More than a lakeside wedding

I believe that marriage is holy and sacred, too.

But I don't believe that some venues are more holy and sacred than others. What makes a man-made church sanctuary more holy than a lake?

Those two getting married in a lake could be Christians. And by the same token you could have a couple get married in a church with a solemn ceremony and a preacher reading much scripture and they could be lost as a goose and headed straight for hell.

As far as weddings, I say, it's the bride's and groom's business.

Come on, now people, haven't you been to a HOST of weddings where the bride walks down the aisle of a church in a white dress and she's 7 months pregnant. That bothers me more than the lake.

Haven't you to a HOST of weddings where you KNOW the groom is obviously hung over and has a past untold (and half the bridesmaids can personally testify to it). That bothers me WAY more than the lake.

The venue isn't sacred. The vows are sacred. What God has put together is sacred.

 

But why does traditional have to mean sacred?

I'll just be honest. I have "issues" with traditional weddings. They make me crazy. And I don't mean to hurt anyone's feelings. It's all so rote and memorized and EVERYBODY says the same vows, wears the same white dress, lights the same unity candle, uses the same music, and then, the WORST part in MY church is the droning of the monotone voice ...

...."Deaaaarly Beloooveeeeed, we are gathered here today in the siiight of God and these witnesses to unite in matrimoooony Earl and Luciiiille....."

I mean, I don't mean to make fun of my pastor, but I swear to you he literally reads it verbatim every single time - with his head down in the "ceremony book" - and reads in the same robotic voice.

It drives me slam up the wall.

I've played the piano for weddings for 35 years. I've directed quite a few also. I charge $150 as a pianist and during wedding season, I charge more, just to keep them at bay.

It's the same cake, the same music, the same decorations in the same social hall, the same ring ceremony, the same prissy bridesmaids with froo-froo dresses, the same bored-to-tears groomsmen, the same boo-hooing mothers, the same broke dads, and the same"Whoooo giveeth this woman....?" and the same "If anyone doeth find a reason why this couple should NOT be joined in marriage ........"

I'm telling you, just once, I would like to see someone in the congregation jump up and say "I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD GET MARRIED BECAUSE EVERYONE SITTING HERE KNOWS THEY ARE GOING TO BE DIVORCED IN LESS THAN TWO YEARS .... LET'S JUST SKIP THIS FACADE AND GO EAT SOME CAKE!"

I swear my anxiety level goes up during every single wedding I have to do.

And I still don't understand why the traditional same-old, same-old equates with sacredness.

If I ever get married I decided a long time ago that I will either go to a justice of the peace in my blue jeans or fly to the Great Wall of China and have a band of small Chinese children serenade us while we get married or take a yacht to the middle of the ocean and let the ship captain say, "Do you? OK. Do you? OK. Alright ,you're done - sign this license" and then we would swim with the dophins. :flower: :laugh:

ANYTHING except the cookie-cutter wedding that is "traditional" at my church. I truly believe that the sacredness of the union comes from the pure intent of the bride and groom to live up to God's expectations as a husband and wife together and to honor him with their marriage.

And I don't think that sacredness is found anywhere else - especially not in tradition.