Wanted: Scripture for New Series!

I'm doing a lot of change around here but one thing I know for sure is that I like focusing on scripture and I intend to keep my Sundays looking at passages and analyzing the meaning. It is important to not only learn lines of scripture but to also look at the context it comes from. I had a lot of fun when I did the 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Series, but unfortunately, I have gotten through all the lines of that passage.

I wanted to give you all a chance to request any popular or not well known passages that are typically used in wedding ceremonies or just sharing your favorite passages on love from the Bible. I'd like for this ongoing series to be a resource for those of you searching for that perfect scripture to have read at your wedding. :-)

Source: weddingwhimsy.tumblr.com via Melina on Pinterest

Now go ahead and share away! Share in the comments below or take it to the Wedding Pickle Facebook Page! I look forward to hearing your suggestions!

Bride's Prayer: Short on Money

It can be very stressful when you feel like you just don't have the money for your wedding. It can also be disappointing when you have to cut out something due to budget that you have always dreamed of having for your wedding day.

Source: organizingmadefun.blogspot.com via Julia on Pinterest

It is difficult enough that many of us live from paycheck to paycheck let alone even be able to comprehend affording the luxuries that our American society as embedded in our minds as a lifestyle we cannot live without. Many of us even go into debt to look okay on the surface, but credit is a dangerous thing. If there is one thing you should never do is to go into credit debt for your wedding.

Yes, you may have dreamed of certain aspects of your wedding, but look down at your hand (if you have an engagement ring) or look into your fiance's eyes. Is not that love that you see in his eyes something you would give everything up in the world to keep forever? The good news is that you have it all already. God has provided you that Love!

And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? - Luke12:28
You may be freaking out about your wedding when you barely scraped enough to pay your student loan last month. However, God loves us so have faith that things will turn out right.

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. - Matthew 6:31-33
Focus on the blessings you have been given leading towards your wedding day. Seek God first. You might find that what you can afford is actually all you have dreamed of for your wedding!

The Prayer

God, I have fears on being able to afford things in my life and I worry that perhaps the day that I will be celebrating one of the greatest gifts I've been given will be cheated because of something as shallow as money. Help me to seek you first and hand my fears over to you. I know you will provide and allow my heart to see just how rich I really am. I trust in you and trust that my wedding day will be amazing.

Have any Bride's Prayer Requests? Submit yours through the Request Form anonymously or comment below!

Discussion: Receiving Line

When I was planning wedding, I remember reading about the receiving line and as I got involved in the wedding industry I would still read about the receiving line. The problem is, that in all the weddings I worked at or attended as a guest, I never saw anyone do that. I just figured it was a tradition that was old and no longer used. I was still confused on how they work. That was until I attended our friend's wedding last week.

After the ceremony, all of us guests get up and we all see the bride, her groom and the parents line up by the door to the reception hall. I'm thinking, "What are we doing?" I just assumed we would head to cocktail hour as they would sprint off for pictures. It was actually very nice, and even nicer that the bride and groom still took the time to go to each table to say hello and thanks to their guests. :-)

It was nice to say hello to the bride and groom, congratulate them, but it was pretty awkward to say hello to the other family members I didn't know. "Hi. Congrats? Thanks for this wedding? It is beautiful?" Needless to say that I didn't know what to say, lol. I have to say though, it is a nice touch and if there is time in your itinerary for the day, and there aren't a ton of guests, go ahead and do it! I think it is something that makes guests feel welcome!

Source: oncewed.com via Melina on Pinterest by Jonathan Ong

Now if only we can get those talkers to understand that they can't hold up the line to catch up with one of the family members in the line! Lol

So let's discuss! I'm curious to know if you have been to many weddings with receiving lines or have yet to experience one? Are you or did you have a receiving line for your wedding? Are you glad you did it? Do you wish you had cut it out to save on time?

Comment below or take the conversation to the Wedding Pickle Facebook Page!

The First 5 Things to Decide in Wedding Planning

If you are one of those couples who just got engaged over Christmas and New Years, then let me first congratulate you! There is nothing more exciting than looking down on your hand and seeing that ring. A constant reminder that he wants to marry you! I remember feeling like my heart could burst with happiness. :-)

Source: weheartit.com via Krista on Pinterest

After getting engaged, the next thing obviously is to plan the wedding. You probably are spending a lot of time searching the internet and books for wedding planning lists that give you a month to month, step by step of what to do next in your planning. It is very helpful, I lived by The Knot's Checklist, however, without the big picture all set you may find yourself all scatter brained!

Lucky for you, it is easy because everything can fall under these five categories. Decide what you want in each of these categories and all of your other details will fall into place.

1. Money
When it comes to planning your wedding, it really comes down to money. You can't get that $5,000 gown you saw on Say Yes To The Dress if your budget is $10,000 for the whole wedding. Traditionally the Bride's parents pay for the wedding but these days the money can come from anyone. See what both sides can contribute and even look at what you can contribute. Then you will have yourself a general number on budget and you can adjust all the aspects of your wedding accordingly.

2. Location
Not only is this one important for when looking at a place that means a lot to you but you also will be able to determine how much of your family will be traveling and how far. The number of guests who can attend might be smaller if far or larger if at your home town. Then you would consider accommodations for your traveling guests and what day of the week would be best for guests to take time off. Also, if you are planning your wedding at a location distant from where you live now, that would also determine how you would go about choosing your vendors and who can help you find them.

Source: etsy.com via Emily on Pinterest

3. Time of Year
Do you imagine yourself getting married as the sun sets? Are you wanting to get married in the outdoors? Once you got your location down, you will need to check out the tendencies of that time of year. The weather, when the sun sets, and the usual crazy seasons such as hurricane season, tornado season, etc. Also, if it is going to be during the height of wedding season, you'll need to book places and vendors quick. Once you got that figured out you can decided your date and time of the ceremony (of course assuming your venue will allow you to get married at your preferred time)

4. Style
Do you want your wedding to be formal and fancy, modern and chic, or casual and whimsy? Determining the style will determine the attire, the decor, the colors and the venues. It is hard to make those detail decisions without knowing you and your groom's style!

5. Wedding Planner
Are you planning your wedding from afar? Do you work full time? Or are you going to be able to be hands on all the time? Do you have friends and family that can help or are you all alone in your planning? My biggest regret was not hiring a wedding planner at least for the day of my wedding. It is nice to be able to say, "Don't worry, my planner's got it" Also, you'll have peace of mind that someone who does know what to do has got your back. Based on the questions I mentioned, really consider if a planner is for you and then hire one! They'll be able to cover the details you might forget and they should be able to find you savings that would cover the cost of hiring them.


So now tell me who is engaged now! Do you have any of these 5 things covered already? Got any comments or questions to share?

Marriage Monday Week 5 Discussion

Week 5 looks at Loving One Another from the Marriage Preparation and Improvement Study series. I mentioned last week how I was just going to publish my notes and thoughts for discussion for each part of the series. The Loving One Another section is actually going to be divided into two parts, so this week I only look at the first three parts that looks at how Love is a concern for the well-being of others, a choice of the will and must be expressed in both word and action. The last two sections will be discussed in Week 6.

I loved this passage so much when I came to it that I had to share:
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. ~ Philippians 2:1-4

Then the study goes on to list examples of how a husband or wife can be selfish in their marriage. One got to me:

"The wife prefers to socialize with her friends, leaving the house in a mess."

Yep, it got me. Not that I am out and about with friends. I never really leave my house much at all. I just prefer to read blogs, browse Pinterest, catch up on Real Housewives of Atlanta and Beverly Hills, Workout, and nap. If you look at my house right now, my coffee table is a mess, and there is even a pile of towels I need to fold sitting next to me on the couch as I type this. :-/ (I'm so embarrassed to admit that!) 

I have been selfish in my laziness at times. There is no reason that I shouldn't take care of my home better so that my husband can come home and feel relaxed. There is no reason that I shouldn't keep the dining table uncluttered and actually make dinner so that we can eat at the table together for that necessary 'us' time. 

I love how the second section, "Love is a choice of the Will" talks about falling in love and falling out of love and how some people just give up when the love is gone. This has always been a pet peeve of mine for anyone thinking that falling out of love can be a legit excuse for divorce. If you fall out of love you were never in love to begin with. It was never love at all. Love takes work and a decision from both the husband and wife to work at it. 

We are to love as Christ loves us. He died for us. If He can die for us, it shouldn't be hard to choose to keep working on a marriage. This is something you and your fiance should definitely be on the same page about!

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. ~ 1 John 3:18

What are ways we can show love for one another?

• Saying "I love you" at random times and not just when you are saying goodbye
• Telling the other person that you will always be there for them. 
• PDA! Hold hands, kiss, and hug! (I love when my husband will just embrace me when I'm busy in the kitchen. As if to let me know he appreciates me without even having to say it. Makes me want to be a better wife!)
• Loving God :-)

Another good passage that I love because it describes the way that we should be wives and husbands:

The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. I say this as a concession, not as a command. ~ 1 Corinthians 7:3-6

Did you do the study? What thoughts do you want to share? If you didn't do the study, that's okay, we can still discuss what I talked about today! :-) Share in the comments below or take it to the Wedding Pickle Facebook Page!