I know, wedding days are supposed to be what little girls dreams are made of and created of amazing moments with friends and family that are strung together by a giddy like excitement for the lifetime to come. The bride and groom ride off into the sunset with not a care in the world just a passion for each other and a much needed vacation on a beach somewhere.
That’s not how this wedding day was. In fact every which way you were to look were details that weren’t typical of most bride and groom centered weddings. Getting ready was a blur of family time all needing to share the same space and plug outlets. The groomsmen were staying out of the way at a neighbors house and instead of playing pool and smoking cigars they were keeping a baby occupied. When the place for the formal photos ended up being closed off…. not a word of complaint was uttered as shoes got dusty and sweat appeared at the new improvised location. Once at the church…. well, school, (where our church meets) the bride and groom and wedding party flew into action as they folded programs and hung backdrops, not a drop of resentment was seen, just the heart of a servant. “I don’t care about everything being perfect, I care most about getting up there and promising my life to you!” Overheard words of a groom comforting his emotional 8 month pregnant bride to be in an elementary school bathroom. Even in what was supposed to be a blissfully happy day, this couple was keeping it real and addressing real needs and real fears with TRUTH…. not fleeting expectations of making each other happy in the moment.
as the day passed by, time after time I was thrown off guard from my normal wedding experience as a photographer. What most might consider an easy wedding to shoot I instead was realizing that the stakes were almost higher today. How could I capture the depth of the commitment that was already taking place and about to be made official? I almost wanted to tell them to sit back and let others serve them and finish decorating… but I didn’t because they were doing exactly what they wanted to be doing and were content. How could I capture the maturity that the young couple showed as they knew that a honeymoon wasn’t what they would be leaving to head off to, but that there were relatives they wanted to spend time with the coming week, and a baby to finish preparing for.
Yes, this day was about much more than the glitz and glamour of it all. It was about honoring God and loving their family and church family. It was about bringing the next generation into a family that above all else wants to put God first. They once were sinners. They once lived for themselves. They once were imperfect. But God. He made them righteous. He gave them a heart willing to sacrifice for others. He made them perfect for Himself….. and perfectly imperfect for each other. They will sharpen each other…. humble each other…. love each other deeply….. from THIS day forward.
