You’ve heard the familiar cry “Let the games begin!” Well, the game is on — wedding planning is in full swing for the Barkers. For Kelli and me (and sister Kristin!), that is. All Don cares to hear is the briefest recaps of what’s cooking. His thoughts can best be summed up in the question he hollered to me the night of Kelli’s engagement when he overheard me gushing our news to one of my sisters. “How much is this going to set me back?” He plays his Father of the Bride role perfectly, huh :)

Amazing how one little question can kick our lives into a whole new gear. Ever since Jake uttered the words to Kelli, “Will you marry me?”, she and I both have had our brains overtaken by the all consuming task known as wedding planning.

She found out right away that next summer (when they want to have the wedding) is not that far away in the wedding world. A bride and her family have no time to waste in securing the ceremony and reception sites. A few of the places she’s checked into are already booked through next July.

So…we’ve not only been at work trying to get those things nailed down but also have thrown in some wedding gown shopping. Crazy, I know, but hard to resist :) We’ll also have to soon find a photographer, caterer, and florist. The most highly recommended vendors’ calendars don’t stay open for long…

I’ve reassured Kelli more than once in the past 10 days that it won’t be this busy all the time. Once we get a few major things taken care of, we’ll be able to approach the remaining details in a more leisurely fashion. That’s the dream anyway :)

Hosting a wonderful wedding celebration takes a lot of work, requires careful planning and budgeting, and involves some unavoidable stress. But…it yields much joy and lifelong memories as well. We certainly wouldn’t want to attempt it all on our own. Many folks hire professional wedding planners, but we’re calling on our heavenly Father. I found during my first experience as a mother of the bride that He is the perfect wedding coordinator.

This should come as no surprise, though, should it? The Lord God Himself is the ultimate wedding planner. After all, His Son Jesus is described in scripture as the bridegroom of a radiant bride, the church, and heaven itself as the site for His wedding supper. God is certainly no stranger to wedding planning.

As we keep our eyes on Him and take each need to Him in prayer, He will prove faithful as He always does. He’ll show us once again that He’ll walk with us through every situation — even something as detailed and frou-frou as wedding planning. And I’m hoping you’ll whisper a prayer when you think of us as well. Walk with us, too, won’t you?

“Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come…” Revelation 19:7a