Princess for a Day

This weekend I had the honor of being the photographer at a wedding for one of my good friends. Jess' super romantic fiancee arranged for a horse and carriage to transport Jess from the house to the venue.  As the photographer she asked me to go along.

It was amazing to be included in that special moment. Jess had been smiling for days leading up to her wedding, but all fancied up in her dress - complete with elbow-length gloves and wool shawl - she transformed into a princess. As children ran to keep pace beside the carriage and drivers stopped to get a glimpse of the bride, she didn't stop smiling.

It was such a simple thought by her fiancee to give her the gift of a carriage ride, yet I know it will stay with Jess forever. He gave her a moment to feel truly special. As I've gotten to know him, I have no doubt he'll have many more romantic gestures down the road.

Congrats, Jess and Ehren.

Wedding Dresses for a Fake Engagement

Reasons for Arranged Marriages

So after considering the reasons to get married and the reasons not to get married, I realized there are reasons for arranged marriages.  The following are potential reasons that you might put the pressure of choosing a spouse in someone else's hands.

• Avoid determining where a good place to meet people might be.  Nothing sucks more than trying to go meet people that you share interests with and striking out.
• Hopefully the person that you ask to arrange your marriage will take into consideration your interests and personality before recommending you to someone.  This isn't a DVD rental; you can't just pop it out and go to the next on the list.
• Avoiding the whole dating scene.  Do you really need more?
• The first date could be a group date with the person responsible for arranging the marriage. 
• If things don't work you can blame the person arranging the marriage instead of attempting the "it isn't you its me" routine.
• There are better things to do with your time than worry that every person you're attracted to "might be the One!"  

If you are going to have someone arrange your marriage make sure you pick the right person.  I have a couple of friends that I'd completely trust to arrange my marriage because they are made of Awesome.  This is to a level higher than made of Win.  For instance they accept what I'm attracted to.  My father would never be asked to arrange my marriage because he doesn't appreciate certain qualities like I do.  I happen to like a scruffy guy and my father would have me with guy who resembles a Marine.  Don't ask someone who wants to fix you up with a carbon copy of their spouse.  What works for them may not work for you.  Don't fall for the "he's the male version of you" because you need something to hold your interest.    

Top Reasons To Get Married

This is the top reasons to get married post.  I am not numbering because reasons are likely to be added or removed depending on how pertinent they are at that stage of life.  *

1.  To have a full time driver

2.  To have a cheap mechanic or at least someone who can tell me I'm overpaying mine.

3.  To reduce the amount of junk food I eat or to keep the "odd ducks" who are strangely attracted to me from bringing me Godiva, doughnuts, and every form of chocolate imaginable.  

4.  To have a tag-a-long to all the things that I don't want to go to so we can suffer together.

5.  To be able to answer "yes" when meeting someone new and they ask if I'm married.

6.  To reduce the number of guys who freak me out and then ask me out.  At least I can be freaked out and unavailable.

7.  Tax deduction.

8.  Lower car insurance.

9.  To relieve my father's worries that he'll never be rid of me.


After spending the weekend with one of my best friends, he pointed out another factor.


10.  To learn to cook meals that don't come out of a box or off a fast food menu.

* Disclaimer - I believe in marriage and fully support marriage and hope to be married one day.  This is simply a humorous look into why I might want to get married sooner rather than later and not the reasoning for why I will get married.


** Additional disclaimer - This is not meant to be serious but a comical outlook on weddings.