It's not just for the wedding industry, it's for the parents. My wife and I heard many the nightmare about MOBs (Mothers of the Bride) trying to make their daughter have the wedding the MOB always wanted for herself.
Eloping is a valid response, as is attempting to face down the MOB (or other force of nature) -- if you're just as happy in a courtroom or your basement, you can get married fairly cheaply without the MOB's financial help. Alternatively, if your vision of the wedding is close enough to the MOB's that you can tolerate it, then grin and bear it and laugh about the rough patches during the honeymoon. (After a rough patch, my wife and I worked well with the MOB.)
Just remember the important thing: It's not about the wedding, it's about the marriage.