It is about Christ

What is the most important part of a wedding? In going into the planning of the wedding I knew the answer to this question. The answer is Christ, taking him out of the focus takes the entire significance out of the event.

I know that nonbelievers do not see Him as the most important part but I assumed that they saw the vows or the marriage as the most important. I am learning that this is not the case. What the wedding looks like, what food is served, how the food is served, etc., ad nausem. These are the things that are central in some people's minds. A wedding becomes all about appearances. This saddens me. I should add, this sentiment/this world view is not unique to unbelievers, there are professing Christians who feel the same way.

Before we even got engaged, Sean and I had discussed how important it was to us that his wedding and my wedding (no matter who we married) be as Christ-exalting as they could be. This remains the heart of our thinking as we now plan our wedding. There are nonbelievers in both of our families and we want to display the Truth of marriage in the best way we can. Even our wedding can be a testimony of God's grace, love and mercy. We want to step back from the world's belief that you must have the most expensive everything to have a good wedding. We want to be good stewards of the money God is loaning us, not only with regard to our wedding but also in our future together.

Now don't misunderstand me, I am not saying that a Christ-honoring wedding means being cheap. A wedding is a very important celebration, as is the reception. Jesus even saw fit to turn water into wine at the wedding in Cana, his first miraculous sign (see John 2). What I am saying is that every decision made and every penny spent should be done with the mindset of honoring and exalting Christ. That is what the heart of a marriage must be and a wedding is the beginning of a marriage. A marriage is a picture of Christ and the church so a wedding can be likened to the moment of salvation, the moment when the imperfect bride is joined to Christ forever. Celebrate this moment, praise Him, worship Him!