It seems as old as time that moments of great celebration and significance are accompanied by the imbibing of alcohol.
In Hebrew Scripture, Psalm 104:15 reads, “The Lord has given wine to make glad the heart of man”. At times the “gladness” is the bubbling over of joy at great events such as weddings; at times of sadness, temperate consumption helps lighten and gladden a heavy heart.
In Christian Scripture (John 2), Jesus attends a wedding catering alcohol and, even more, assists the maitre d’hotel when the “wine runs out”. And not only wine but the “best wine” is supplied.
But my experience as guest at wedding receptions suggests that sometimes alcohol is swallowed at a pace and amount that almost guarantees disaster.
Consider for a moment the context. Guests are invited to come and watch two lovely people in love; the guests, hopefully, want to celebrate and support but they may be “coming from a place” of profound grief.
Some had once a love, but it is gone. Some are in the process of making final what is all too obvious – the end of a relationship. Some agonizingly wish they were the “stars in this marital production. And some… have never, well not yet, enjoyed such a love as they see portrayed before them.
Ouch! Never to be forgotten.
Now mix all those “somes” with alcohol and there should be no surprise that there is a perfection emotional storm roiling around waiting to explode.
As wedding officiant I have too often observed the disastrous, disrespectful, dreadful impact that those “last stiff drinks” have made upon the ceremony. Now I seriously discourage alcohol pre-wedding and warn gently of delaying action if the smell of alcohol is to present that one would hesitate to strike a match to light a candle.
All this is not to argue for some Scrooge-like approach to celebrations and alcohol, but it is to argue for awareness and caution and, if necessary, a good friend or two who can be asked to prevent the awful.And “open bars” is a serious (costly) matter for another time.