Much Ado about THE Wedding

Source: OK Magazine

Unless you have been holed up in a cave with absolutely no internet connection the last month, the world has been counting down to The [Royal] Wedding of the Year i.e Prince William and Kate Middleton's union after a decade long courtship. Even serious stuff only BBC had a 6-part series leading up to their wedding. It is quite interesting how people remain fascinated by the British monarchy as archaic as it might seem. *amazed*

Closer shot of Kate's Day and Evening Gowns

As an avid reader of lifestyle trivial, realised that there were all sorts of interesting paraphenelia that one could potentially buy in commemoration of their wedding. According to 8 Days (28 April 2011):

• US$1 billion revenue would be generated for the British Economy
• US$327 million in estimated earnings from wedding merchandise
• US$12 million to throw a wedding bash on this scale
• US$64,000 to clean up the streets and US$8-23 million on security to be incurred by British taxpayers. *hmmm*

Speaking of wedding merchandise, many people have jumped onto this band wagon and one could even order souvenirs like this:

Made in China royal wedding souvenir gone wrong *sniggers*

Jokes aside, it was a wedding with much aplomb, with a fly past by the airforce to boot. More updates on the festivities can be found on the Royal Wedding's very own website.

Apart from the revelry, the Bishop of London delivered a meaningful sermon on marriage. Excerpts as follows:

"Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.” So said St Catherine of Siena whose festival day it is today. Marriage is intended to be a way in which man and woman help each other to become what God meant each one to be, their deepest and truest selves....

A spiritual life grows as love finds its centre beyond ourselves. Faithful and committed relationships offer a door into the mystery of spiritual life in which we discover this; the more we give of self, the richer we become in soul; the more we go beyond ourselves in love, the more we become our true selves and our spiritual beauty is more fully revealed. In marriage we are seeking to bring one another into fuller life....

Marriage should transform, as husband and wife make one another their work of art. It is possible to transform as long as we do not harbour ambitions to reform our partner. There must be no coercion if the Spirit is to flow; each must give the other space and freedom.

As the reality of God has faded from so many lives in the West, there has been a corresponding inflation of expectations that personal relations alone will supply meaning and happiness in life. This is to load our partner with too great a burden. We are all incomplete: we all need the love which is secure, rather than oppressive, we need mutual forgiveness, to thrive.

As we move towards our partner in love, following the example of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is quickened within us and can increasingly fill our lives with light. This leads to a family life which offers the best conditions in which the next generation can practise and exchange those gifts which can overcome fear and division and incubate the coming world of the Spirit, whose fruits are love and joy and peace."

- Bishop of London's sermon

 

While I sometimes still harbour hope of transforming Ed, it is an apt reminder of relationship dynamics and how we should spur each other to be a better version of ourselves.