Sunday, October 29, 2006

Of weddings, keepsakes and video biographies

They're white satin bags, fringed with lace and dotted with pearl-like beads. They're bridal bags, designed to hold the cards given to a bride on her wedding day. Even though they've been emptied of the cards, cash and checks that once filled them, the bags are still filled with the love of their maker and are cherished by the brides who own them.

My wife and I hopped a flight from Arizona to the New Jersey in April to attend the wedding of my youngest female cousin. The service was beautiful and the reception was a blast. Throughout the day's celebration, I couldn't help thinking of my grandmother. Gram died suddenly in 1998. Before her death she was a fixture at every family event and was always the life of every party. It's a shame she wasn't around to attend the wedding of her youngest granddaughter. But, when I saw the bride's aunt holding the satin bag, brimming with cards, I knew that Gram was certainly there in spirit.

You see, Gram made it a point to sew a satin bridal bag for each and every new bride in our family. It didn't matter whether the young lady was related by blood, or was soon to be related by marriage. Gram didn't discriminate. Gram also planned ahead. Realizing she might not live long enough to attend the weddings of her two youngest granddaughters, she made their bags far in advance and gave them to her daughter (her granddaughters' mom) for safe keeping. And now, years after Grams death, each granddaughter in turn has spent her wedding reception with one of her grandmother's custom made bags dangling from her wrist.

So what's this got to do with video biographies? Quite simply, your video biography, like one of those satin bags, is sure to become a treasured family keepsake. Think of it as physical expression of your love, filled with your memories, stories and values; a wonderful legacy that will valued for generations.