The idea of getting married is favorable. However, marriage far exceeds the work that it takes to plan a fairytale wedding. A major mistake that men and women make is confusing the wedding with the marriage. Marriage is a covenant between a man and a woman who have vowed to spend the rest of their lives with each other. According to those joined in Holy Matrimony, a marriage is supposed to last until “death do you part”. A wedding ceremony, on the other hand, is an event that commemorates the marriage between a husband and a wife. It can lasts anywhere from 15 minutes to a few hours. Ironically, some people spend more time and money on investing in a fairytale wedding than they do on investing in the marriage itself. Anyone who has had experience with being married knows that marriage is a full-time job. At no point in time can you choose to go on vacation from being married without running the risk of losing your spouse.

A wedding ceremony is a wonderful notion. In fact, the planning phase of a wedding can draw a couple closer together. Making the decision on what type of flowers to use or picking out the perfect wedding favors can be exciting. There is nothing wrong with wanting to have a fairytale wedding. The key to having a fairytale wedding is to allow your marriage to reflect what you vowed during the wedding ceremony. The divorce rate might not be as high if more people could grasp this concept.

For those of you who would like to get married or are in the process of getting married, hopefully you will be encouraged to plan your dream wedding along with taking the time to invest in your marriage. The best way to approach marriage is by learning how to be successful at being married. Premarital counseling is an effective way to educate couples in this area. As for the newlyweds who have already experienced the joy of walking down the aisle, continue to reflect on that special moment, but work hard to make your marriage last forever. You can empower your marriage by reading books, attending seminars, or going to counseling. Knowing the differences between a wedding and a marriage is a great start to a happily ever after.

 By: Maria Romain