What I learned from Meg's Wedding

Before Meg's wedding, our family hadn't really been a part of one since Jeanette and Mike got married almost 15 years ago. Before that the other weddings that I could remember actively being involved in were from the 1990s.  As Meg started to plan her own, I realized that a lot had changed. Most of the weddings that I was in years ago, including my own, were pretty elaborate.  At each one, at least 300 guests were invited, all the ceremonies were at large churches, the hair was big, the dresses were bright, and it seem like anybody and everybody was involved. It's just not like that now. Some people still have really big weddings, but not everybody. Some people don't even get married on the weekends anymore and a lot are forgoing the church ceremony for one at a wedding venue. Very few people invite friends of friends anymore. The dresses are a lot more realistic and many can be worn again. I actually loved all of the changes to modern day weddings.  It made them feel more personal.  Meg's friend Kaitlin just got married.  She only invited 60 people to hers and had it outside at a place that meant something to her and her fiancé. I thought that was perfect.  She chose what she wanted, not what others told her to do.  

As Meg planned hers, I realized that some people hadn't accepted the new changes. Meg decided from the beginning that she didn't want a big wedding. Because of that the guest list had to be trimmed. There wasn't going to be a work friends table. Every family member couldn't be invited. There would be a limit to the amount of children that would be there. I supported Meg on all of that from the beginning. I wanted her to have the wedding that she wanted. I was surprised at the backlash from that. Several people second-guessed Meg and Nick's wedding list and some pushed hard to be invited even though they weren't really a part of Meg or Nick's life. I was disappointed in that, but I didn't worry about it. The reason that Meg and Nick's wedding was so much fun was because the people that were there were the ones that supported them the most. Those in attendance danced, they laughed, they cried, all because they loved Meg and Nick. It was so incredible to watch and I will suggest to my boys to do the same with their own guest list. The people who love you the most will celebrate with you the hardest.  That will be a big part of making their wedding day even more special than it already is.