Vive la Difference!

On Saturday we attended a wedding in Waterloo, IA.  Emily Marie, oldest daughter of our dear missionary friends, married Mattias, son of a Christian family from Ames.  With David's wedding fresh on my mind, I noticed a number of similarities and differences between the two couples and their weddings.

Similarities:
1.  Both are strong Christ-centered couples and it showed in their weddings.
2.  Both had communion services.
3.  Both used vows from older books.
3.  Both are about 22 years of age.
4.  Both had their families' full blessing.
5.  Both brides wore hand-sewn ivory gowns.
6.  Both weddings inspired confidence that the marriages will last.

But the differences were even more striking and made each ceremony unique and enjoyable:
1.  David & Callie wed outside at 7:30pm, with seven attendants each including her three sisters and his four brothers, plus cousins and friends.  Their reception was in a barn across the yard.  Emily & Mattias wed in a church at 11am, with their combined three sisters and three brothers as attendants.  Their reception was in a school auditorium a couple of miles away.
2.  Callie's aunt Margo made her form-fitting dress with a lace overlay and a 40's-looking short veil.  Emily made her own dress of satin with a long train.  Emily also had a Sandquist family heirloom tiara holding her long veil.
3.  David & Callie along with their attendants and parents served communion with homemade (by me!) bread to the guests at four stations.  Emily & Mattias received communion along with their guests in the midst of a full liturgical worship service.  The whole wedding party sat down during most of the service.
4.  David & Callie's families sang a special arrangement of "Be Thou My Vision" commissioned for their wedding, and a soloist sang a song Callie wrote.  During the Iowa worship service, the congregation sang three hymns and the wedding service was just a part of the overall service.
5.  Pastor Grandpa Stadem said, "You may kiss the bride" at the end of the service, and David enthusiastically complied.  Mattias kissed Emily (for the first time) only after leaving the church.
6.  The dance at the North Dakota wedding was typical, with DJs playing the Chicken Dance, the Hokey Pokey, oldies and new rock songs.  The Sandquists hired a caller to teach us Celtic circle dances and the Virginia Reel.
7.  David & Callie are musical performers and sang "Lucky" at their reception.  Emily & Mattias are cerebral; the story is told that when they first met Mattias spent two hours lecturing on biochemistry - and Emily wanted more!

Our Lord Jesus brought two unique couples together and they celebrated His love for them in unique ways.  Neither wedding glorified God "more" than the other; neither reception was "better."  Both couples vowed to love and to cherish "until death do us part," so neither marriage will last "longer" than the other.  No comparisons are needed; praise God and "vive la difference"!