There was a program on public radio this afternoon about wedding invitations. The granddaughter of Emily Post gave her opinion on digital invitations for weddings. I am over fifty and not native to the internet the way my children are, but I have learned how to respond to an evite. I also savor paper invitations and enjoy touching them in the weeks leading up to the big day.
The speaker suggested that while email invitations have less of a footprint, are instantaneous and save money, they are more suggestive of a beach barbecue than the most significant day of your life. She has a point.
One wedding I went to had hand painted invitations, with silk screened trees and a ribbon. It was a project the couple worked on together and each one was special. My cousin does calligraphy and has created lovely invitations for several family members over the decades. I collected them and a few dozen others for a display of Marriage Art a few conferences ago.
There were quilts, and wedding garments, paintings, jewelry, sculpture, weavings and ceramics. Being in the gallery with all the composite feelings and sentiment wrapped up in the artwork was truly wonderful. For the opening we had two choral groups and a
dance, also expressive of a love of marriage. I was moved to tears.
I have a single copy of my own wedding invitation. It is a trifold, with a lamb sketched by a friend and a quote that still holds a place in my heart.
Blessed are they who are called to the marriage supper of the lamb.
