Always A Bride

This weekend, my family and I are attending a wedding for very good friends of our family; this noon marks when the festivities are set to begin starting with the rehearsal. We are so proud of the couple, but the wedding marks a sort of bittersweet event because the newlyweds will soon be leaving to live in another country.  We will miss them terribly, but at the same time we admire their courage as well as this opportunity for them.

Yesterday, I was able to text the busy bride and “told” her something that I learned from my wedding oh-so-many-years-ago.  No matter how well planned, at LEAST one thing is going to go “wrong”.  The secret is, starting with the rehearsal, the job of the bride is to ENJOY THE JOURNEY.  I hate those “Bridezilla” shows that highlight the tantrums of entitled women during their wedding events.  It’s a lot of planning and resources spent just to end up having a lousy time for yourself as well as everyone else around as a “bridezilla”. 

I have no worries about my friend, the bride, she is definitely NOT a bridezilla; she knows that the wedding day is not the focus of marriage but about the life that they are being blessed to begin together.  After our text “conversation” yesterday, I began to think, I spend a lot of time planning and using resources every day, why am I not taking advantage of enjoying the journey?  I should also live each day like I’m a bride and not like a bridezilla! 

So this weekend, while I’m participating in the joy of the occasion, I am going to say “I do” to spending the rest of my life enjoying what each day brings.  Planning is prudent, but at some point, it’s good to let go, accept each challenge with a sparkly smile, take plenty of photos, have a party with the ones I love and just enjoy the journey each day brings. 

Hmmm….where is that wedding dress?

-Tessa L. Charles