The Pastor Goofs. After the benediction I announced, “It gives me great pleasure to present to you, Barbara and Bob, the newly married....” The organ blasted out triumphal music. The mother of the bride stood and waved frantically.
“Marcia, you forgot the rings.”

Technology to the Rescue. The best man forgot the reading, Rumi’s “A Moment of Happiness,” that the bride had specifically wanted him to read. I thought we could make a substitute. Not to be. The bride waited in the limousine while the best man ran to the parsonage. My husband fired up his computer. They searched for the reading. Printed it out. He returned and tapped on the window of the limousine. He mouthed to the bride that he had the reading. I signaled to the organist that all was ready. We began, only twenty minutes late, but with a relieved bride.

Candelabras. My sister added two extra sets of candelabras to create a more intimate scene for my niece’s wedding. The groomsmen carried lighters to the front and began their task of lighting the twenty-seven candles on each side of the altar. They completed the right side and moved to the left as a breeze extinguished the candles on the right. They completed the left and moved to the right – oops, again the breeze. The pews rocked with stifled laughter.
Immediately we whispered to each other, “Dad’s extinguishing the candles.” Dad had died eleven months earlier. We believed his spirit had shown up to create a moment of laughter to release the tension of the wedding – the first big family event since his death.

A Break from Tradition. The priest, Bobby, and I shared the preparation for the marriage of his niece and a young man from my church. I arrived at the Catholic Church early, as we’d decided. Guests arrived. The organ played. No priest. The deacon prepared the bread and wine for the Eucharist.
Bobby called. “Flat tire. Marcia, set up the altar.”
“A Protestant carrying the Eucharist. Am I allowed?”
“We’ll know if a bolt of lightening strikes.”
I carried the elements to the altar. The whispering among the guests halted as I placed them. I looked up. Questions, skepticism and curiosity showed on their face. Bobby arrived, adjusted his robe as he flew to the altar and held me in a big hug.
Then in a voice all could hear, he said, “This is how it should be. After all, we are all Christians, aren’t we?”
Smiles and nods spread throughout the room, the guests relieved, and the procession began.

You can find more about Marcia M. Cham by going to www.marciamcham.com