"It's a Bride Thing!"

Here comes the bride all dressed in white. She is picture perfect from her white floor-length veil placed carefully upon her head, to her classic high heel pumps; a perfect fit for her delicate feet. She has chosen to be adorned with a set of pearls around her neck and matching earrings, of course. These same pearls were worn by her grandma on her wedding day. Each bride makes a statement of inner beauty by accessorizing with virtue. A bride, like Queen Esther before her, has spent the entire wedding day beautifying for her “king.” Like a queen with her court, all attend to the bride’s needs first. She must look practically perfect in every way. The bridesmaids agree that she will take his breath away. It's a bride thing!

Time always seems to fly by way too quickly on a wedding day and in a blink of an eye it is time to get married. It is almost time to depart from the bridal quarter. Someone politely questions the bride, “Are you ready?" The alarm rings serving as a reminder to get the bride into the church on time. “Hurry! Hurry, let’s go!” the bridesmaids say in unison. Instead, the bride pauses. She is not to be hurried. Rather she chooses to take a final glance into the mirror. She gives herself permission, after all, it is her wedding day. Today she is the “Princess.” While sporting her official bridal smile, she can see in the reflection “a glow” that she did not notice earlier. Perhaps the busyness of the wedding day had clouded her prior view. Now the bridal glow is evident to all. It is a bride thing! The bride is shining from her head to toe with a brilliant radiance for all to see. “It is the Holy Spirit bringing His love,” her Mom remarks. Definitely, “love is in the air” and her heart is dancing with joy filled anticipation. “Today is the day I marry my Prince Charming,” she nervously exclaims, fighting back tears of joy. There is no greater joy than observing a bride on her wedding day. There is an abundance of laughter and celebration in the air that cannot be matched; equal only to the proportion of joyful tears displayed by all.

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They now begin the bridal procession walking two by two into the church. Shielding the bride on all sides, the wedding party is very careful not to let the groom get even a peek. It’s tradition and part of the charm that creates an enchanting wedding day. The bride takes a deep, well needed breath, along with a long dramatic pause, as she takes a last look at being a single woman. The entire wedding party breathes a sigh of relief, all but the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom. They spend the next few minutes graciously thanking each gal in the wedding party personally and helping where they are needed. In their heart they both are singing, “All is well, oh my soul,” as they make their way to the bride. A tear rolls down the eye of the bride’s mother. She thinks to herself, this once little girl who I birthed, carried, raised, and loved, after today will no longer be my daughter alone. She gives her daughter one final affectionate hug, holding back the tears. The hug somehow becomes contagious and so do the tears. God’s love fills the room to overflowing.

Finishing touches are now applied to the bride; hair, make-up, and perfume are checked and re-checked, like a movie star getting ready to take the stage. The veil is placed on the bride’s head like a crown of glory. She definitely feels like a princess. The beautiful bouquet of flowers is handed to the bride at the very last moment.

Time passes. It seems like an eternity as they all wait to walk down the aisle. Hidden within the hearts of many in the room butterflies are fluttering where once peace had resided. It soon becomes evident that nerves are on edge, so a quick prayer is suggested. A peaceful calmness enters each heart. Now there is always someone in the wedding party that can’t fight the curiosity. They peer out into the church, hoping not to be seen. Everyone is seated in silence. It won’t be long now. All the guests are waiting patiently. The music begins to play as a signal that it is time for the wedding to begin! To most brides, the wedding ceremony is a blur, but later on they miraculously remember ever single detail. It is a Bride Thing!

Those so familiar words and traditions of weddings attended in the past, like a daddy’s tears as he gives his baby girl away, the ready groom taking her hand and heart for life, the “I do!” for the two followed by the final kiss are not just familiar anymore. Now these moments take on new meaning for the bride and groom. They have now become uniquely his and hers alone. These wedding moments have joined two lives, hearts, families and homes together forever. They are moments that will never be forgotten.

The memories made on a wedding day will pass through a brides mind over and over again, first hourly, than daily and eventually yearly. She will laugh and she will cry, sometimes in the same sentence when she tells the story of the day she was wed. Who will she tell her wedding story to? She will tell it to anyone who will listen. One day she will pass the story down to her children and then to her children’s children. Each time she recounts the story about the day she was wed, the “Bridal Glow” will re-appear upon her face as if time had stood still. Love has a way of shining out of her heart when she “remembers when.” The sacrament of marriage begins a man’s and woman’s personal love story of the two becoming one.

Every bride wants to play the lead role in a storybook of her own. The story that began on her wedding day will continue will continue to be written every day of their lives, “until death do they part.” It will be their very own story, uniquely crafted with their love for one another, a love that only God can give. A bride should savor the moments because in a blink of an eye, the wedding day will only be a fading memory stored in the archives of her mind under the category of “once in a life time."

Brides, this is your day, ready or not, rain or shine, with tears of joy or a smile as wide as a mile, “here comes the bride.” Rejoice because you are going to marry the man of your dreams. So brides don’t let the small stuff, mess up the big day. If things go wrong, just let them go, believe me, no one will ever know. Let the peace of Christ reign on your wedding day and in your marriage. A wedding last one day, the marriage is for a lifetime.

When the last song has been sung and the day is almost done, wave goodbye to your guests, join hands with your Prince Charming, get into your limo together and ride into the sunset. Your happily ever after has only just begun. Your storybook life needs to be written. It is your life; now live it together forever in Christ.