Wedding Preparation

I have aided in some small way, two of my children's wedding preparation, and am now witnessing the third and final one. We have been to a huge wedding exhibition (they have been to another..) and we have researched centerpieces, etc. They have lined up the Church and the hall, figured out the menu, chosen a Friday so that they can save themselves and their parents money (smart!)

The wedding dress and the bridesmaid dresses as well as the flower girl's have been chosen and ordered. Not sure if final decision has been made on the guys' tux or not, but it has been looked into and discussed (color is a big thing here...). Flowers are being looked at, cake has been chosen. Guest list is being made and whittled to fit the hall and the pocketbook of all involved (difficult when one side has average to large, and other side has large to huge immediate families!).

They have spoken to the Deacon of the Church, and he has agreed to perform the ceremony, while Father will say the Nuptial Mass. They have discussed the impact of parental divorce on their wedding, and have decided that the D word will not enter conversations... hopefully this will also be spoken about with the Deacon during wedding preparation, in depth.

They have verbalized the three requirements for a Catholic wedding... permanence (indissolubility), fidelity (faithfulness), and being open to life. That is all it takes to form a valid marriage. Happiness itself is never guaranteed, but does not make any marriage invalid, and they know this. Their main job as a married couple is to seek the salvation of their spouse, and themselves.

The rest is choices. CHOOSING to love, to sacrifice for the other, to serve, to honor, to treat the other with dignity and respect always. Being human, they may fail. We then pick up the pieces, and begin again to choose to love, etc. Above all, forgive.

God bless them on their journey. Photographers are important, cakes are important, the gowns, etc are, also, but all of those are for one day. Marriage is for life, til death parts them... I hope that they learn to prepare for life, not just for a day....


Update June 27, 2006 The Wedding