‘Humpty, where did you get married?’ I asked. He was struggling with paper-work.
‘In my parish church,’ he eventually replied.
‘That makes you exceptional,’ I said. ‘Just like me.’
I scratched my head as I thought around this. We have, after all, grown accustomed to the big wedding as a family occasion. It takes place in a castle or a country house licensed for such purposes. It is now likely that we shall become accustomed to weddings being celebrated in open-air venues. The Law Commission has produced a report proposing that such an innovation would match the changing needs of society.
At present bride and groom have a choice: the parish church or other licensed premises. But the choice is not merely a matter of venue. It represents differing views of matrimony. A parish church rests on an understanding of marriage as the lifetime union of a man and a woman. This is a standpoint that has prevailed for generations in England.
Common sense leads us to recognise that the lifetime union pattern has long been less prevalent in practice than in theory. Divorce, indeed serial partnerships, has become commonplace and readily obtainable. Some easing of the traditional understanding of marriage has gained popular approve as a kinder perception of human nature and its weaknesses than had previously been the case.
To move towards open-air wedding ceremonies is on the face of it a healthy and commendable option. It is also a straw in the wind. In days of galloping change we are seeing a steady move towards a secular society where a Christian view of basic institutions such as the family is seen as outmoded. Instead we are seeing the wedding not as a religious event but as a prestigious display that is semi-detached from the underlying significance of the occasion.
Humpty looked up. He does not enjoy paper-work. ‘Can you help me?’ he asked. ‘I need a good printer. My daughter is very particular about her wedding arrangements.’
I rolled my eyes. ‘We must do our best for our offspring,’ I said.
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