You sound like you want to be convinced into keeping the bag and I don't blame you, it's stunning, it pulls the outfit together best, and looks so wedding appropriate.
Keep it and let the guilt go by ebaying it when the time comes that the cash is worth more to you than the bag.
I love Number 1 the most.. but I probably would not keep the bag. I agree with those who said it is a little too expensive. I know for myself, the CPW would NOT be worth it. But if you think you can work it into your wardrobe ALOT then keep it.
#1 looks best, it is very reese witherspoon at a spring wedding. :)
the other outfits are nice but a little to casual for a 5pm wedding. . .
about the purse KEEP IT. i've had purses like that. . . you know you buy them for one wedding like five years ago and then you end up carrying it to wedddings bar/bat mitsvahs, holiday functions. the key with a good evening bag is that it is pretty, functional, and mulit-hued so you can wear it with a lot, and that bag hits the trifecta of evening bags.
umm.... wear #1 and return the bag after the wedding!!
I hope you were just kidding and that nobody would ever consider doing this, that is a form of stealing! Kinda like girls buying prom dresses they can't afford or ladies buying their Christmas party outfits (I have seen everything) and returning them when they are done using them. Tasteless.
I think I'm going to keep the purse. I'm still feeling a little guilty about it (I think partially because I'm reading a book about finances and it's making me feel guilty about buying anything that's not an investment) but I think I'll get some use out of it over the years. And it keeps me from buying a new digital camera, so really it's like I'm saving money!!!