At a marriage service of a friend, Anna and I were able to attend recently, I noticed a few differences from the usual practices at a marriage service.
First, the families of both the bride and the bridegroom led the couple to the church for the service. It was a sign of both families offered to accompany the couples through life. The second difference was that the bride covered her head with the bridal saree for the ceremonial photo with the presbyters who solemnised the marriage. The bride was without her bouquet at that occasion. Perhaps a sign of receiving the cover of fullness from the saree, her husband covered her with. The third was that the bride shared her bouquet with her husband at the end of the service, which marked the beginning of the journey into shared living!
To me, all these three differences from the usual practices at a marriage service, stayed with me as significant symbols of togetherness and a covenant relationship that this couple entered into in preparation for their marriage and during the marriage service.
A marriage service is a confluence of relationships- with God in whose presence they made their marriage vows; grateful belonging to the two families who brought together the couple to begin a new family; accompaniment of the congregation who witnessed the declaration of the marriage vows; and the circle of friends both the bride and and the bridegroom bring in to their new family life!
These relationships become the bedrock for a couple to begin their life long journey of discovery towards trustful intimacy!
I am reminded of the verse in the Bible, Genesis 2:24- '...a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh'.
This is a mystery beyond all human comprehension! The joy of becoming 'one flesh' is the inspiration to live this calling in marriage relationship!
M.C.Mathew (text and photo)
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