Wedding Preparation vs. Marriage Preparation

OK, so now I found Mr. Right and I am his Ms. Right, sooo, now what? Is it about planning the wedding? Is it about the dress? Or is really about a marriage?

I think that most little girls dream of their wedding day. They have everything planned from the wedding dress to the decoration, and sometimes, they even have their groom picked out. I always wanted a princess style dress. 

When Gary and I got engaged, I was working at a fabric and craft store. A preparation for my perfect dress was in the making and my dear mom was elected to be my seamstress. The dress was designed by me from a set of three different patterns. I picked out my fabric and other notions and handed them over to my mom; she was a champion. Well to make a long story short, after much tribulation and frustrations with the sewing of this dress – she was finished, but it was a few sizes too big. She didn’t want to deal with it anymore, so I took it to a lady that was a “professional” seamstress so that it could be altered to fit my waist. One day before the wedding I went to her shop to pick up the finished dress. To my dismay, it was not only altered to fit my waist but she had changed the design of it completely!! I was horrified. My poor dear mother was going to cry right along with me. I didn’t know what to say to this lady – I swallowed my anger, explained what she did wrong, paid her (yes, I still paid her) and left. It wasn’t my dream dress anymore. 

BUT I soon came to terms through much thought and prayer; my wedding wasn’t about the dress nor was it about the wedding celebration, it was about a marriage. It was about a commitment and relationship between Gary, myself and God and this relationship was about to become eternal.

In our text book, Elder Richard G. Scott, a member of the quorum of the twelve apostles taught, “Do not let receptions, wedding breakfasts, farewells, or other activities [like the dress] overshadow the sacred temple experience” (p. 24). Temple marriages are very sacred to LDS members. We believe that through a temple marriage, a couple is sealed together for time and all eternity. We believe that life existed before we were born, and that our lives will carry on into the eternities. Marriage and families are ordained of God.