Why Grooms Should Make the Wedding Dresses

It takes more skill to lead a home than to sew a dress . . . 

By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established . . . Prov 24:3

Weddings are expensive. The average wedding now costs a billion dollars (see this article). My daughters aren’t going to get married until 30, so I’m not personally concerned yet. But it’s worth thinking in advance about how we can save a few dollars.

Here’s my idea. Why not have grooms sew the dress? How hard can it be? Get a box of buttons, some sequins, and go crazy. I insist on modest. After that, I’m open to various styles. Use a zipper if it make things easier. It could save me (and many other fathers) thousands.

And since the groom is the guy who most motivated to make the wedding happen, why shouldn’t he make the dress?

Come on guys. Say “yes” to the dress.

It’s a ridiculous suggestion, of course. Even the most motivated groom – – and grooms tend to be motivated – – would not have the skill to make a wedding dress. The sort of skill needed to make a wedding dress is learned only through many years of practice combined with the right gifts.

But if future grooms understand they don’t have the requisite skill to make a wedding dress, they should also realize that leading a home requires  far more sophisticated skills than those needed to sew a wedding dress.

Scripture calls the skill needed to live the Christian life and lead a home “wisdom” Wisdom is skill for living in the fear of the Living God. Interestingly, the same word for wisdom is used in the Old Testament to describe the skill required to make an intricate garment.  In his wonderful book on Proverbs, Dan Phillips points out that Proverbs 1:3 uses the same word for wisdom that Exodus 28:3 uses to describe the skill needed to make Aaron’s robes.

 You shall speak to all the skillful, whom I have filled with a spirit of skill, that they make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him for my priesthood. (Exodus 28:3 ESV)

This side of Calvary, we no longer make garments to consecrate priests, but we can be sure that making Aaron’s robes required great skill. Likewise, wisdom is a skill that can only be learned, by God’s grace,  over many years of interaction with God’s Word.

So why not get started? Today is June 6. Why not carefully read Proverbs 6. Over time, this will sharpen the skills of your wisdom. It won’t give you the ability to make a wedding dress. But far more important, you will be equipped with the skill of wisdom needed to make your way through life.

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I previously described what I expect of guys interested in my daughters:

If you want to win one of my daughters:

(1) The first thing you must do is, using only a pocket knife, stalk, kill and field dress a grizzly bear. Please have the hide tanned. We will use it as a rug, and as it was part of you winning one of our daughter’s, it will mean a great deal to our family.

(2) Second, read the new book by Voddie Baucham, What He Must Be . . . if He Wants to Marry My Daughter. In this excellent book, Voddie lays out a vision for what we dream the men who marry our daughters should be like.

Read the rest here