Choose What's Important

Just before our wedding, I was reading an article in a woman's magazine that told the story of a wedding where the air conditioning failed at the rented hall, on a sweltering day. It couldn't be fixed in time for the ceremony, so a nearby hotel scrambled to make a space for the wedding. All the arrangements the bride had made for things like the color of the napkins all disappeared. The bride commented that even in the midst of everything going wrong, the important things were still there--the bride and groom and the love and presence of their family and friends. All in all, it was a memorable wedding.

When it comes right down to it, the essentials of a wedding are the two people to be married, the minister or justice of the peace who performs the ceremony, the ceremony itself, and the guests who witness it. Everything else is decoration and tradition.

At the barest minimum, one could have no rings or flowers or dresses or cake, but that extreme is not necessary. It's important for the meaning of the event to have a festive atmosphere and to create an environment that is outside of ordinary daily life. A wedding is a milestone to be suitably marked and acknowledged. To participate in the wedding traditions is part of connecting with other couples, both present and past, who have made the same commitment.

But you also don't need to follow every wedding tradition if it has no meaning for you. Learn about wedding traditions and choose to do the one's that will make your day special. Each wedding can and should be a unique expression of the couple getting married. Make it your day, just the way you want it.

<< previous | next >>