Previously published on 6/10/2013

“I dreamed of a wedding of elaborate elegance,
A church filled with family and friends.
I asked him what kind of a wedding he wished for,
He said one that would make me his wife.”
~Author Unknown

Isn’t it funny how we can sometimes get caught up in details and miss what’s truly important? Have you ever had that happen to you? According to some estimates, the wedding industry has grown to over $40 Billion per year. That’s a lot of weddings! A quick view of several reality TV shows will give you a glimpse into all of the glitz, glamour and chaos that can come with these events. It can really get crazy and out of control.

As a musician, I’ve had the honor of performing in many weddings. Each one is different, reflecting the personalities of the bride and groom. And, each couple handles the pressures and joys of their celebration differently. It can definitely be a time of extreme highs and lows as families merge, personalities blend, and lives are joined. And, it can be a time when the planning of the event overshadows the real celebration. It’s a fine line to walk. I’ve definitely wondered what it would be like to plan my own wedding celebration. What would my wedding day say about my heart?

So, after years of waiting on The Lord’s timing, I am finally a Bride! I’m getting to choose, with my Groom, what our day will reflect. We’ve talked about things like colors, flowers, and cake flavors. We’ve worked on touches that will make the wedding day uniquely ours. It’s been a lot of fun.

There’s also been some stress. There are dreams to fulfill, expectations to meet, and etiquette to follow. Budgets must be balanced and hard decisions made. It’s an important time to learn, as a couple, how to navigate these things together. We want to start our life together in harmony, not in stress and strife.

But, the most important thing to us has been to tell our story – to tell God’s story. It is because of His grace and mercy that we are even able to have this day. The Lord is good, and He wants good things for His children. He brought us together and we don’t want to lose sight of that.

In light of that goal, we’ve chosen a verse to represent our day – the theme of our wedding. “This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”(Psalms 118:23-24 ESV). That’s what we want to say on our wedding day. This is all because of the Lord.

So, no matter the details, we want The Lord to be glorified. If it’s too hot, if it rains, if nothing comes together the way we plan, the only thing that matters is that we become one in Him on that day. So, the countdown has begun. In just over four weeks, I will walk down the aisle and begin the next part of my journey. I’d love to share with you what the Lord is teaching me as a bride. I hope to do that in the coming weeks.

We covet your prayers as we seek to honor God with our wedding day. What are you celebrating in your life? How will your celebration reflect your heart? I hope that you are reveling in the joys and not getting lost in the planning or the details.