MARRIAGE PREPARATION P. 5/5

Practical thoughts about your wedding:

·       Contact the priest who will celebrate your wedding and schedule an appointment well in advance.

·       BRIDEZILLA or bridechilla? Or maybe neither?

·       It is NOT only YOUR wedding. Anyone in attendance who cares about you is affected by your getting married. In a way, it is their ceremony as well.

·       What makes a wedding perfect for the bride? For the groom? For both mothers-in-law? For your future spouse’s nieces? For your cousin’s shy plus-one? Is there even such a thing as a wedding that is perfect for everyone? What does it mean in practice for you?

·       What would make you look back on your wedding and say, ‘That was a great wedding’? Would it be because you amazed people, you wowed people, you made people speechless, the caviar you served had the perfect texture, you had the most expensive dress ever, a celebrity sang at your wedding, the guests could participate in engaging games suitable for people of different ages and mobility levels, the guests felt welcome and appreciated, you managed to talk to almost all the guests…?

·       Best wedding: Make THEM feel that they matter. Make them sharers in your joy and not spectators at your crowning ceremony.

·       Those who love you WILL love the wedding, no matter what. Those who don’t love you WILL hate the wedding, no matter what. Who deserves more of your attention and concern? What does it mean in practice for you?

·       There are no perfect weddings. What does it mean in practice for you?

·       Learn to receive help during the preparations. Give others an opportunity to show their love by helping.

·       Something bad, sad, frustrating, shocking or embarrassing WILL happen. What does it mean in practice for you?

·       What if you trip while walking to the altar? What if you drop the wedding cake on the floor? What if you make a funny language mistake during your vows?

·       Assign the emergency-response duties ahead of time. The people responsible for handling emergencies will have their phones with them and emergency numbers ready. They will be expected to act immediately while others are still recovering from their initial surprise and figuring out what to do. They will be expected to make decisions on the spot without consulting anyone.

·       Weddings and funerals can bring out the best and the worst in people. Your ‘emergency responders’ should be prepared for this and know what to do. Some people must be the bride at every wedding and the deceased at every funeral. (Uncle so-and-so may get drunk and loud; Aunt so-and-so may create a commotion as she always does, etc.)

·       Why not have a wedding without alcohol? Afraid it would be too boring?

Don't reinvent the wheel! People have been preparing weddings for thousands of years. Learn from their experience! You don't have to figure everything out on your own.

Here is one useful resource to get you started: [www.foryourmarriage.org](https://www.foryourmarriage.org). You can also explore other websites offering Catholic marriage preparation advice. 

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