Fall Weddings in the Era of COVID-19

At Knots of Grace, we’ve been so inspired by couples getting married in the midst of all the uncertainties and challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Couples have had to reschedule wedding dates, or completely reimagine their wedding day to fit within safety protocols, or both. 

Let’s reflect on the experience and fortitude of couples adapting to these changes, and how powerful this experience can be when considered in light of the Sacrament of Marriage itself. 

A Reminder of God’s Providence 

Throughout the pandemic, we’ve seen so many examples of God’s providence. He is always present, and maybe even more so in uncertain times of trial and difficulty like we’re facing now. 

It’s hard to imagine the heartbreak of being set on your dream wedding day, and then having to completely start over or dramatically alter your wedding plans. However, this is, in a way, a testament to the uncertainties that arise in marriage itself. God is present in all of them, and He is capable of bringing good out of even the most dire situations. 

An Opportunity to Reflect on Your Vows 

As we see Fall wedding announcements on social media, or as we watch our friends or family members get married (in socially distanced settings, of course) in the months to come, we can take this opportunity to reflect on our own wedding vows and how we can best live them out during the trying times of this year. 

Weddings are always a great time to recall your own vows with our spouse, but especially during the trials and difficulties of the last few months. 

Using this variation of approved Catholic vows …

I (name) take you (name) to be my wife/husband. I promise to be faithful to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and to honor you all the days of my life.

… we can be reminded to: 

• Remain focused on loving our spouse like Christ, in the good, but also the bad times -- during job loss, family struggles, financial difficulties, and definitely the stress of a pandemic.
• Offer up sickness and suffering for our spouse’s soul. We can strive to be self-giving when illness happens and our spouse is in particularly great need. 
• Love and honor our spouse by placing his/her good above our own, taking up our cross on a daily basis by loving them in little ways and dying to self. 

Inspiration for Fall Wedding Gifts 

Marriage, even when the world isn’t enduring a pandemic, is full of joys and challenges, crosses and beauty. It is sustained and made holy by God’s grace and by the daily prayers of a husband and wife. But married life inevitably gets hectic, and sometimes prayer gets set to the side on the busiest days.

A Door Rosary can serve as a constant reminder to keep prayer at the center of your day and marriage. Knots of Grace Door Rosaries are a single decade of prayer knots surrounding a beautiful crucifix, placed on a door handle in your home that you see often throughout your day. It’s a powerful visual reminder of your faith, and can serve as a daily reminder to offer up prayers for a holy marriage with and for your spouse. 

Find our Door Rosaries in the shop here! 

The Unseen is the Most Important 

Fall weddings may not look like what couples hoped they would at the beginning stages of wedding planning, but the unseen grace of God that is found in the sacrament is what remains most important. With prayer as the foundation of a holy marriage, a Door Rosary can serve as a daily reminder to offer up the struggles and joys of marriage every day!

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We also have a variety of door rosaries with a decorative cross (not a crucifix).  We call them Comfort Knots and you can find them in the shop here!