A Christ-Centered Wedding

About The Book: How Do I Keep the Focus Where It Belongs?  Wedding planning has spawned a major industry. The average cost of the occasion now exceeds $25,000, and societal pressure to create the “perfect day” is so strong that even Christian couples forget what God originally intended for the sacred marriage ceremony. While paying attention to the good fun that follows that special proposal (the dress, the flowers, the cake, the gatherings, etc.), A Christ-Centered Wedding first serves as a guide to believers who want their wedding to portray the relationship of Christ with the church and to reflect the gospel to all in attendance. From the start, this thoughtful book looks to the Creator of weddings for guidance in planning by emphasizing the sacrificial love of the Savior more than the modern world’s idealistic view of romantic love. There are chapters filled with practical information about everything from pre-marital counseling and choosing a wedding location to other resources like a planning checklist and timeline, music suggestions, guidance on potential issues of conflict, a listing of traditional financial responsibilities, sample vows, and other great ideas from couples who have successfully put together a Christ-centered wedding.
About The Authors:  Catherine Strode Parks writes from home in Nashville, Tennessee, where she lives with her husband, Erik, and their two young children. She is the co-author of A Christ-Centered Wedding (B&H) and blogs at cathparks.com.  Linda Strode is a pastor's wife and has been involved in multiple aspects of wedding planning over the years.  She survived the bridesmaid fashion horrors of the 70's and 80's and has quite a few photo souvenirs to prove it.  Linda and her husband, Tom,  live in Fredricksburg, VA,
My Thoughts On The Book:  For my reader friends who know me, No! I am not planning my wedding and all my children are married.  As a pastor/pastor's wife I thought this book would be something good for our library.  As a pastor's wife I am occasionally asked to serve as the Wedding Director.  This is not a job I take lightly.  I want all my young couples to start out grounded in Christ. I desire for young couples to steer away from the glitz and glamour of the wedding ceremony towards God.  This book is a lifesaver.  I loved how the book was divided up into short, easy chapters covering everything there is to cover on a wedding.  The authors left no stone unturned.  When my daughter married she and her husband lived out this book.  I do not remember ever attending a more Christ-centered wedding in my life.  They made a commitment to Christ and have now followed it to the mission field, working in orphanages in Moldova.  The money you spend on a wedding does not matter....what does is the commitment to Christ the couples have.  I LOVED THIS BOOK!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Shelton Interactive, as part of their Book Review Blogger Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”