Mr. Grey?
Jermey: Yes. The answer would be, um, Wedding Season?
Wedding season.
This has been the theme of the past year of my life, and I feel like I'm stuck in the season of my life affectionately called "wedding season." In 2010, I was invited to 11 weddings. If you started counting last May, I have been invited to a wedding every month for an entire calendar year (with the exception of January '11). I have only been involved in two of these personally, which I'm thankful for in comparison to Wimberly Brown who has shelled out some serious cash money for her friends' big days. Nonetheless, calligraphy scripted envelopes have overflowed my mailbox and counter tops. I've become a professional at printing out registries and I have enjoyed hearing a variety of cheesy DJ's throughout this past year. In retrospect, it's all quite exhausting.
This period of life, along with my not-so-secret obsession with all things "wedding" (thanks TLC for fueling my passions with re-runs), had led me to a few conclusions:
1) Wedding receptions are more for the people attending than the couple. This is displayed by the insane amount of money people are willing to pay "per head" and how little the couple actually gets to enjoy.
2) Wedding ceremonies last less than 30 minutes on average. This is great, unless you think about how much time and preparation goes into the ceremony and how quickly it passes. (note to self: don't sweat the small stuff and keep it simple)
3) Live bands can be hit or miss. Same rule applies with DJ's, however.
4) Seating is necessary at the reception. It gets awkward when there isn't enough room for everyone to sit and people have to hover with food.
5) Full open bars are only a good idea if the reception is held where the majority of people are staying--or if there is a shuttle back to the hotel. Otherwise, chaos ensues. This is a fact of most weddings.
6) Dresses with beautiful trains are absolutely stunning, yet 100% impractical.
7) Dresses that are strapless need to have boning in them so you do not have to constantly pull the dress up all night.
8) Having a game plan for the entrance into the reception is clutch. Walking in and not knowing what to do when you get inside is awkward.
There are many, many more thoughts that I have on wedding ceremonies and receptions (and generally just overall wedding weekend activities) but I'll spare you of the lengthy version.
All that to say, this season of my life has obviously gotten me thinking about my big day one day. If I'm honest with myself, at this point in my life, all I want is a WEDDING. I am not ready for the next step and actually having a MARRIAGE. At least not now, obviously, since my date card is wide open and there are no prospects. Even if I did have someone special in my life, I would not be prepared to have more than a wedding at this point. I'm utterly selfish, hopelessly messy, and not prepared to be some one's WIFE and have someone else depend on me 24/7. Frankly, the thought of that right now freaks me out.
Then...knowing that...why is it that I think so much about meeting someone and getting married? I have had to look at my desires and think really long and hard about my motivations for dating someone. Is it that I want to date someone to potentially have a WEDDING, or do I want to date someone so I can be their WIFE, forever ? This has been something I have been thinking about a lot lately. While my ultimate heart's desire IS to be a wife and mother one day, at this point in my life I cannot fathom it. So, dear heart of mine, slow down and pump the brakes. Stop romanticizing things. Enjoy this season of loving on my friends during THEIR times, and love well. Things will happen in the season they are supposed to, and God will provide.
A few months ago some of my high school girls from church asked what my job was, and I told them I was a professional bridesmaid. I had them fully convinced that people hired me when they needed to even out the wedding party, but then the other leader in the room busted out laughing and killed it.
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