Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - May/65

Contributor - Mrs. Klein

Title - This And That About Wedding Receptions

Topic - Marriage

I am taking this opportunity to write a few of my observations about wedding receptions. In the past six years that my husband has been a minister we have attended many different kinds of receptions and from this experience I would like to make a few comments.

We all agree that marriage is something sacred and holy. This is why we want to be married in the church (or at least it should be our reason), and we all want God's blessing upon our marriage. This is good! The Bible teaches that it is God who brings two believing people together and we may look to Him for His blessings if we live according to His holy will. It is here that we so often get off the track; we want (and expect!) the blessings of God but do we always try to do His will in everything? I have attended weddings and heard the minister pronounce the blessing upon the bridal couple and in less than a few hours later things are being said and done at the reception that one wonders where Christ is. In I Cor. 10 : 31 we read: "So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

Yes, not only the church wedding should be to God's glory but the reception as well. I realize that we as Christians differ sometimes as to what is God's will, but I'm sure we are agreed that drunkenness, filthy stories, jokes etc. are not in the will of God. We have seen this happen and we are sure it grieves the Holy Spirit and the wedding reception becomes a mockery of what was done in the Church.

If our wedding receptions are to be a witness to our faith in Christ, first of all they must be well planned. There is an old saying that "an idle mind is the devil's workshop". This is particularly true when you get a crowd together and don't have the evening planned. The devil will take advantage of the idle minds and things will happen which you did not want to. We have seen this from experience. So be sure and plan your evening of fun and fellowship long in advance, remembering to put Christ first in your fun too!

Secondly, I would like to consider the time of the wedding and reception. I know that at this Point I am really sticking my neck out, but please don't be too hasty in cutting it off. I realize that it is very common in Canada to have a Saturday afternoon or evening wedding and reception. I also realize that to go against a common custom is not a popular thing to do. However, I have some reason why I think Saturday night is not the best time for a wedding. A wedding and reception should be well planned, as we said before, and this is a lot of work. Most receptions do not end until about 12 midnight and then there still is cleaning up etc. for the family, which means that many times it is 2 or 3 o'clock Sunday morning before they can get to bed. God asks us to put Him first every day of our lives but He has set aside one day in seven for special worship and spiritual refreshments. We can get the most out of this "Day of Rest and Gladness" if we prepare for it on Saturday evening. Some of you may think this is a bit overstated but I have observed it all too many times that the families involved in the wedding and many guests too did not come to Church the next day. No doubt, the reason being that they were too tired.

Recently we had a wedding and reception on Friday evening and I think this worked out very nicely. I would like to propose that more couples consider this. evening as a possibility. I know the minister prefers it too, to have it on Friday evening. Saturday and Sunday are always busy days for him and this way we can also stay a little longer at the reception.

In conclusion I would like to direct you back to the verse in 1 Cor. 10 : 31. I sincerely hope that it may be the desire of each couple who gets married in our church to have a wedding and a reception that will be a glory to God. Don't pattern your wedding and reception after those around you but earnestly seek to do what is pleasing to God, and I am sure you can have an enjoyable evening and a wedding and reception you will look back to with fond memories.

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