The first time I walked down that aisle, my Dad was standing at the altar. I had a wreath of flowers on my head and was carrying a basket-full of rose petals. I nervously made it to the end of the aisle where my brother David the ring-bearer stood.
It was the first of many weddings I would see my Dad officiate.
At every wedding I've seen him do he always kept it short and sweet, he always made them laugh, and he always said these words… "now repeat after me…"
Tomorrow afternoon I will walk down that aisle with my Dad by my side and I will nervously make it to the end where I will meet more than just my older brother. After giving me away, my Dad will then stand at that altar and say…
"now repeat after me…"
"…to have and to hold in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, for better or for worse, forsaking all others until death do us part."
My advice to anyone is to know these vows, even if it's just in the back of your mind, or the general idea is grasped, you need to read them. Know that when you start dating someone and you think you might want to marry that person, what you're really saying is…I love and like you enough to be with you forever. I would love you and stand by your side even if you lost your health, wealth or even your common sense. I'm serious. This is serious.
There is a lot of weight in the vows taken at a wedding and it would be a shame for someone to hear them for the first time at their own.
So please google it or ask a pastor for a copy of theirs and just know that it's for real. Culture may not think so, the whole world may not think so. Hollywood definitely doesn't think so. But you have to know that the last thing your wedding is about is your dress, hair, makeup or flowers You could cut all of that out and just have a pastor, a witness and those vows and it would be just as meaningful to God. Because, after all, you're not just standing before your pastor. You're standing before God.
At the end my Dad always says "What God has put together, let no man put asunder"...that is one of my favorite parts, because he gets this powerful tone in his voice and it's like he's speaking it with all his might, with the power of God backing him up. proclaiming the sanctity of what has just happened... What is about to happen...
