Weddings are an American rite of passage, the ultimate moment when dreams come true. No expense or effort is spared to make the wedding the perfect moment. Family and friends travel hundreds of miles just to be there.
Parents go into debt to provide the perfect cake, the sit-down dinner, a gala reception, not to mention the bride’s dress and decorations. We have added our twists to the wedding traditions. While many weddings are still held in cathedrals, churches and chapels, they have moved beyond church walls in search of exotic places to tie the knot — on mountain tops, in the ballpark at home plate, on beaches and boats.
Wedding music is no longer limited to the bridal march. We have opted for country western, hip-hop and pop. We have added unity candles and unity sand.
But one element remains unchanged in every wedding ceremony: the high point of the event is the entrance of the bride. Everything leads up to the bride’s entrance adorned in an elaborate dress that enhances her beauty. I like weddings held outside.
In one I attended, the flower girl entered the gazebo under a bright blue sky scattering her petals on the bride’s path. She stopped at the entrance, tugged on a rope to ring an overhead bell then shouted with excitement, “She’s coming! She’s coming!” The crowd giggled and smiled as they always do when children perform, then they turned their heads searching for their first glimpse of the bride. It reminded me of Jesus’ love for weddings.
He pe.