God's Love is dot dot dot

Once we decided on our bridal party, picked the venue, and the date our next step was picking a theme.

*Please note that there are several religious references in this post. These are our ideas and we are in way trying to push our beliefs unto you or your wedding.

At first, Mr. Brooch insisted we didn't need a theme, but I argued, we need something that tied together all the elements of our wedding.

We knew we wanted...

1. Good music (particularly R&B and soul music)
2. Good food (Southern comfort food and delicious desserts)
3. An intimiate setting
4. Elements of nature (and earth tones)
5. To honor our mutual love for God

Well, even with those priorities in mind, we had a very tough time coming up with feasible themes. Our initial ideas were pretty lame-- a chess theme, movies theme, or tuscan/plantation theme? Nothing seemed to express our common interests. Nothing seemed to fit.

It was actually kind of scary for a minute. We had to stop and asked each other, "We have stuff in common, right?" Of course we do. Haha.

Well, finally, after ruling out all of the above suggestions (for obvious reasons), we began thinking broader things unite us. Chess definitely wasn't going to work because most chess boards are black and white and we actually want color in our wedding. Plus, do we even like chess that much? The tuscan or plantation themes are too broad. The movie theme is too restricting. So even though we like chess, movies, and the countryside, we knew that ideas weren't good enough.

Then Mr. Brooch said "Why not make our theme about God?" He said, "Lets do, God is... No! God's Love is ..."

Then I said, "God's love is comforting like southern foods. God's love is sweet like dessert. God's love is soothing like R&B. God's love is family and friends. God's love unites us!"

This could work... right?

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Could we have finally figured out our theme?

Hm, not quite.

We've since changed directions and decided to go with a simpler theme (more on that later). We needed something that we could use when we were picking out linens and flowers, and while I think we could use God all of the time for everything, it's hard to say what color schemes represent God...

Nevertheless, we still plan to put a lot of focus on God, which is what we learned from the conversation. We want to really emphasis our spiritual connection during the ceremony, and we're working on finding ways to do that. Mr. Brooch's father is a minister and he will be officiating. I'm also am asking my dad to build a free-standing cross for the end of the aisle. We're planning to play a few old hymns that we know our families will love, and definitely have a few references in Bible and other readings.

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Here are some of the writings we are considering (the first is my fav):

"The basis of marriage is not love or mutual affections or feelings of emotions and passions that we associate with love, but a vocation, a being elected to build together a house for God in this world. To be like the cherubs whose outstretched wings sheltered the Ark of the Covenant and created a space where Yahweh could be present." - Henri Nouwen Clowning in Rome

"God is the silent partner in all great enterprises." - Abraham Lincoln

"Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder the things of the past. For behold, I will do a new thing. Now it will spring forth. Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert." - Isaiah 43:18-19

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All of the above quotes are from the book, "Inviting God to your Wedding," by Martha Williamson and John Anderson, producers of the television series, Touched By An Angel.

Are you planning to have any religious elements or themes at your wedding?