Beautiful Philadelphia Wedding!!

So, I know I still haven't posted about my vacation to Philly, but there was a reason I traveled 3000 miles from home to the city of Brotherly Love! WEDDING!!

In August of 2002, I hopped on a plan and flew to Central Pennsylvania where I attended my first year of college at Penn State. It was good times. I was far from home, which made me terribly homesick, but I met some great friends that I still have to this day. When I left after that year (i moved back home for school), I promised one of the girls who had plans of going to law school, that if she ever made it and graduated law school I would come back for it! Sure enough, 4 years ago I flew to Pittsburgh to watch her graduate. And now, almost 10 years after we became friends, she got married!

I could go on and on about the ceremony and reception, the food, the desserts, the dancing, the people I saw that I haven't seen in 9 years, and the new friends I made. However, I really just want to talk about one piece of the ceremony that I really enjoyed.

You know that part in movies, when a couple is standing at the alter and the priest says "If any one objects to these 2 getting married, speak now or forever hold your peace?" I've never been to a wedding where it was said exactly like that, but at this wedding, it wasn't said at all! Instead, there was a part in the ceremony called "The Support of the People". The Reverend began by talking about how marriage is tough and there will be many struggles. He also mentioned that there will be times that you will want to give up, but you must remember that you have made this commitment together and must work through it together. And then the cool part started.

Reverend Max then looked out into the crowd. He stated that friends and family are just important to a couple having a successful marriage. They are there to help the couple remember the good times and assist with the struggles the best they can. Through their support and friendship, they must stand by this couple through it all. Then he asked everyone "Will you stand by this couple and help them in the good and the bad, and support them in their commitment to each other?" To this, everyone responded with "WE WILL".

This is something I would love to have done at my wedding. I think its important that a couple have a great support system around them. I see so many couples who just give up when things get tough and walk away without remembering the reason why they chose to marry the person they are with. Without friends and family around to help put those minor annoyances with your spouse into perspective, some people walk away from their greatest love for the stupidest reason.

So tell me, do you have a great support system to help you through the tough times? Did you do a similar event at your own wedding? I would love to know if other people did similar things during their ceremonies!

Peace and Good JuJu,
Holly