When I was growing up, I looked forward to a wedding ceremony. Whether I knew the associated parties, I knew I wanted to attend the celebration. I was often on the bridal team, and I longed for the day to see the love between a couple. It did not change when I grew up, it did not change, and I still felt something for wedding ceremonies, but at least now I understood the challenges that come with it. But after all is said and done, planning for the wedding does not have to be a nightmare. All those beautiful weddings that happen have taken work and some careful measures that this article will look into to ensure that it won’t be much of a hustle for anyone who reads the report and is planning or thinking of having a wedding.
A wedding can be an expensive affair, from the food, venue, dress code, and anything else requiring money. But choosing a date that is not popular with weddings, such as a weekday or a month when marriages don’t occur, is a plus. This is because it will reduce the associated cost of the wedding grounds. As economics states, when the supply increases, demand goes down, and therefore, prices of commodities also go down. The theory is practical in wedding preparation as if the supplies of anything you need are more, then competition is stiff, and thus the suppliers will have to lower prices to win the clients. Choosing a less busy day will translate to reduced expenses, favor your budget and reduce some financial stress in wedding preparation.
In planning for a wedding, one often underlined issue is the choice of spouse. Marriage changes so many aspects of your life. Being a long-life commitment, choosing a spouse is one of the most critical factors. For one to have a solid rock marriage, you have to first follow Christ by hearing his sayings, and as a Christian, you will become wise, and your life and marriage will survive the storms of life. In Matthew 7:24, “therefore whoever hears this saying of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who builds his house on the rock and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house: and it did not fall for it was founded on the rock. “One has to put their marriage foundation in Christ to be strong. Marriage comes along with so many challenges, and for one to survive through it, Christ must be part of it. Some of the verses to consider are proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths.” Matthew 7:7 “Ask and it shall be given, seek, and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.”
Pray.
A Christ-centered wedding begins with a Christ-centered heart. Prayer brings us close to Christ, and through prayer, we have our requests answered. Pray that God will bring you closer to others to make your wedding plans less hustle during the marriage. Pray that God will drive the deeper meaning of the gospel in your heart during the wedding planning and that his love for you will reflect on your love for others.
Liturgical preparation -Go over the wedding ceremony with the wedding officiate, choose significance in the readings and liturgical processions as they play a role in becoming aware of the mystery of unity and fruitful love, which is the main focus of the wedding celebration. The bridal attire should be appropriate for the church venue. A wrap can be used while in church and be removed later at the reception to maintain the modesty required by the church. The couple should choose the readings they want, the songs, and the catholic prayers they prefer on the said day.
Catholic marriage preparation class- Thecouple should book for the classes, which are presided over by the catechists or the parish priests. The classes come in with a lot of teachings that will help the couple in dealing with major issues in their union. They are taught what spouses as Christians should do. During this time, you present your best couple to the priest, and as a catholic wedding tradition, the best couple should be an example to the couple and thus should most probably have a catholic background, but it is not a must. Some of the teachings during the class include 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 “love suffers long and is kind, and love does not envy, love does not parade itself, love does not behave rudely, love does not seek its own, love is not provoked, does not rejoice in iniquity but rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes in things, endures all things and love never fails.” From Ephesians 5:22-25, 28, 33, wives are asked to submit to their husbands as they are the head of the home, just as Christ is the head of the church. On the other hand, husbands are asked to love their wives as Christ has loved the church.
Look at the future instead of the past: We all have baggage we can bring into our marriage. Having previous relationships is one of the issues that mainly affect marriages. Discuss this with your partner and air out any issues that might be there to ensure that they won’t come back to eat you up once you are in the union. If there are issues that need reconciliation and healing, then go through that face together and make it a thing of the past.
Choose your attendants and guests wisely: Attendants and guests should be people you can rely on for any form of help you may need. As well friends and relatives should be on the front choice. They choose a maid and matron of honor, bridesmaid, best man and groomsmen, wedding coordinator, ring bearer, scripture readers, and other major wedding participants. Ensure all these people are well trained for the role they are supposed to play during the wedding celebration.
Choose your rings well: Wedding rings symbolize a love that the couple shares. In choosing the type and size of your ring, ensure that they are comfortable for both parties bearing in mind that you will be in those rings for a more significant part of your marriage life. Ensure that you go for ring fitting before your wedding day in measuring the sizes; ensure that you are both relaxed and calm to give the best results.
Spiritual preparation for the wedding – A marriage is not a bed of roses, and it needs spiritual readiness and intervention. We were walking into marriage before being spiritually prepared leaves one in the middle of turmoil when hard times come. Self-introspect and investing in each party’s growth are very important. In marriage, you learn to accommodate the other person’s character and attitude, which may not necessarily be what you believe in. You have to reflect, grow and realize the best version of yourself as a person. Prayer often brings calmness and peace, and it is wise we pray for our marriages even before walking into them. Times will come when giving up is the only option we will have, but we will come out strong because of prayer. In marriage, learning to serve instead of being self-absorbed is critical. In Matthew 20:25- 28, doing in marriage is explained in this scripture.
Identify a mentor couple – often, some issues arise, and we have no one total to about the experience. Having been married at a very young age, I came along with so many challenges that I did not know who to share with. I fell into some depression as the hard times were more than the happy days. I then learned the importance of sharing, and that is why I am an advocate for identifying a couple you can share some of the issues with.
Learn the value of commitment –God did not give divorce as an opt-out when he created marriage, and on the wedding day, people tale vows that only death will put them apart. Divorce in recent years has become very common due to many factors such as infidelity, gender-based violence, and even monetary reasons. It is, therefore, essential that the couple learns the value of commitment and even how to be committed in their marriages.
Parting shot
Weddings are sweet memories for the couple, friends, and family. They should not cause so much distress, and as a result, one should take up points and measures to ensure the smooth running of the day. Again they should not leave you financially, emotionally, and socially drained but instead should ensure that even after the ceremony, one can look back and be happy. I hope that this article will be of great help to anyone preparing for their wedding.