Big Fat Bridal Blog: A family affair

Three months of single-life left and Chad and I are on cruise control ... at least, for now. Anything that requires a contract has been signed and deposit checks have been flying out the door.

It's true, we've hit a lull in the wedding planning process and for that, we are quite thankful. It's given us a chance to enjoy the nice weather a bit.

Last weekend, we made the trek to the Brainerd-lakes area to spend the weekend with my grandparents and talk about the ceremony. My grandfather, an ordained minister, will be marrying us this summer.

As we drove the three hours north, we started talking about what we might like for our ceremony. Up until that point, the most thought we had put into it was the length of time - short, short, short. We both had to laugh that arguably the most important part of the wedding, the part that actually served to unite us, had taken a backseat to photographers, caterers and even ceremony musicians.

At least my grandfather wasn't any more prepared. In fact, all our visit did was motivate him to find that book of wedding ceremonies that is somewhere in his overstuffed study (shudder). I hope that means that the man who has married people around our lake and even conducted my aunt's wedding wants to do something special for us rather than go on autopilot.

I trust he will be able to come up with something special for our wedding day. Besides conducting various marriage ceremonies over the years and teaching marriage and family classes at a Wisconsin college, he has been married to my grandmother for 60 years as of this summer. So to say he knows a thing or two about marriage would be an understatement. How to apply that to his eldest granddaughter may be another story though- one that requires a bit of thought - so we're willing to give him some time to come up with something good. 

Chad and I feel very fortunate that my grandfather will be able to marry us. We think it will make our day all the more special to have close family involved (not to mention how it will ease my nerves to see my grandfather at the end of the aisle instead of some strange minister). 

Besides that, it continues a tradition in my family. My grandfather's father, who was also an ordained minister, married my parents more than 30 years ago and my other grandma is still talking about how special that was. I can't count the number of times she has shared with me the story of how he finished the ceremony and then introduced his grandson and new granddaughter to their attendees. A very nice touch.

This wedding has given us a whole new appreciation for family. Moreso than just the money donated by our parents (which we hardly balk at), it has been the willingness of our loved ones to put so much of their time and effort into our big day. From a sister's floral expertise to an aunt's candle-making skills to a very special gift of music, we are truly blessed.

Being surrounded by our closest family and friends on our wedding day is special, but knowing how much they contributed to making the day happen, overwhelms me.

As my mom says, they won't be giving me away when she and my father walk me down the aisle, they'll be sharing me. I like that. Seems like a win-win all the way around.

SHARE: What unique role have you seen family play in a wedding? What special ceremony touches have you been impressed by?