A summer of weddings

Bret & Melanie

This weekend found us in sunny Central Oregon, attending the first of four weddings we've been invited to this summer. Each one is spaced two weeks apart from the next and, coincidentally, in each case we're friends of the bride.

With the marriage rate on the decline in the United States, it's an encouraging sign to see each of these young adults step up and proclaim their love and lifelong devotion to each other. I think that's an admirable thing when so many people in this country seem either too distracted or too self-centered to invest the time to get know someone well enough and long enough to make a lasting commitment.

Certainly, love is the glue that holds everything together. But matters of the heart also need some balance with matters of the head. I'm not saying you absolutely have to agree on everything, but it is critical to share the other person's values and have a good understanding of where he or she stands on parenthood, finances and religion, in addition to more obvious things like hobbies, interests, quirks and guilty pleasures.

This weekend's ceremony brought together Melanie, a personal trainer and physical education teacher that Lori's known for almost 10 years, and her beau, Bret, a firefighter and avid athlete. Both are fitness buffs and they also share a taste for travel and outdoor sports..

Theirs was a relationship that took root after they met on match.com. And so they were married Saturday evening in Sisters, a boutique tourist community near Bend, in a civil ceremony attended by about 100 people, including many of Mel's clients and fellow trainers. The setting was spectacular: the snow-capped Three Sisters and Mt. Bachelor, strung out like pearls against a flawless blue sky. Mel's brother performed the ceremony and they even worked her dog Toby, a Golden Retriever, into the program by having him deliver the wedding rings on a little satin pillow strapped to his back.

From start to finish, the evening was marked by a casual vibe. Yes, there were tuxedoed groomsmen and dolled-up bridesmaids, and the blonde bride looked beautiful. The food was delicious, the music was fun and the post-wedding speeches were sincere and worthy of repeated champagne toasts. Best of all, nothing was overdone for the sake of show, and both families warmly welcomed guests who came from near and far.

Lori already knew several of Mel's clients but for me it was a pleasure to get to know many of them. The assigned seating couldn't have better from my point of view. Turns out that all six of us who shared a table have strong connections to Northeast Portland and, to our surprise, we learned we have lots of mutual acquaintances.

Hard to imagine how anything oould have gone better. Great start to a summer of weddings.