There is no more lovely, friendly, charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage.

Martin Luther said that and he was soooooo right!

These days I am very sentimental. I have just returned from my friends' wedding where I could witness a dazzlingly young and beautiful couple joining their hearts and lives. It is always so touching to see sparkling eyes of the two loving people and happy tears of the parents and relatives. And how wonderful the tradition of weddings is because so lots of people can come to witness the happiness and the beginning of a new family.

However, at this wedding I targeted at two things:

First, and the most important, was to share my friends' happy and significant step of the life.

Second, secondary :-), but still important, was to attend an American wedding.

NB: I am sorry, but cultural exchange is present in each and evry moment of my life in the USA. :-)

I should say that the American wedding differs a lot from what we have in Russia.

First of all, it was fun to do everything on-line: to inform that you are attending the wedding and to choose, buy and send the present. Moreover, I will tell you a secret: I am still worried that I have neither seen nor touhced the present and hope that it is in a good condition and as good as it was described. Besides, I do not know if it have already reached the addressee or not. In general, I know that everything is allright with it, but as it is something new to me, it makes me nervous.

Second, it was surprising to me that newlyweds had to care about the clothing for bride's maids. But the most surprising was that they had to give presents to their maids, parents, grandparents, and those people who helped them to prepare the wedding. In Russia, the young couple are the only people who receive presents to have a good beginning in their family life. So, it was very interesting to learn about this good tradition.

In this wedding there was one moment which made me very anxious: I knit a shrug for bride's dress and till the last moment I was worried how it was going to be. It was nice. A beautiful woman makes any clothes look beautiful :-).

However different or surprising some moments were, I was charmed by the church ceremony with beautiful organ music, magnificent voice of the psalm singer, and the grandeur of the ceremony itself. In Russia people can get married only in the registry office (some definitely have church marriages as well, but they do not have legal importance and they have to go to the registry office) which are also beautiful but different events. I am wondering if in the USA a couple still has to have some civil procedure to finish all the formalities of the marriage or the church ceremony is enough. It is what I should make my inquiries about :-).

The reception after the wedding was very nice, with lots of people, nice food and dancing. This is what might be common to weddings all over the world.

I wish all the best to Michelle and Edward in their new step of life and hope to see their children soon :-).