When Two Become One

From tomorrow for the next 3 weeks, I have been invited for a total of 6 weddings - a friend from junior college, colleagues (one couple) and 4 invites from church! This has been a record of so many weddings within a short period of time!! However I am only available to attend 4 of them...

Happen to get the chance to chat with the groom-to-be who is my colleague (Both the bride and groom knew each other in the workplace and I know both of them) today. This excited groom-to-be went on to tell me his preparations, the phototaking, the dinner food, etc... I tried to be as excited with him too but I realised that could not be hyped up. I guess what he has described to me were all too familiar... after all, I have coordinated about 8 weddings in the last 4 years and also helped out in small ways in other weddings - singing, reception, bridesmaid, bridal entourage... I have seen much of the wedding event itself and I know the kind of preparation it takes. So maybe that was why although I understand the excitement of the groom, I could not be as excited with him... although truly, I am very happy for him and his bride.

It makes me wonder if I am jaded by all the weddings that I have been involved with. I remembered someone has ever asked me before if helping out and coordinating weddings has made me jaded about wedding/marriage. My answer was a No. Although coordinating weddings can be tiring physically and mentally, I must say that it has been always a joy for me to be able to serve the couple and to be able to help ensure the day's programme go on smoothly, ensure the bride and groom looks good, photo poses are nice, every little detail that I can observe and help make things right. A wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime experience (for the majority) and it would be nice if everything were to turn out right. Some (if not all) would have a dream idea of their own perfect wedding. But I will also always remind the couple (in a lovingly subtle way) that the marriage is more important than the wedding day itself. A day compared with a lifetime together. So there is nothing much to panic on that big day. Anything can go wrong but everything can also be right :) The most important thing that day is to successfully sign the papers :P

For me, the best moment on the wedding day as a guest or helper, is the moment when I witness the couple make their marriage vows before God and when stories of how the couple come together gets shared with everyone. Understanding God's purpose for marriage and seeing how 2 different persons meet, know each other and soon to share lives together under His convenant... this can strike a chord and warms my heart. A few times, I have to hold back my tears - tears of joy and thankfulness to God for His hand in their lives. Hmm.... perhaps I am not really jaded after all.... I can still feel for the couple and I do still want to get married :P

My colleague told me that 2006 is a good and auspicious year for weddings (better than 2005) and this is probably the reason why so many couples are getting married this year. There is an average of 2 couples per month getting married in my church till the end of the year but I doubt its got to do with any auspicious day/year. The biggest reason is due the presence of many young adults of marriageable ages. Boy, my 2 pastors will be very busy this year just with presiding weddings. I shall not join the crowd then ;P