The Stationers Guild

I spent this weekend with dear friends in Princeton, New Jersey. They had recently returned from a wedding in India and were anxious to share their impressions of the celebration. The wedding ceremony lasted more than 5 days and involved hundreds of people. While the rich colors of the saris and the hilly terrain of Jaipur provided a stunning stage set for the wedding, I was struck by the elaborate rituals and how joyfully the families and guests embraced this sacred Hindu ceremony. It served as a stark contrast to something that I find is often missing in our country: honoring traditions.

Two or three times a week, I come across a news release (often online) of a wedding couple that “wants to make a statement” about something that it is totally unrelated to the wedding ceremony itself.   While these well-meaning “statements” are often cast as a couple showing their “commitment to the environment” or some other worthwhile cause, I can’t help but wonder if the wedding ceremony is the appropriate place to lobby your cause.  Do your guests really care?   Personally, I would be offended if the wedding ceremony is used as a soap box for the current cause célèbre rather than the joyful union of two individuals.

Is it wrong to feel this way?  Perhaps so, but I contrast today’s modern weddings where couples seem to spend more time pressing their agenda rather than professing their love.  Have we lost interest in those traditions that are deeply rooted in religious ceremony and the no less sacred importance of honoring our families and community?   Call me a traditionalist, but I watched in awe at the beauty and pagentry of an Indian wedding which continues to joyfully honor those traditions. 

Richard May
Therese Saint Clair