I really enjoy conducting weddings. My most recent occurred at a local museum. The individual that was first asked to conduct the wedding couldn’t, so I was asked if I could take his place. It was an honor to be asked. Weddings are deeply personal occasions, and to be asked to enter that space is really humbling.

I like weddings for several reasons. One reason is that weddings provide an opportunity to be creative. Most weddings are monotonous and similar. It takes some thought and attention to create a ceremony that is engaging and entertaining. People notice it when you take pains to make the ceremony interesting and often comment about it.

I also like weddings because they give a unique opportunity to say something that might be useful to the bridal couple. You’ll seldom find a person more open than at this time—provided they are not terrorized by the moment. The invitation to conduct the wedding is an opportunity to say something significant. It calls for respect and thoughtfulness.

Weddings are also just fun. The last two pages of my wedding notes got switched in my binder, and the “kiss the bride” instruction got lost in the shuffle. I had forgotten those three most important words and was about to “present” the bridal couple. When…. The bride looked quizzically at me, making a puckering expression. I instantly remembered what I had forgotten. We all laughed.

“You may kiss your wife.”