Fericit Ziua Nuntii!

I once had a boss ask me what nationality I was. I started rattling off the English, Scotch-Irish, Danish and the rest before he interrupted me and said, "With those eyes?" I pointed to them and said, "Romanian." Ah, he said, "I wondered." I was told our tiny eyes - which both Anton and I have - were of Romanian descent. They are so small, getting my contacts in and out took some getting used to. Just couldn't get those eyes open enough. However, I have seen many Romanians with big eyes, so not sure how accurate that description is.

Well, since we have Romanian in the family, we thought we'd take a look at their wedding traditions. Romanians, by the way, are descendants of gypsies. Maybe that's why we've moved so much.

The groom is given a shave by his best man ... with an axe or knife. Be cool to see a chef's knife used here, hee hee. Then he and the groomsmen go pick up the bride to take her to church, gifting her with a bouquet. The groomsmen show up with pine trees which they leave at her door for good luck.

The couple has marriage godparents (naşi), perhaps a mentor couple. The couple picks who they want to be their naşi. It is the marriage godmother along with the mother of the bride who break a loaf of sweet bread or cake above the bride's head. I could see crumbs getting in the fancy hairdo here. The bread is given to unmarried wedding guests to eat. The godmother puts the bride's veil on her then replaces it at the reception for a head scarf symbolizing her transition to wife.The veil is then placed on the head of the unmarried woman who caught the bouquet at the reception.

If someone sneezes before the wedding it's good luck, as is finding a spider in the crease of the dress. Dropping the wedding rings is bad luck. There are buckets of water set at the entrance of the church which people drop coins into. As the married couple leaves the church, they kick the buckets over so all the water spills out, washing away any bad luck for the couple. As Ayla and Rob are getting married on an upper deck, I would feel real bad for the folks on the first level under those buckets! The money is given to the couple at the reception.

The godparents escort the couple into the church for the wedding. During the ceremony - now I LOVE this part - the bride and groom get crowns, symbolizing how they are now king and queen of their new home. How cool is that? Who wouldn't want crowns?!

At the reception, the groomsmen kidnap the bride and hold her for ransom. The ransom is usually alcohol.There is the traditional money dance. There are even parties given for two days after the wedding which the bride and groom must attend, so the honeymoon is postponed a couple days.

So there you go. Many to choose from! Fericit ziua nuntii! (Happy Wedding Day!)

Discussion: Any of the Romanian wedding traditions appeal to you? Which are a complete "no way!"

Prayer: Lord, there are such unique traditions in every country. How fun all the different places are. We pray you are glorified in every wedding moment all around the world. In Jesus, Amen.

Exceedingly Beautiful

Bracelet, check. Headband, check. Earrings, check. All that's left to find is a necklace and you'll be all blinged out, girlfriend! A sparkly princess bride for sure! I read on a wedding jewelry website that the jewelry can set the mood of the wedding. If that's the case, then we're going to have a sparkling good time! This same site says a wedding is a good place to wear heirloom jewelry or to purchase a piece that can be utilized as such for future generations. They recommend adding sparkling pieces to the bouquet, shoes, your dress, your veil and on and on. That's a lot of sparkle.

While the Bible is thin on jewelry descriptions, the only engagement piece we are aware of is the nose ring Isaac's servant gave to Rebekah (Genesis 24). However, God talks about bejeweling his bride, Jerusalem, in Ezekiel 16:11-12 which says, "I adorned you with ornaments: I put bracelets on your arms, a chain on your neck, a ring on your nose, earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown upon your head." (Again with the nose ring ... don't get any ideas.) He continues in verses 13-14 "You grew exceedingly beautiful, fit to be a queen. Your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, for it was perfect because of my splendor that I had bestowed on you, says the Lord God."

That's pretty much how we anticipate a bride to look. Dripping in jewels, sparkling like a queen, beautiful in splendor. It is in this same Ezekiel passage that God talks of His unending covenant with the city, similar to the unending covenant in marriage. As God says to the city of Jerusalem, "I pledged myself to you and entered into a covenant with you, says the Lord God, and you became mine." (Ezek. 16:8)

There is no doubt that both Ayla and Kayla will be lovely brides. And here's the thing, I think no matter what they wear - in clothing or jewelry - both Rob and Anton are going to be blown away by what they see ... "exceedingly beautiful" brides.

Discussion: What is the significance of any jewelry you will wear? Why do you think brides want to look their most beautiful on their wedding day? What does the groom expect appearance wise on your wedding day? 

Prayer: Father, just as You made Your eternal covenant with your holy city Jerusalem, both couples will be likewise making an everlasting bond with their fiances. Father, we pray for Your blessings on them both and pray Your fame is spread throughout the nations. In Jesus, Amen.