Wedding Fail

Christianity

The groomsmen’s tuxes were too long, too short, too tight.  [They all deserved it, after kidnapping the groom and driving him around in the trunk of a car the night before!]

The hairdresser took twice as long as expected.

The green flowers were supposed to be white.

The white snow meant no-shows.

Grandparents showed up late, delaying the wedding and the bride has to reassure the groom that she didn’t change her mind…

And these moments happen, and my groom put the ring on the wrong hand!

Every one of our children’s weddings were very different and yet the same–none of them went off without a hitch, yet, here we are– all still married!

My wedding was a beautiful, traditional church wedding, and yes, all of those little mishaps could have made this bride sweat through her very white dress despite the cold January day.  I was oblivious to most of it until after the vows were already shared, but it really wouldn’t have mattered.  I loved this man, and I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him, and nothing was going to steal the joy I had on that day.

It’s been thirty-three and a half years, and a not-so-perfect ride, but we love each other more than ever and are looking forward to growing old together.  Four children, three weddings and five grandchildren in our tribe, and we are grateful.

Our two girls were married in 2008.  Yep–the same year.  We pulled it off, and not only survived, but we loved every minute of it.

One, a gorgeous church wedding in January (she didn’t learn from my story).

…and the other in June–a destination wedding– in Hawaii.

And in another June wedding in 2011, our son married this beauty in our church:

Church wedding or not, you can tell my favorite shots tend to be outside.  So when/where is the perfect time/place for a wedding?

There is no such thing!

Perfection is highly overrated.  Some of the most beautiful, memorable moments are those very things that we label “imperfections”.

A sense of humor, however, is highly underrated.

Joy in the moment doesn’t require perfection; but choosing joy can sure change your perception.

Can’t you see the joy on each face?  We don’t marry perfect people or have perfect marriages–we choose to love one another despite our imperfections.

Just as there are no perfect weddings, there is no perfect marriage.  When two imperfect people come together in marriage, our best efforts fall short if the goal isn’t something more than perfection.

So what should be the goal?

LOVE, of course.

Deep.

Abiding.

Loyal.

Do you see?  Our relationship with God is the foundation.  We don’t have to ask, “Do you love me?”  We KNOW He loves us, because He demonstrated it when He gave His life for ours.

It’s His love that empowers us to love.

His love is what fills us with the kind of love that will displays itself in relationship.  Marriage is a commitment to unconditional love that is demonstrated day in, day out.  Good times and bad.  For better or for worse.  Do people even say that anymore?  We sure did, and we meant it.

Is he perfect? nope 😉.  Am I perfect?  Absolutely not.  Are we perfect together?  Not a chance.  But we do serve a perfect God that can make our imperfections into something beautiful–when we let Him.

I thank God every day for this man.  He is a godly leader, partner, friend, lover.  He’s an incredible father, and a doting “Pappy”.

Does he drive me crazy sometimes? You bet, but I wouldn’t trade the tough or the tender, the highs or the lows.  They are all evidence that God can take two imperfect people and give them a marriage that can bring Him more glory together than we ever could apart.