Diary of a Wedding Planning Machine: Why Are We Doing This?

After all the stress this wedding has caused, the logical question seems to be....

"Why bother?"

Seriously we don't need all this 'stuff' to be married. The traditions, the rituals and all that jazz. We could just elope on the beach and it makes our marriage no less 'real'. Part of me still wants to.

Coupled with the preparations, we've had grief from people who have complained, let us down and threatened us that they may not come to the wedding unless we bow to their wishes and wants. I've seen the uglier side of some people we know. I've seen the uglier side of myself. The wedding has been taxing on my physical, mental and spiritual health. I love Duncan and I want the marriage, not the wedding.

Why bother?

Well, it's a chance to share Jesus with those we love as they share in our wedding day.

Now I know our wedding is not primarily an evangelistic event. It doesn't mean that we use this opportunity to talk about Jesus and never talk about him 1-1 with our friends. It doesn't mean that we bible bash people until they go, "Yeah okay, we know you're Christians" because they already know anyway. There will be a lot of non-Christians there and, for many, it will be the first time they've been to anything remotely 'Christian'. But that doesn't mean we have the 'get the fish into the barrel and shoot them' mentality. We just want to make the most of this opportunity.

My prayer is for more people to respond to Jesus by following him as their Lord and Saviour. Then all of this stress will seem like nothing in comparison to the joy I know I'd feel. However that doesn't mean that we cut people off if they don't become Christian. No, they are our friends and family and we will love them always, regardless.