I have to say being involved in an industry where you are a part of a family's special day is pretty awesome. Everyone is (usually) in a great mood and ready to celebrate. We love getting caught up in the excitement of a bride marrying her groom! But at the end of the day, after all of the guests have left, after the food is cold, a wedding day is still about two families coming together. Sure the whole process can be stressful and overwhelming, but having perspective goes a long way. It is the start of forever! And sometimes that forever can start with really hard things.
Right now we have several families that are dealing with really hard things. We have at least 5 moms that are battling cancer, mostly breast cancer. A wedding day to these families might be a little different than some. For my mom, my brother's wedding was something that gave her hope, honestly something to live for (not that her family wasn't enough but you know what I mean). She enjoyed planning the details and was so excited for the day to arrive. Unfortunately she died a week before the wedding. I have no doubt that she hung on longer because she had this great party to look forward to.
But as I meet these sweet moms (and daughters) that are currently going through treatments or recovery and I see their short, after chemo hair, or their beautiful wigs that they bought especially for the wedding, it gives me so much perspective on what's really important. Spend quality time with your loved ones. Don't go crazy if the place cards are not perfect. It's not the end of the world. In 20 years you are not going to remember that about the day. Be in the moment and enjoy the wedding festivities. Enjoy your family that have all made such a great effort to be at your wedding. And the best part is at the end of the wedding day, you and your honey are partners for life! Their family is your family, even through really hard things.
With the end of October near - and the end of Breast Cancer Awareness Month - I want to try to give some perspective to everyone. Just take a deep breath when the wedding gets stressful and remember why it is that you are getting married.
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