No matter how times (or attitudes) have changed, marriage is still a big deal, starting with the wedding. ?Finding someone with whom we are willing to commit a lifetime is no small thing.
I had the honor of attending the wedding of a former co-worker, though that descriptor doesn’t do him justice. ?Saying that Joe is a former co-worker implies some polite social obligation. ?He didn’t have to invite me and I didn’t have to go.
I’m very glad he and his bride Ashley wanted to include me. ?They are both?extraordinarily?wonderful people who truly found something special in each other, and their wedding was a tribute to that.
Weddings are usually tradition loaded. ?They are packed with symbolism for the union of two people who see a lifetime of togetherness ahead of them and want to celebrate this with family and friends. ?And as wonderful as all that is, sometimes weddings can feel mechanical, like a formal check list that must be adhered to in order to meet all?etiquette?guidelines for officialization.
This wedding was a blend of tradition and personality that left me smiling for days, and was better than the Royall Wedding that?preceded?the day before–though that’s just my opinion. ?The ceremony was such a declaration of love with the couple sharing their definitions of love and stating their commitment to one another. ?There were passages about love read from books significant to them, and a touching story told by the officiating person–who was also a former co-worker and dear friend of the couple–about how Joe had changed from the man he was before Ashley had come into his life to the man he was with her. ?I, too, had witnessed this near?metamorphosis, and couldn’t help but admire how truly?wondrous the fact that they really did bring out the best in one another.
Knowing Joe as I do from our many talks at our former work and his writing, and Ashley through her writing, I was not surprised by the robotic bride and groom on top of their wedding cake. ?I’ll even venture to say that the symbolism and playful flouting of convention were not lost on me. ?Even as they adhered to the age old tradition of getting married, they were definitely doing it their way with all the commitment of a truly loving couple, and it was a REAL wedding.
I have every faith in their commitment to one another, and am even inspired by it. ?I wish them every happiness and joy as they continue their journey together.
No comments yet.