Marriage In Paradise

I thought some of you might enjoy these two photos of a wedding that took place today between two members of my congregation. I officiated, of course, but also brought my camera along "just in case."

The groom is a good friend and church Deacon. He has served three tours of duty in the Middle East/Persian Gulf and was part of a P-3 crew who miraculously survived a dramatic ditching of their crippled and burning plane....the first time there had ever been survivors of such a crash. He has no doubt that God intervened to save the entire crew. I think that God had plans for him that included his new bride!

In any case, the ceremony eneded with a traditional U.S. Navy Wedding Sword Arch. As the newly married couple approached each pair of officers, the swords were lowered and they were not permitted to pass to the next pair until they had kissed each other. I took this photo during their third kiss. (It sort of gives new meaning to the phrase, "making a pass," don't you think?)

One Navy Wedding tradition that they skipped was the one where the bride gets a sword-slap on her behind after passing the last two officers. In this case, she got away with it because of her own prior service in the U.S. Navy.

The groom did not get a "swat" either....perhaps because he had his own Navy sword tucked away in my church office. Or perhaps because he out-ranked both of the officers at the end of the arch! (Good planning on his part!)

I am glad to say that the new husband and wife still appeared to be happy three hours later at the wedding reception. By God's grace that happiness will be "forever-after." Or , more precisely, "As long as we both shall live!"