a barman wearing a Mexican sombrero passing out shots of tequila.