My Daughters and Their Future Fairytale Weddings

Royal Wedding Carriage

Even as I write this, tired and wanting of much more sleep, a princess is marrying a prince thousands of miles from our living room.  Yes, like countless other parents across the world, my royal-loving wife and I roused our two daughters Elena (7) and Briani (2) to see the rare regal wedding of Kate and William.

Elena and Briani kept a watchful focus on the wedding. Well, not really but Elena did watch most of it before going back to sleep.

As I watch this wedding, I’m glad that my two Disney princesses are light years away from their nuptials.  In the time between now and then we have years to inoculate our beloved princesses with some thoughts about fairy tale princes and marriage:

First and Foremost, Find a Prince with Integrity.  Most women I know get easily blinded by men with money, titles, charisma or popularity but in reality none of those things are really lasting.  Even though I would love for my daughters to marry men with most of those qualities (it would be nice for them to pay for their weddings), above all I want them to marry men with impeccable integrity.  A man with integrity and kindness, regardless of his background or level of education, is the kind of man I pray God will give my daughters and it’s also the type of person I want my son Jonathan to be.   You can build a strong family with such a man.

Fairy tales are for the movies. My wife and I have the most unfairy tale marriage on earth.  If you’re in a healthy marriage this is called a real marriage.  As we bring our children up, we’re teaching them that a lasting marriage is one that is filled with God, grace, patience and perseverance.

Yes, You are a Queen.  This may sound contradictory to everything I said before but this is true.   Just as my wife is my queen so must our daughters be the queens of their husbands.  Likewise their husbands must also reign in their lives as their kings.  What this means is that only men who treasure our daughters as their one and all are worthy of their fullest affections, loyalty and sacrifices.

I have a lot of other thoughts about fairy tale marriage and reality but I got to get back to the royal wedding now and I would prefer to hear your thoughts on how you’re preparing your children, yes, even if they’re still light years away from it, for their one and future kings and queens.