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January 14, 2007 - 9:29 p.m.

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Amy and I have begun planning for our wedding. We went to church at St. James' Cathedral this morning and the gospel reading was Jesus turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana (John 2). The vicar preached on the passage, leaning heavily on the wedding theme...so we left thinking we'd best get busy. Our budget is about zero, so if Our Lord could repeat that water to wine thing, it'd be a great help.

(Worst. Priest. Ever.)

I'm thinking of adding a "Sponsor Our Wedding" button over on the side. And we could sell advertising on the bottoms of our shoes, in the bulletins, on our backs...you know, something subtle.

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you the Mitsubishi Husband and Wife. You may kiss the Air Canada bride."

Anyhow, we're searching for information on a venue for the wedding itself, as well as someplace for a reception...of sorts. Neither of us is much interested in a huge, blow-out party. We're really looking for something subdued and quiet...a dinner with family. Having both worked as ushers for a number of wedding receptions, we are similarly uninterested in hosting a big, drunken booze-fest. (That's one of the ugliest aspects of North American wedding custom.) We're private people and want a simple, small wedding.

Wow, are we in the minority. The money you can spend on one day is just alarming, and the frenzy people can work themselves into for the sake of a party is just grotesque. If couples spent as much energy working on their marriage as they seem to do on their wedding, there would be a whole lot fewer divorces.

I recall an acting gig I had while still in, or just out of, high school. It was at the Tallman House, in Janesville, recreating a Victorian wedding. I played the groom. The ceremony was held in the cleared dining room, while the "guests" (people who'd bought tickets) stood in the living room and watched through the large archway between the two. We said a few words, exchanged rings and were done. Five to ten minutes, tops, followed by cake on the lawn. Well...the cake was on plates...the people were on the lawn. Simple, quick and painless.

Sigh. I wonder if they'd try and charge us rent if we just held the wedding in place of a weekday evening Eucharist in Trinity's side chapel? Seats about 30 or 40...nobody would even notice! We could sell it as clergy training, eh?

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