Having honoured several wedding invitations in recent times, my observation is that extravagant wedding ceremonies are gradually gaining undue root in Christianity today.
Weddings are becoming a competition for showcasing people’s wealth and prosperity in our society.
Indisputably, wedding ceremonies have become complicated and costly. It is believed that since a wedding occurs once in a lifetime, it must be organized with no expense spared so the whole world will talk about it for days.
It is also sad to note that a number of people discourteously create unnecessary noise during wedding solemnization service in many churches.
I was shocked to witness an “Azonto” dance in one of the churches I visited.
A Christian marriage ceremony is not a party or reception where we are charmed and entertained, but rather a holy rite where God is exulted.
Pastors should never allow couples and their “wedding directors” to turn such ceremonies into sentimental extravaganza.
Marriage in the church is a worship service and, therefore, every element of the service should honour God in a spirit of worship.
Undeniably, deep reverence for the holy and the Holy One is essential to any atmosphere of worship and all that is crude, disruptive and trivial are offensive in worship.
Ellen G. White, a prolific Christian author, explicitly states that “…the wedding ceremony is a sacred service and not a time for hilarity…No. It is an ordinance ordained of God, to be looked upon with the greatest.
It is absolutely inappropriate to see wedding ceremonies associated with laughter and noise-making. It is a time for prayer and public declaration of commitment.
In this era of economic hardship, young people should be counseled to have a simple beautiful wedding instead of a grand wedding which will put them in debt.