The Last Wedding

The Last Wedding explores whether the institution of marriage is still important or not. The author, who performs weddings (when he has to), lays out the case for the real reason behind marriage. Frankly, it's probably not what you think. For many today, marriage is merely a contractual agreement. It's a convenience. It avoids the anachronistic taboo of living together for anyone who even cares about that old stigma anymore. Marriage has become "what one does" or should do (maybe). For some it's merely a big hassle to be avoided all together. Many marriages today are about the ceremony. How big of a splash can we make? Can we find the best venue? Should we do it up big or invite a more intimate crowd? Who should be included? Who should be left off the list? Should my Dad give me away (again)? Should we write our own vows? How much should I spend on my gown? Should we do it indoors or out? Aren't we supposed to do this in a church? Church indeed... What does the church even have to do with this institution these days? Marriage is a civil thing. The state issues the license, and even preachers have to sign and send it back to the courthouse. Is there even a connection anymore? The author of the The Last Wedding is a preacher and has performed weddings for thirty-five years. He can't remember the last time he officiated a wedding ceremony in his own church building? In fact, it's been a long time since he oversaw one inside any building at all. Does that matter to him? Does it matter to anyone? Does it matter to God? The Last Wedding is a gleeful attempt to define what real marriage is all about. It's a slightly humorous and sometimes-irreverent foray into what God intends marriage to be. Few actually think about that before they dive into their own marriages. The author gives us some meat to chew on before taking the plunge. But it's never too late. Those having already gotten wet with the dew of matrimonial bliss will benefit from this entertaining read as well. The Last Wedding is for pastors, preachers, and Marrying Sam's who need a refreshing look at the age-old institution. It's for couples, young and old, who want to marry but aren't exactly sure why. It's for everyone else as well. After all, marriage (or the lack thereof) affects us all whether we like it or not. We should know why we bother with it. The author's personal usage of his book is to give it away to couples for whom he is about to help tie the proverbial knot. By his own admission, he's a lousy counselor. Fortunately, he's a pretty fair writer. We don't know if that's a good substitute, but it will have to do. The real intent of this book, however, to look beyond the uniting of two human beings. The real intent is to reconnect with the spirit of marriage. When two human beings take vows with, to, and for one another, they are likely broken before the day is done. When we carefully read through the traditional wedding vows, we are likely to realize that no one can ever live up to them--at least not in the strictest sense. If that is truly the case, why do we take them in the first place? Are we liars? Do we say them just to get what we want? Are we naive enough to believe that somehow we're different than everyone else? Are we that much better than others that we can live up to what we're saying in those few seconds as we stand before the officiant? Wouldn't it be better if we just chucked marriages altogether? Maybe, at least, we should dispense with the vows. After all, the only thing the state requires is a license and an official signature. We could take care of that in a heartbeat. But we don't... For some reason, we are drawn together in a bond that supersedes the license, the officiant, and the even the state. There is something deep down inside that pulls us into relationships that ostensibly cannot be broken--at least not without great pain. Millions of people get married every year. Some people get m