basil
Brilliant_Rock
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Ceremony wording
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robbie3982
Ideal_Rock
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Here''s our ceremony:
Opening Remarks and Blessing
Welcome family and friends. We are gathered here today to join Robin and Tom in holy matrimony. Robin and Tom are happy that so many of you who mean so much to them are here to share and celebrate this, their wedding day.
Remembering Loved Ones
I would like to take this moment to mention that there are those close to Robin and Tom who could not travel to be here today, but whose thoughts and blessings are with them; and there are loved ones who are no longer here in body, but who are here in spirit. Let us remember them now in a moment of silence.
Acknowledging the Bride and Groom''s Traditions
Out of two different and distinct traditions, Robin and Tom have come together to learn the best of what each has to offer, appreciating their differences, and confirming that being together is far better than being apart from each other. As we bless this marriage under a chuppah, the Jewish symbol of the new home being consummated here, we will later light the unity candle, a Christian symbol of two people becoming one in marriage.
Blessing Over the Wine
Two thoughts are suggested by this cup of wine. The first is that wine is a symbol of the sweetness we wish for your life. There will be times when you drink from other cups, from bitter ones; but life offers opportunity to savor the sweetness. The awareness of the possibility of a life filled with true meaning is what we toast: the good that is life. The second is that wine is a symbol of sharing. You have shared many years together, and out of this time has grown the love which brought you to this day. As you continue to share in each other''s life, you will, as a symbol of this enduring cooperation, share this cup of wine. (Both drink from wine)
Readings
Robin & Tom would now like to ask his nieces Jackie & Jenna to read The Blessing of the Hands.
Jackie:
Robin, please face Tom and hold his hands, palms up, so that you may see the gift that they are to you.
Jackie & Jenna together:
God, bless these hands that you see before you this day. May they always be held by one another. Give them the strength to hold on during the storms of stress and the dark of disillusionment. Keep them tender and gentle as they nurture each other in their wondrous love. Help these hands to continue building a relationship founded in your grace, rich in caring and devoted in reaching for your perfection.
May Robin and Tom see their four hands as healer, protector, shelter and guide.
Exchange of Vows
Robin and Tom, have you come here freely and without reservations to give yourselves to each other in marriage?
Robin and Tom:
We have.
Judge:
Robin and Tom since it is your intention to enter into marriage, join your right hands and repeat after me.
Robin:
I, Robin, take you, Tom, to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do us part. This is my solemn vow.
Tom:
I, Tom, take you, Robin, to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do us part. This is my solemn vow.
Exchange of Rings
These rings in their unbroken wholeness are tokens of the continuity of your love. May their shining substance be a symbol of the enduring trust and affection that you bring to one another.
Tom, as you place the ring on Robin’s finger, repeat after me:
With this ring, I join my life with yours.
You are my beloved and you are my friend.
Robin, as you place the ring on Tom’s finger, repeat after me:
With this ring, I join my life with yours.
You are my beloved and you are my friend.
Lighting the Unity Candle
In the wedding liturgy, candlelight symbolizes the commitment of love these two people are declaring today.
Before you, you see three special candles. The two smaller candles symbolize the lives of Robin and Tom. Until today, both have let their light shine as individuals. Now they have come to publicly proclaim their love in the new union of marriage.
They do not lose their individuality. Yet, in marriage, they are united in so close a bond that they become one. Now, following the profession of their marriage vows, they will light the large center candle from the smaller candles to symbolize this new reality. In this way they are saying that henceforth their light must shine together for each other, for their families, and for the community.
From every human being there rises a light that reaches straight to heaven. And when two souls are destined to find one another, their two streams of light flow together and a single brighter light goes forth from their united being.
Breaking of the Glass
The breaking of the glass is a joyous ceremony. There are many different explanations for it. Today, the fragility of the glass suggests the frailty of human relationships.
After Tom breaks the glass, I invite everyone to shout the Hebrew words "Mazel Tov," which means "good luck" and "congratulations."
The glass is broken to protect this marriage with the implied prayer...
May your bond of love be as difficult to break as it would be to put together the pieces of this glass.
(Tom breaks the glass and everyone yells “mazel tov!”)
Pronouncement
Your friends and family, all of us here, rejoice in your happiness and we pray that this day marks only one of many more blessings you will share in the days and years ahead. And now that you have spoken the words and performed the rites that unite your lives, I now, by the virtue of the authority vested in me by the laws of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, hereby pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride! Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Robbie3982!
Opening Remarks and Blessing
Welcome family and friends. We are gathered here today to join Robin and Tom in holy matrimony. Robin and Tom are happy that so many of you who mean so much to them are here to share and celebrate this, their wedding day.
Remembering Loved Ones
I would like to take this moment to mention that there are those close to Robin and Tom who could not travel to be here today, but whose thoughts and blessings are with them; and there are loved ones who are no longer here in body, but who are here in spirit. Let us remember them now in a moment of silence.
Acknowledging the Bride and Groom''s Traditions
Out of two different and distinct traditions, Robin and Tom have come together to learn the best of what each has to offer, appreciating their differences, and confirming that being together is far better than being apart from each other. As we bless this marriage under a chuppah, the Jewish symbol of the new home being consummated here, we will later light the unity candle, a Christian symbol of two people becoming one in marriage.
Blessing Over the Wine
Two thoughts are suggested by this cup of wine. The first is that wine is a symbol of the sweetness we wish for your life. There will be times when you drink from other cups, from bitter ones; but life offers opportunity to savor the sweetness. The awareness of the possibility of a life filled with true meaning is what we toast: the good that is life. The second is that wine is a symbol of sharing. You have shared many years together, and out of this time has grown the love which brought you to this day. As you continue to share in each other''s life, you will, as a symbol of this enduring cooperation, share this cup of wine. (Both drink from wine)
Readings
Robin & Tom would now like to ask his nieces Jackie & Jenna to read The Blessing of the Hands.
Jackie:
Robin, please face Tom and hold his hands, palms up, so that you may see the gift that they are to you.
These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and vibrant with love, that are holding yours on your wedding day, as he promises to love you all the days of his life. These are the hands that will work along yours, as together you build your future, as you laugh and cry, as you share your innermost secrets and dreams. These are the hands that will love you and cherish you through the years, for a lifetime of happiness. These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes, tears of sorrow and tears of joy. These are the hands that will comfort you in illness and hold you when fear or grief wracks your mind. These are the hands that will tenderly lift your chin and brush your cheek as they raise your face to look into his eyes, eyes that are completely filled with his overwhelming love for you.
Jenna:
Tom, please hold Robin’s hands, palms up, so that you may see the gift that they are to you. These are the hands of your best friend, smooth, young, and carefree that are holding yours on your wedding day, as she pledges her love and commitment to you all the days of her life. These are the hands that will massage tension from your neck and back in the evenings after you’ve both had a long hard day. These are the hands that will hold you tight as you struggle through difficult times, that will comfort you when you are sick or console you when you are grieving. These are the hands that will cherish you through the years for a lifetime of happiness. These are the hands that will give you support as she encourages you to chase down your dreams. Together as a team, everything you wish can be realized.
Jackie & Jenna together:
God, bless these hands that you see before you this day. May they always be held by one another. Give them the strength to hold on during the storms of stress and the dark of disillusionment. Keep them tender and gentle as they nurture each other in their wondrous love. Help these hands to continue building a relationship founded in your grace, rich in caring and devoted in reaching for your perfection.
May Robin and Tom see their four hands as healer, protector, shelter and guide.
Exchange of Vows
Robin and Tom, have you come here freely and without reservations to give yourselves to each other in marriage?
Robin and Tom:
We have.
Judge:
Robin and Tom since it is your intention to enter into marriage, join your right hands and repeat after me.
Robin:
I, Robin, take you, Tom, to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do us part. This is my solemn vow.
Tom:
I, Tom, take you, Robin, to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do us part. This is my solemn vow.
Exchange of Rings
These rings in their unbroken wholeness are tokens of the continuity of your love. May their shining substance be a symbol of the enduring trust and affection that you bring to one another.
Tom, as you place the ring on Robin’s finger, repeat after me:
With this ring, I join my life with yours.
You are my beloved and you are my friend.
Robin, as you place the ring on Tom’s finger, repeat after me:
With this ring, I join my life with yours.
You are my beloved and you are my friend.
Lighting the Unity Candle
In the wedding liturgy, candlelight symbolizes the commitment of love these two people are declaring today.
Before you, you see three special candles. The two smaller candles symbolize the lives of Robin and Tom. Until today, both have let their light shine as individuals. Now they have come to publicly proclaim their love in the new union of marriage.
They do not lose their individuality. Yet, in marriage, they are united in so close a bond that they become one. Now, following the profession of their marriage vows, they will light the large center candle from the smaller candles to symbolize this new reality. In this way they are saying that henceforth their light must shine together for each other, for their families, and for the community.
From every human being there rises a light that reaches straight to heaven. And when two souls are destined to find one another, their two streams of light flow together and a single brighter light goes forth from their united being.
Breaking of the Glass
The breaking of the glass is a joyous ceremony. There are many different explanations for it. Today, the fragility of the glass suggests the frailty of human relationships.
After Tom breaks the glass, I invite everyone to shout the Hebrew words "Mazel Tov," which means "good luck" and "congratulations."
The glass is broken to protect this marriage with the implied prayer...
May your bond of love be as difficult to break as it would be to put together the pieces of this glass.
(Tom breaks the glass and everyone yells “mazel tov!”)
Pronouncement
Your friends and family, all of us here, rejoice in your happiness and we pray that this day marks only one of many more blessings you will share in the days and years ahead. And now that you have spoken the words and performed the rites that unite your lives, I now, by the virtue of the authority vested in me by the laws of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, hereby pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride! Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Robbie3982!
door knob solitaire
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2005
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- 2,934
robbie3982
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2006
- Messages
- 3,960
basil
Brilliant_Rock
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2006
- Messages
- 1,528
Robbie, your ceremony sounds like it was awesome! It''s great how you were able to incorporate both Jewish and Christian traditions.
My dad wrote his own ceremony for his and mom''s wedding (c. 1973). It''s based on the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Lutheran minister, theologian, and Nazi opponent who was executed by Hitler in 1945. It''s beautiful, but intellectual and maybe a little more erudite than fiance and I - we''re scientists, not theologians, and definitely not writers.
Excerpt: "We ought not to be in too much of a hurry to speak piously of God''s will and guidance. It is obvious, and it should not be ignored, that it is your own very human wills that are at work here, celebrating their triumph; the course that you are taking at the onset is one that you have chosen for yourselves. What you have done and are doing is not, in the first place, something religious, but something quite secular."
I feel a little pressure trying to live up to it, and I do want to incorporate my dad''s ceremony because I admire my parents'' marriage so much. But using it verbatim doesn''t seem like "us". I''m thinking of having the officiant read a generic welcome and generic ceremony, and having my dad''s ceremony as a reading.
Would it be weird to have my dad as a reader? Cause the more I think about it, the less I could imagine anyone else reading his words.
My dad wrote his own ceremony for his and mom''s wedding (c. 1973). It''s based on the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Lutheran minister, theologian, and Nazi opponent who was executed by Hitler in 1945. It''s beautiful, but intellectual and maybe a little more erudite than fiance and I - we''re scientists, not theologians, and definitely not writers.
Excerpt: "We ought not to be in too much of a hurry to speak piously of God''s will and guidance. It is obvious, and it should not be ignored, that it is your own very human wills that are at work here, celebrating their triumph; the course that you are taking at the onset is one that you have chosen for yourselves. What you have done and are doing is not, in the first place, something religious, but something quite secular."
I feel a little pressure trying to live up to it, and I do want to incorporate my dad''s ceremony because I admire my parents'' marriage so much. But using it verbatim doesn''t seem like "us". I''m thinking of having the officiant read a generic welcome and generic ceremony, and having my dad''s ceremony as a reading.
Would it be weird to have my dad as a reader? Cause the more I think about it, the less I could imagine anyone else reading his words.
Elmorton
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2007
- Messages
- 3,998
This is about to be the longest post in the history of PS...
Most of our ceremony is completely plagiarized from three sources:
-The Wedding Ceremony Planner by Rev. Judith Johnson
-The Knot Guide to Wedding Vows and Traditions by Carley Roney (used it a little, but this is actually much better for its sample playlists for the reception!)
- The Episcopal Book of Common Prayer
If you''re planning on writing your whole ceremony, I definitely suggest using a main source like The Wedding Ceremony Planner. We copied and pasted little sections that we liked, and then edited and re-worded as if we were revising something that we wrote ourselves. I teach writing/composition, so I feel like I''m committing a mortal sin by saying that (Elmorton''s guide to plagiraism!), but for wedding ceremonies - eh, there''s no Works Cited anyway. We were very happy with how "us" our ceremony turned out - I was scared at first that by using pre-written stuff it would seem like anybody anyhwere''s wedding, and maybe it does read that way, but we felt that our ceremony conveyed the exact sentiments we wanted to share.
Our ceremony script:
Gathering and Declaration of Support
Officiant: Welcome, family and friends.
Today you observe an outward sign of an inward union that exists between Elmorton and ElmortonMan. They have come before us to publicly affirm their love and to acknowledge its centrality in their lives.
Who gives this bride and this groom to one another?
Parents: We do.
O: Elmorton and ElmortonMan, we have come together to celebrate the love you have found in each other. By being here with you, each of us is declaring our support of your decision to join together in marriage.
Family and friends of E and EM, you form the community encircling this couple as they grow together in their married life. Each of you, by your presence today, is being called upon to uphold them in their covenant. Please affirm your support of this couple and their commitment to each other by answering “We will” to the following question:
Will you, as witnesses of the union of E and EM, always stand beside them and never between them, offering your encouragement of their lives together?
Guests: We will.
O: E and EM, you are surrounded by the love and loyalty of your family and friends. Yet by coming together today in front of this congregation, you take a bold step in the path of your life together as husband and wife. Each of you is risking what you are for the sake of what you yet can be. You are affirming that who you are and who you want to be is best achieved through this union.
E and EM, do you come here today of your own will, without reservation, to enter into the covenant of marriage?
Us: We do.
O: Please be seated for the readings (bridal party will stand through entire ceremony).
First Reading (read by two readers)
I carry your heart with me by ee cummings
i carry your heart with me
i carry it in my heart
i am never without it
anywhere i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling
i fear no fate
for you are my fate, my sweet
i want no world
for beautiful you are my world, my true
and it''s you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you
here is the deepest secret nobody knows
here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide
and this is the wonder that''s keeping the stars apart
i carry your heart
i carry it in my heart
Second Reading
A Birthday by Christina Rosetti
My heart is like a singing bird
Whose nest is in a watered shoot; ?My heart is like an apple tree
Whose boughs are bent with thickset fruit; ?My heart is like a rainbow shell ?That paddles in a halcyon sea; ?My heart is gladder than all these ?Because my love is come to me.
Raise me a dais of silk and down;
Hang it with vair and purple dyes;
Carve it in doves, and pomegranates, ?And peacocks with a hundred eyes; ?Work it in gold and silver grapes, ?In leaves, and silver fleurs-de-lys; ?Because the birthday of my life ?Is come, my love is come to me
Musical Interlude
Mio Babbino Caro by Giacomo Puccini (Note: one of my close friends is an opera singer, and if you know Italian or the opera, this isn''t exactly appropriate for a wedding, but it''s my fav opera piece and she happens to be a soprano
O mio babbino caro,
mi piace è bello, bello;
vo''andare in Porta Rossa
a comperar l''anello!
Sì, sì, ci voglio andare!
e se l''amassi indarno,
andrei sul Ponte Vecchio,
ma per buttarmi in Arno!
Mi struggo e mi tormento!
O Dio, vorrei morir!
Babbo, pietà, pietà!
Babbo, pietà, pietà!
Third Reading
From “Song of the Open Road” by Walt Whitman
These are the days that must happen to you:
You shall not heap up what is called riches,
You shall scatter with lavish hand all that you earn or achieve.
However sweet the laid-up stores.
However convenient the dwelling,
You shall not remain there.
However sheltered the port, and however calm the waters,
You shall not anchor there.
However welcome the hospitality that welcomes you,
You are permitted to receive it but a little while.
Afoot and lighthearted, take to the open road,
Healthy, free, the world before you.
The long brown path before you leading wherever you choose.
Say only to one another:
Camerado, I give you my hand!
I give you my love more precious than money,
I give you myself before preaching or law:
Will you give me yourself? Will you come travel with me?
Shall we stick by each other as long as we live?
Fourth Reading
“Love Is” by Nikki Giovanni
Some people forget that love is
Tucking you in and kissing you “Good night”
No matter how young or old you are
Some people don’t remember that love is
Listening and laughing and asking questions
No matter what your age
…..
Few recognize that love is
Commitment responsibility no fun at all
Unless
Love is
You and me.
The Vows
O: No other ties are more tender, no vows more sacred, than those you now assume.
E, do you receive this man as your husband and equal, your one love and your closest friend, pledging your fidelity and honor to him, for as long as you both shall live?
E: I do.
O: EM, do you receive this woman as your wife and equal, your one love and your closest friend, pledging your fidelity and honor to her, for as long as you both shall live?
EM: I do.
O: Please share the vows that you have written to each other.
At the end of EM''s vows:
I, Elmorton
Take you, ElmortonMan
To be my husband.
To laugh with you in joy
To greive with you in sorrow
To grow with you, serving others in peace and hope
And to sustain my love and trust in you always.
This is my solomn vow.
I, ElmortonMan
Take you, Elmorton
To be my wife.
To laugh with you in joy
To greive with you in sorrow
To grow with you, serving others in peace and hope
And to sustain my love and trust in you always.
This is my solomn vow.
Exchanging of Rings
O: The greatest of gifts are yours for the risk of asking. Your rings are not only a gift to each other, but symbols before the world of the world you will create - single, whole, and quiet - within the world outside.
ElmortonMan:
I am my beloved
and my beloved is mine.
Elmorton, with this ring,
I thee wed.
Elmorton:
I am my beloved
and my beloved is mine.
EmortonMan, with this ring,
I thee wed.
O: Elmorton and ElmortonMan, may you have wisdom and devotion in the ordering of your common life. To the other, may you be a strength in need, a counselor in perplexity, a comfort in sorrow, and a companion in joy. In this broken world, may your unity overcome estrangement, your forgiveness heal guilt, and your joy conquer despair.
Signing of Marriage Certificate
O: Please come forward, with your witnesses, to join me in notarizing the record of your marriage.
(At this point, the bride and groom also greet their families. Music plays.)
Presentation
O: Now that E and EM have joined together by solemn vows, the giving and receiving of rings, and the signing of their pledge, I do now, by the virtue of the authority vested in me by the State of Illinois, pronounce that they are married.
I now have the pleasure of introducing to you, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Elmorton and Elmortonman.
You may now kiss.
Most of our ceremony is completely plagiarized from three sources:
-The Wedding Ceremony Planner by Rev. Judith Johnson
-The Knot Guide to Wedding Vows and Traditions by Carley Roney (used it a little, but this is actually much better for its sample playlists for the reception!)
- The Episcopal Book of Common Prayer
If you''re planning on writing your whole ceremony, I definitely suggest using a main source like The Wedding Ceremony Planner. We copied and pasted little sections that we liked, and then edited and re-worded as if we were revising something that we wrote ourselves. I teach writing/composition, so I feel like I''m committing a mortal sin by saying that (Elmorton''s guide to plagiraism!), but for wedding ceremonies - eh, there''s no Works Cited anyway. We were very happy with how "us" our ceremony turned out - I was scared at first that by using pre-written stuff it would seem like anybody anyhwere''s wedding, and maybe it does read that way, but we felt that our ceremony conveyed the exact sentiments we wanted to share.
Our ceremony script:
Gathering and Declaration of Support
Officiant: Welcome, family and friends.
Today you observe an outward sign of an inward union that exists between Elmorton and ElmortonMan. They have come before us to publicly affirm their love and to acknowledge its centrality in their lives.
Who gives this bride and this groom to one another?
Parents: We do.
O: Elmorton and ElmortonMan, we have come together to celebrate the love you have found in each other. By being here with you, each of us is declaring our support of your decision to join together in marriage.
Family and friends of E and EM, you form the community encircling this couple as they grow together in their married life. Each of you, by your presence today, is being called upon to uphold them in their covenant. Please affirm your support of this couple and their commitment to each other by answering “We will” to the following question:
Will you, as witnesses of the union of E and EM, always stand beside them and never between them, offering your encouragement of their lives together?
Guests: We will.
O: E and EM, you are surrounded by the love and loyalty of your family and friends. Yet by coming together today in front of this congregation, you take a bold step in the path of your life together as husband and wife. Each of you is risking what you are for the sake of what you yet can be. You are affirming that who you are and who you want to be is best achieved through this union.
E and EM, do you come here today of your own will, without reservation, to enter into the covenant of marriage?
Us: We do.
O: Please be seated for the readings (bridal party will stand through entire ceremony).
First Reading (read by two readers)
I carry your heart with me by ee cummings
i carry your heart with me
i carry it in my heart
i am never without it
anywhere i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling
i fear no fate
for you are my fate, my sweet
i want no world
for beautiful you are my world, my true
and it''s you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you
here is the deepest secret nobody knows
here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide
and this is the wonder that''s keeping the stars apart
i carry your heart
i carry it in my heart
Second Reading
A Birthday by Christina Rosetti
My heart is like a singing bird
Whose nest is in a watered shoot; ?My heart is like an apple tree
Whose boughs are bent with thickset fruit; ?My heart is like a rainbow shell ?That paddles in a halcyon sea; ?My heart is gladder than all these ?Because my love is come to me.
Raise me a dais of silk and down;
Hang it with vair and purple dyes;
Carve it in doves, and pomegranates, ?And peacocks with a hundred eyes; ?Work it in gold and silver grapes, ?In leaves, and silver fleurs-de-lys; ?Because the birthday of my life ?Is come, my love is come to me
Musical Interlude
Mio Babbino Caro by Giacomo Puccini (Note: one of my close friends is an opera singer, and if you know Italian or the opera, this isn''t exactly appropriate for a wedding, but it''s my fav opera piece and she happens to be a soprano
O mio babbino caro,
mi piace è bello, bello;
vo''andare in Porta Rossa
a comperar l''anello!
Sì, sì, ci voglio andare!
e se l''amassi indarno,
andrei sul Ponte Vecchio,
ma per buttarmi in Arno!
Mi struggo e mi tormento!
O Dio, vorrei morir!
Babbo, pietà, pietà!
Babbo, pietà, pietà!
Third Reading
From “Song of the Open Road” by Walt Whitman
These are the days that must happen to you:
You shall not heap up what is called riches,
You shall scatter with lavish hand all that you earn or achieve.
However sweet the laid-up stores.
However convenient the dwelling,
You shall not remain there.
However sheltered the port, and however calm the waters,
You shall not anchor there.
However welcome the hospitality that welcomes you,
You are permitted to receive it but a little while.
Afoot and lighthearted, take to the open road,
Healthy, free, the world before you.
The long brown path before you leading wherever you choose.
Say only to one another:
Camerado, I give you my hand!
I give you my love more precious than money,
I give you myself before preaching or law:
Will you give me yourself? Will you come travel with me?
Shall we stick by each other as long as we live?
Fourth Reading
“Love Is” by Nikki Giovanni
Some people forget that love is
Tucking you in and kissing you “Good night”
No matter how young or old you are
Some people don’t remember that love is
Listening and laughing and asking questions
No matter what your age
…..
Few recognize that love is
Commitment responsibility no fun at all
Unless
Love is
You and me.
The Vows
O: No other ties are more tender, no vows more sacred, than those you now assume.
E, do you receive this man as your husband and equal, your one love and your closest friend, pledging your fidelity and honor to him, for as long as you both shall live?
E: I do.
O: EM, do you receive this woman as your wife and equal, your one love and your closest friend, pledging your fidelity and honor to her, for as long as you both shall live?
EM: I do.
O: Please share the vows that you have written to each other.
At the end of EM''s vows:
I, Elmorton
Take you, ElmortonMan
To be my husband.
To laugh with you in joy
To greive with you in sorrow
To grow with you, serving others in peace and hope
And to sustain my love and trust in you always.
This is my solomn vow.
I, ElmortonMan
Take you, Elmorton
To be my wife.
To laugh with you in joy
To greive with you in sorrow
To grow with you, serving others in peace and hope
And to sustain my love and trust in you always.
This is my solomn vow.
Exchanging of Rings
O: The greatest of gifts are yours for the risk of asking. Your rings are not only a gift to each other, but symbols before the world of the world you will create - single, whole, and quiet - within the world outside.
ElmortonMan:
I am my beloved
and my beloved is mine.
Elmorton, with this ring,
I thee wed.
Elmorton:
I am my beloved
and my beloved is mine.
EmortonMan, with this ring,
I thee wed.
O: Elmorton and ElmortonMan, may you have wisdom and devotion in the ordering of your common life. To the other, may you be a strength in need, a counselor in perplexity, a comfort in sorrow, and a companion in joy. In this broken world, may your unity overcome estrangement, your forgiveness heal guilt, and your joy conquer despair.
Signing of Marriage Certificate
O: Please come forward, with your witnesses, to join me in notarizing the record of your marriage.
(At this point, the bride and groom also greet their families. Music plays.)
Presentation
O: Now that E and EM have joined together by solemn vows, the giving and receiving of rings, and the signing of their pledge, I do now, by the virtue of the authority vested in me by the State of Illinois, pronounce that they are married.
I now have the pleasure of introducing to you, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Elmorton and Elmortonman.
You may now kiss.
Elmorton
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2007
- Messages
- 3,998
Pandora II
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2006
- Messages
- 9,613
Here''s mine - missing the closing words and some of the music choices, but otherwise complete:
Prelude:
Music:
Composer:
Processional:
Music: Playing Love
Composer: Ennio Morricone
The Welcome:
Reading:
Text: A Lovely Love Story
Author: Edward Monkton
I also require and charge you both, that if either of you know any impediment, why you may not be lawfully joined together in matrimony, that you do confess it now.
The Asking:
I do.
Pledge of the Parents:
Do you welcome Helen and Andrew, as members of your families?
Do you affirm your continuing support and love to Helen and Andrew as they grow in their marriage?
Do you offer to them the best of your care and counsel in their times of struggle,
and your celebration with them in their times of joy?
Reading:
Text: Thoughts on Marriage, The Prophet
Author: Kahlil Gibran
With this ring I marry you, with my body I worship you; and all my worldly goods with you I share.
These rings are symbols of the unbroken circle of love that you share and a reminder of the vows you have taken here today. Just as these rings have no ending, so may your happiness and love be endless.
Music 1:
Composer:
Music 2:
Composer:
Recessional:
Music:
Composer:
Prelude:
Music:
Composer:
Processional:
Music: Playing Love
Composer: Ennio Morricone
The Welcome:
We are gathered here today to celebrate the marriage of Helen and Andrew. We come together not to mark the start of a relationship, but to acknowledge and strengthen a bond that already exists. This ceremony is a public affirmation of that bond, and joins together this man and this woman in marriage.
A marriage is more than a wedding. The act of wedding is only a symbol, a public announcement of that which is within; a union made legal, but which the law can neither create nor destroy. At its heart, a marriage is the promises made and kept by two individuals.
Marriage embodies all the values and warmth which grow from human companionship and love. It represents the ultimate intimacy between a man and a woman. It should be entered into with certainty, with mutual respect, and with humour, happiness and joy.
No one can marry you but yourselves, Helen and Andrew, and the promises that you are about to exchange, serve as a verbal representation of the love and commitment you pledge to each other.
Reading:
Text: A Lovely Love Story
Author: Edward Monkton
Marriage Declaration:
Before you, Helen, and you, Andrew, are joined together in marriage in my presence and in the presence of these, your family and friends, I am bound to remind you publicly of the solemn, serious and binding nature of the relationship into which you are now about to enter.
Marriage is the voluntary and full commitment of a man and a woman, made in the deepest sense, to the exclusion of all others. It is entered into with the desire, hope and firm intention that it will last for life.
Therefore if any man can show any just cause, why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak, or forever hold his peace.
I also require and charge you both, that if either of you know any impediment, why you may not be lawfully joined together in matrimony, that you do confess it now.
The Asking:
Do you solemnly declare that you, Andrew Paul X know not of any lawful impediment why you may not be joined in matrimony to Helen X ?
I do solemnly declare that I, Andrew Paul X know not of any lawful impediment why I may not be joined in matrimony to Helen X.
Andrew, do you take Helen to be your wife? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honour and keep her, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others, keep you only unto her so long as you both shall live?
I do.
Do you solemnly declare that you, Helen X know not of any lawful impediment why you may not be joined in matrimony to Andrew Paul X?
I do solemnly declare that I, Helen X know not of any lawful impediment why I may not be joined in matrimony to Andrew Paul X.
Helen, do you take Andrew to be your husband? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honour and keep him, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others, keep you only unto him so long as you both shall live?
I do.
Pledge of the Parents:
Will the parents of Helen and Andrew please stand?
This union brings together different family traditions in the hope that a new family tree will become strong and fruitful. Theirs is a personal choice and a decision for which they are responsible, yet their life will be enriched by the support of their families. Therefore I have these questions for you.
Do you welcome Helen and Andrew, as members of your families?
Do you affirm your continuing support and love to Helen and Andrew as they grow in their marriage?
Do you offer to them the best of your care and counsel in their times of struggle,
and your celebration with them in their times of joy?
Parents: We do.
Vows
Andrew and Helen, please join your hands.
Andrew, please repeat after me...
I call upon these persons here present to witness that I, Andrew Paul X, do take you, Helen X, to be my lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, all the days of my life.
Helen, please repeat after me…
I call upon these persons here present to witness that I, Helen X, do take you, Andrew Paul X, to be my lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, all the days of my life.
Reading:
Text: Thoughts on Marriage, The Prophet
Author: Kahlil Gibran
Exchange of Rings
The wedding ring is a symbol of lasting commitment and enduring love, an expression of that which is without beginning and without end.
Andrew, please repeat after me...
With this ring I marry you, with my body I worship you; and all my worldly goods with you I share.
Helen, please repeat after me...
With this ring I marry you, with my body I worship you; and all my worldly goods with you I share.
These rings are symbols of the unbroken circle of love that you share and a reminder of the vows you have taken here today. Just as these rings have no ending, so may your happiness and love be endless.
Pronouncement of Marriage:
As you go forward in life, and meet sorrow and joy together, despite all the changes of fortune and time, we wish that that which is noble and lovely and true may remain in your hearts.
We rejoice to recognise the commitment you have made to one another and have declared in my presence and in the presence of your family and friends, and by the giving and receiving of rings; it is therefore my honour to pronounce you husband and wife.
Signing of the Register:
Music 1:
Composer:
Music 2:
Composer:
Presentation of the Marriage Certificate:
Closing:
Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Andrew X.
Recessional:
Music:
Composer:
Harleigh
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2007
- Messages
- 3,072
KimberlyH
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Jun 15, 2006
- Messages
- 7,485
1. Introductory Remarks: (recalled loved ones who have passed)
2. Processional
Minister: Who gives their blessing to John and Kimberly’s marriage this evening?
3. Marriage Ceremony:
Minister: All of us have come here today to witness the marriage promises that will seal and strengthen the love that John and Kimberly have for each other. It is our wish that you are and remain truly happy and always in love. At this celebration today, we share in your happiness and wish you each an abundance of blessings. I now ask you to state your intentions.
4. Reading #1: Genesis Chapter 2 Verses 18-24
Since you have declared your intention to enter into marriage today, please declare your consent before God and all of us here present.
Groom: I love you, Kimberly
And because I do, I ask you
To Join Me
To share my joys and my sorrows
To be by my side as I succeed
To comfort me and understand when I fail
To grow old with me
To stay young with me
To live and love and laugh with me
And hold my hand
And be in my heart
For the rest of our lives.
Bride: I love You John
And Because I do, I ask you
To Join Me
To share my joys and my sorrows
To be by my side as I succeed
To comfort me and understand when I fail
To grow old with me
To stay young with me
To live and love and laugh with me
And hold my hand
And be in my heart
For the rest of our lives.
Love
By Roy Croft
I love you,
Not only for what you are,
But for what I am
When I am with you.
I love you,
Not only for what
You have made of yourself,
But for what
You are making of me.
I love you
For the part of me
That you bring out;
I love you
For putting your hand
Into my heaped-up heart
And passing over
All the foolish, weak things
That you can''t help
Dimly seeing there,
And for drawing out
Into the light
All the beautiful belongings
That no one else had looked
Quite far enough to find.
I love you because you
Are helping me to make
Of the lumber in my life
Not a tavern
But a temple;
Out of the works
Of my every day
Not a reproach
But a song.
I love you
Because you have done
More than any creed
Could have done
To make me good,
And more than any fate
Could have done
To make me happy.
You have done it
Without a touch,
Without a word,
Without a sign.
You have done it
By being yourself.
Perhaps that is what
Being a friend means,
After all.
7. Blessing and Exchange of Rings:
Groom: Kimberly, you are the love of my life and you are my best friend. This ring is a symbol of our union, a token of my faith and love. I give it and myself to you with all my heart.
8. CLOSING REMARKS
May you need one another---not so much to fulfill your emptiness as to help you to know your fullness.
May you want one another, but not out of selfishness.
May you embrace one another, but never try to possess the other.
May you have happiness, and find it making one another happy.
May you have love, and find it loving one another!
Thank you, God, for Your presence here with us and Your blessings on this marriage.
Amen.
10. Conclusion and Presentation of the Married Couple:
Minister: We thank you most Holy One for this loving union which You have blessed. Keep strong their trust in each other and let nothing come between them to dim their love. We ask You, Spirit of Wisdom and Friendship – walk with them through the years as together they unfold the story of their lives.
(Presentation of the Married Couple): It is my great pleasure to present to you: Mr. and Mrs. KimberlyH.
11. Recessional (sp? I haven''t had my tea yet)
2. Processional
Minister: Who gives their blessing to John and Kimberly’s marriage this evening?
Bride’s Father: Her mother and I do.
3. Marriage Ceremony:
Minister: All of us have come here today to witness the marriage promises that will seal and strengthen the love that John and Kimberly have for each other. It is our wish that you are and remain truly happy and always in love. At this celebration today, we share in your happiness and wish you each an abundance of blessings. I now ask you to state your intentions.
John and Kimberly, have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage?
Groom: I have.
Bride: I have.
Minister: Do you have the honest intention to love and honor each other as husband and wife for the rest of your lives?
Groom: I do.
Bride: I do.
Minister: I would like to ask the guests: Since we are all here tonight as family members and friends to witness and share in John and Kimberly’s marriage, do you EACH honor and support this covenant?
All Present: I DO!!
4. Reading #1: Genesis Chapter 2 Verses 18-24
5. Exchange of Vows:
Minister: The vows which you are about to exchange serve as a verbal representation of the love you pledge to each other. It is not the words which you will speak today which will bond you together as one, but it is the inner sense of love and commitment that each of you must feel within your soul.
Since you have declared your intention to enter into marriage today, please declare your consent before God and all of us here present.
Groom: I love you, Kimberly
And because I do, I ask you
To Join Me
To share my joys and my sorrows
To be by my side as I succeed
To comfort me and understand when I fail
To grow old with me
To stay young with me
To live and love and laugh with me
And hold my hand
And be in my heart
For the rest of our lives.
Bride: I love You John
And Because I do, I ask you
To Join Me
To share my joys and my sorrows
To be by my side as I succeed
To comfort me and understand when I fail
To grow old with me
To stay young with me
To live and love and laugh with me
And hold my hand
And be in my heart
For the rest of our lives.
6. Reading #2
Love
By Roy Croft
I love you,
Not only for what you are,
But for what I am
When I am with you.
I love you,
Not only for what
You have made of yourself,
But for what
You are making of me.
I love you
For the part of me
That you bring out;
I love you
For putting your hand
Into my heaped-up heart
And passing over
All the foolish, weak things
That you can''t help
Dimly seeing there,
And for drawing out
Into the light
All the beautiful belongings
That no one else had looked
Quite far enough to find.
I love you because you
Are helping me to make
Of the lumber in my life
Not a tavern
But a temple;
Out of the works
Of my every day
Not a reproach
But a song.
I love you
Because you have done
More than any creed
Could have done
To make me good,
And more than any fate
Could have done
To make me happy.
You have done it
Without a touch,
Without a word,
Without a sign.
You have done it
By being yourself.
Perhaps that is what
Being a friend means,
After all.
7. Blessing and Exchange of Rings:
Minister: The wedding ring is an unbroken circle which symbolizes un ending and everlasting love and is a visible sign which represents your commitment to one another. May your life together be blessed with everlasting happiness.
May the Lord bless these rings which you give to each other as the sign of your love and fidelity.
Groom: Kimberly, you are the love of my life and you are my best friend. This ring is a symbol of our union, a token of my faith and love. I give it and myself to you with all my heart.
Bride: John, you are the love of my life and you are my best friend. This ring is a symbol of our union, a token of my faith and love. I give it and myself to you with all my heart.
8. CLOSING REMARKS
Minister:
May your marriage bring you all the wonderful times that a marriage should, and may you always share with each other patience, tolerance and understanding.
May you need one another---not so much to fulfill your emptiness as to help you to know your fullness.
May you want one another, but not out of selfishness.
May you embrace one another, but never try to possess the other.
May you succeed in all important ways with each other, and not fail in the little graces.
May you look for things to praise, often say, “I love you” and take no notice of small faults.
If you have quarrels that push you apart, may both of you have good sense enough to take the first step back.
May you enter into the mystery which is the awareness of one another’s presence. It is the mystery of love, the mystery of life.
May you have happiness, and find it making one another happy.
May you have love, and find it loving one another!
Thank you, God, for Your presence here with us and Your blessings on this marriage.
Amen.
10. Conclusion and Presentation of the Married Couple:
Minister: We thank you most Holy One for this loving union which You have blessed. Keep strong their trust in each other and let nothing come between them to dim their love. We ask You, Spirit of Wisdom and Friendship – walk with them through the years as together they unfold the story of their lives.
John and Kimberly, now that you have shared the words of love and marriage, now that you have shown us the example of your love and celebrated your union by giving each other these rings, it is with great joy and happiness, with the authority entrusted in me by the Church and the State of California, that I now pronounce you husband and wife.
You may now kiss the bride.
(Presentation of the Married Couple): It is my great pleasure to present to you: Mr. and Mrs. KimberlyH.
11. Recessional (sp? I haven''t had my tea yet)
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