In my experience, the most successful married couples are made up of individuals who seek to serve instead of being served. That’s why I love meeting clients who not only desire to serve their spouse, but truly believe they can serve the world better together than apart. If you enjoy blessing others, here are 7 ways you can use your wedding as a platform to serve.  

1. Simply thank your guests for coming –  This may seem simple and insignificant, but your guests have made sacrifices to support you on your big day. What better (or easier) way to show your appreciation than to spend time thanking them for making the drive or extending their loving advice? Chances are you learned what love should look like through their example. An intentional thank you goes a long way.
 
2. Choose ethically and environmentally conscious vendors –  Everyone knows a wedding isn’t cheap. It’s always a great idea to ask yourself where your money is going. It may be wise to think through these questions:

• What is this vendor’s mission?

• What kind of reputation does this company have?

• Do they do any type of service work?

• Can I support any local businesses?

3. Give to your favorite charity –  This is one of my favorites. Guests often leave a wedding with little gifts they never use. An alternative to spending money on guest gifts is to donate that money to a charity of your choice.
 
4. Donate your fresh flowers to a hospital or nursing home –  Instead of trashing your fresh flowers at the end the wedding night, donating them to a local hospital or nursing home is a great option. There are companies who will arrange the donation themselves, or you can call directly to the hospital ahead of time to ask how you can give.
 
5. Give away your dress or decorations –  There are so many places that accept these donations. Besides your local Goodwill, a quick Google or Facebook search will show you how to provide someone less fortunate with the wedding of their dreams. Some non-profits also resell used wedding dresses for funding. Adorned in Grace uses wedding dresses to raise awareness of Human Trafficking, for example. 
 
6. Dedicate a song or dance to your parents –  Before doing the first dance as husband and wife, dedicate a song or dance to your parents. Our parents have made more sacrifices for us than we can even imagine. Giving them a dance of their own is a terrific way to honor them for the ways they’ve taught us, guided us, loved us, and shown us how to love.
 
7. Care for your guests with intention –  Think about your guest’s experience of the day. Do your have guests with food allergies or a vegan lifestyle? Is your venue easily accessible for guests with disabilities? Choosing to think of your guests in these ways is thoughtful, compassionate, and will mean so much to them.
 
I’ve been to my fair share of weddings and I’m constantly blown away by the creative ways couples choose to serve. I’ve observed so much about how to cultivate a heart of gratitude and service through these clients. If I could do my wedding all over again, I would definitely incorporate a couple more of these tips. Maybe not all of them work for you or your wedding. That’s okay! The point is to challenge us to take a step back and ask ourselves what more we can do to love.
 
Are any of these tips new to you or have you seen them all before?? Are there any other ways you’ve seen couples serve others on their wedding day? I’d love to hear about them. Let me know in a comment!