Why I Love Weddings

Maybe it's been since waking up in the middle of the night to watch Princess Diana walk down the aisle in her gorgeous wedding dress when I was little, but I love weddings. Since becoming a pastor and officiating at some memorable weddings already, I continue to say that I love weddings. I loved planning our own wedding and I've loved being at the unique weddings of some of my friends, but I also love each wedding I've been a part of. It's not the party or the cake or even the beautiful dresses that I love. It's not the bubbles or the bird seed as the couple leaves the church. It's not the unity candle or the flowers, though I do love to see the flower bouquets. Still, I love weddings. They are another one of those sacred, holy, life-changing moments that we are invited to be a part of over and over again. I have already in 6 years of presiding at weddings already gathered some wonderful wedding memories. There's the outdoor wedding that had just the bride and the groom and their parents and their 3 little girls where we all wore denim out in the middle of the Pennsylvania mountains. There's the wedding I did for my dear friend and mentor at a vineyard in Maryland, where we read the Gospel where Jesus says, "I am the vine and you are the branches", while looking out over the vines stretching out behind us. There's the New Year's Eve wedding that I had 30 minutes notice for, but that turned out to be my most memorable so far. There's the one with Scottish kilts and a bagpiper. There's the one that so radiated love and joy that I'll remember it for quite a long time.
Weddings give us a glimpse of deep emotion: love, trust, joy, faith as a couple begins an unknown journey together. Emotions are raw at weddings, we see parts of people's souls that we rarely have a glimpse of. And that is holy. That is sacred. That is an honor. That is why I love weddings.