As the Dixie Cups crooned in their 1964 hit Chapel of Love: “Spring is here/the sky is so very blue/Birds all sing as if they knew…” Here at Matchmaker Logistics, we have two lovebirds who are “goin’ to the chapel” very soon. They don’t just have Spring Fever, they also have Wedding Fever–Congratulations to Shelly Stoddart and Pam Carrier on their engagements!
Hearing about their wedding planning is proving to be quite an eye-opening experience. I’ve learned that there are Bridezillas (brides-to-be who turn into self-absorbed, over-indulgent monsters) and Bridechillas (those who remain cool as a cucumber, or “chill”, despite the unique pressures of wedding planning). Lucky for me, both of my employees are far more ‘chilla’ than ‘zilla’.
Pam’s wedding date is May 11th. She and her fiancé will be married at the VFW in New Bern, NC, in honor of Pam’s dad, a Vietnam veteran. Pam says: “Getting married in a place that honors our fallen soldiers and reminds us of our freedom is very humbling to me and my fiancé.” Pam’s Dad is a Board Member of the VFW, which is located on the Neuse River. He has been working really hard to pretty up the place, not only for Pam’s wedding, but for the future enjoyment of the members. He has personally taken on the “Spring Cleaning” of the kitchen, the refurbishment of the bar’s counter tops, and more.
Shelly will be married on August 24th. One of seven children, Shelly is only the second child (and the first girl) in the family to get married. She and her husband will wed at Lydia’s Mountain Lodge near her hometown of Charlottesville, VA. They plan to include zip-lining and mountain tubing into the festivities for their wedding weekend. Although Shelly has been coming up with creative ways to respect a strict budget (like picking her own wildflowers for Mason jar centerpieces), her Dad has been encouraging her to opt for more costly extras.
A USA Today article published in August 2012 revealed that, according to Brides magazine, the average couple has a $26,989 wedding and that nearly one-third of all brides still bust their budgets! With two young daughters, I’m realizing that I had better start saving now!
Of course, we all know that it doesn’t matter how simple or elaborate the wedding is; what matters most is the relationship between the couple. Search the internet for quotes on marriage, and you’ll find lots of cynicism like: “Wedding rings–the world’s smallest handcuffs” or “Marriage means commitment. Of course, so does insanity.” There is even a work-related remark on marriage from Elbert Hubbard: “Never get married in college; it’s hard to get a start if a prospective employer finds you’ve already made one mistake.”
I, however, am more interested in passing along encouraging, yet sound, wedding advice to Pam and Shelly. I’d like to start with:
- A happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers.~Ruth Bell Graham
- Like good wine, marriage gets better with age – once you learn to keep a cork in it.~Gene Perret
- To find someone who will love you for no reason, and to shower that person with reasons, that is the ultimate happiness.~Robert Brault
What about you? Do you have some marriage advice for Pam or Shelly? Or would you like to just offer your heartfelt congratulations? Please share in their joy on our Facebook page.
Eat, drink and be married this weekend,
~Bob
