First Wedding

Yesterday, I officiated at my first wedding. What an awesome experience! I think I was probably at least as nervous as the couple, if not more so. I had worked with Erica and Martin doing premarital counseling for the past six months. During the process, I learned a lot about the whole process and about working with couples on relationship issues. And I think they learned a lot, too. The ceremony was a great culmination of all that we had been through. Everything went off without a (visible) hitch, and everyone commented on what a beautiful service it was.

After the ceremony, the couple said that I have a special place in their lives because of the entire premarital counseling process. They felt like I really helped them understand who they are as individuals and as a couple. It wasn’t me. I just facilitated. They did all the real work. I also got a lot of really good comments from various people about my homily (posted here). Several married couples (married anywhere from several years to about 40 years) said that it helped them remember their own wedding day and their wedding vows. One woman said that she and her husband had a fight on the way to the wedding and were not exactly speaking at the time of the ceremony. But my sermon helped them put things in perspective and smoothed over their disagreement. What a great compliment! And the best man was so moved by it that he asked me for a copy.

I feel really positive about how everything went. I felt like I really spoke to the couple, as well as to all those in attendance. The Gospel message was definitely proclaimed and was taken to heart by more than a few who heard it.

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