Now here's a wedding theme I would have regretted

On Saturday, my dear, devoted husband Jim and I celebrated 22 years of marriage. We toasted another year together by sneaking out for brunch. (A romantic dinner was out because we had committed to take our two high schoolers to Toledo to run in their first half-marathon on Sunday. To kill time on Saturday evening, we went with friends to a Toledo Mud Hens game. Who says my guy isn't a hopeless romantic?)

Here's hopeless for you, if not romantic: A couple in Britain married in full "Shrek" attire. See the photo. That's not a costume party -- that's their wedding picture. Apparently the bride thinks her new hubby looks like the ogre in the Disney cartoon and felt a full Shrek theme wedding would be lovely. Guests also donned costumes, though the news report says the bride's teenage son didn't follow suit. (Gee... I wonder why?)

Twenty-two years ago, my husband and I chose a traditional wedding celebration. In fact, when the time came to pick the tuxedos, bridesmaid dresses, hair styles and flowers, my mom often counseled us to think ahead to the day when we would be married 20 years and more. "Do you really want to look back and see yourself in a powder blue tux?" Leave it to my mom to cut to the chase.

I can only imagine how...embarrassed... this couple might be when they look back on their green -- albeit smiling -- faces. Might they twinge with regret that they Disnified their vows?

More to the point, is the Disnification of a wedding just more proof that  the institution of marriage isn't viewed as a solemn, lifelong commitment, but rather as an excuse to host a carnival for family and friends?

Only time will tell. Let's hope this Shrek and his Fiona are prepared for real life, which is very different from the animated world that inspired their offbeat nuptials.

These folks may soon realize that Disney doesn't offer the stuff that real marriages are made of. Jim and I can attest that "happily ever after" takes hard work, commitment, sacrifice, forgiveness and a great sense of humor.

Come to think of it, they may have that last one down. Let's hope they do, anyway, because twenty years from now -- assuming they're still living together in the swamp -- they're either going to be laughing or cringing when they look at their wedding pictures.