The Hardest Thing About Wedding Planning

When I got engaged, I pictured myself blogging about all the pretty details, aesthetically sharing the history of our venue, swatches of bridesmaid dresses, and details about the menu (which is, I must say, to die for).

I thought maybe I would naturally become one of those lifestyle bloggers who writes from a very unbiased, journalistic perspective, leaving lots of feelings and experiences at the door.

Don’t get me wrong– I have a MASSIVE level of respect for these bloggers and writers. I have often wished that Cassie, Compiled could be without personal, often heavy content.

But, that’s just never what my blog has been, and I don’t think it ever will be. So, in regular Cassie-style, I am gettin’ real with y’all today.

The most difficult aspect of wedding planning. It’s not in matching the flowers to the outfits or picking between cheesecake and brownies. It’s not in contracts or scheduling or even planning all the events to coordinate with a bridal party of 14.

No, I have found that the most difficult aspect of wedding planning has been a desire to ensure that those around me understand that all I truly care about for the day is that Jesus is glorified, seen, and praised. That the purpose of marriage (to serve Him, better together) would be admonished joyfully. That when loved ones ask what kind of shoes I want and how to make the ceremony room look perfect and my answers are that I’m just having fun with it and don’t have a ton of preference, they would KNOW that this is not me “settling” on the day Western culture says we should spend $60,000 on, but that I truly and wholeheartedly know that if I walked down the aisle in bare feet, I would not be bothered. If our outdoor decorations were rained on, I would ask for Jesus’ eyes and know that He was never looking at them. If the music during the ceremony was a little louder than I pictured, let it be for God’s glory.

And, honestly, it didn’t take long– by God’s grace– for me to realize that I really didn’t have to engage in any of that “convincing.” That’s not been the Lord’s desire for me, either. I just needed to put my trust in Him, and allow HIM to love others through me.

To see the generosity in the hearts of loved ones around me during this time. To recognize gifts and blessings bestowed as they see fit and that reflect nothing but good intentions and kindness. And even as I write, I feel I sound ungrateful, but that is not my sentiment at all. Johnny and I are absolutely beyond blessed by loved ones supporting our wedding financially and creatively, and by people putting time and energy into putting the day together.

And don’t get me wrong– I do want the day to be aesthetically beautiful. It is a joy to plan the decor and colours and menu with excellence and our tastes in mind.

It’s just that the reality is that the wedding day is a single one in which I am dedicating the rest of my life to glorifying Jesus (THIS is the purpose) with one person, the person I love, for the rest of my life. THIS needs to be seen and known. THIS needs to be the purpose that is supported. HE needs to be lifted high in our vows and in the entire day.

You were chosen according to the purpose of God the Father and were made a holy people by his Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be purified by his blood. 1 PETER 1:2

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Tell me…

Do you think much about the purpose of weddings? Has your particular culture influenced the way you think about them? How might you go about discovering what is the true purpose of a wedding?