We just had a wedding at COTM--not a couple I knew, though the groom was actually baptized here many years ago. He has since moved to Vancouver, where he lives with his (now) wife. A minister they know through the family did most of the service, and my role was mostly just to say a few prayers and work behind the scenes to help things flow smoothly. In that regard we were mostly successful except for two things.
The organist for the service (someone I had never heard of before, btw) arrived just in time for the service. And then half way through the service the Groom's mother snuck up to me to tell me that we would have to do the big solo early because the organist had to leave for another engagement! So I waited for an opportune time to interrupt the other minister and give the soloist a chance to do her thing. When she was finished, the organist took off to make the opera performance he was involved with. I must say that it was pretty unprofessional of this guy to double-book himself.
The other thing was that at the rehearsal the wedding photographers had been instructed not to use flash during the actual ceremony itself. One of them followed these directions and shot using a telephoto lens and no flash. He was able to do this perfectly fine (partly because he was using a very nice camera). But then the other photographer decided to use flash for some of his shots (and not for others). After the ceremony I asked him why he had violated his word, and at first he said he had never agreed to not use flash. Then he tried to tell me that you must use a flash in these light conditions, which I knew to be untrue given his camera (Canon D30), lens (L-series), and the both my experience of photographing in the church and, of course, the fact that he hadn't been using the flash for all of his shots, only some of them. He eventually apologized--and no doubt next time he will follow directions. But this is precisely the reason that wedding photographers have a poor reputation among the clergy!
My reaction to this was very strong. I was pissed off, and I'm aware that I was probably over-reacting. I was starting to feel very protective of my little church and the rites and rituals performed in it. I had been a perfectly accommodating host up to that point, but man it pissed me off when that guy willfully broke the only rule we had given him.
Sigh. Now I'm just doing a little work left over from St. Mary Magdalene's (their capital campaign flier, of course). Then I can go home and rake the leaves and make supper for Betsy and Anna. Then I'm looking forward to watching the Colts annihilate the Jaguars on Monday Night Football.
Tuesday will be busy. Staff meeting (we are moving them to Tuesdays) and then a Diocesan meeting in the evening. Lots of ongoing projects to address.
-t
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