OUR CEREMONY & VOWS
Shannon: Thank you for coming! Please, be seated.
Opening Remarks
Shannon: It is one of life's richest surprises when the accidental crossing of two life paths leads two people to proceed together along the common journey as husband and wife. It is one of life's finest experiences when a casual relationship grows into a permanent bond of love. This meeting and this growth bring us together today for a celebration that focuses on the couple's relationship.
Ring Blessing
Shannon: You have all played a part in the lives of our bride and groom. You've helped them grow and become who they are today. You've supported their relationship and watched it flourish. Shane and Ava would like you to play an active part in this ceremony by blessing their rings. The rings will be passed through the crowd. When you receive them, take a moment to remember a happy thought or fond memory of our bride and groom and silently impart some words of wisdom.
As the rings begin on my right, please pass them along each row, then across the back row, and then along each row on my left, until they finally complete their rounds. Hopefully they will complete their passage by the time we get to the Exchange of Rings.
Statement of Purpose
Shannon: Marriage is the supreme sharing of experience and an adventure in the most intimate of human relationships. It is the joyous uniting of a couple whose friendship and mutual understanding have flowered into romance. Today, Ava and Shane proclaim their love to the world and we who are gathered here rejoice with them and for them in the new life they now undertake together.
In honor of this event, Shane and Ava will say heartfelt words, perform age-old rituals, and validate this marriage in your presence. It is their desire to share this special day with you-because, as their family and friends, you are an important part of their lives. They are celebrating their love with the people who matter most. Your blessing on their marriage is really the greatest gift you can give to them. Shane and Ava would also like to thank their parents for the love and support they have provided throughout their lives. Without the examples of their parents, they would not have had the foundation upon which their loving relationship has flourished.
Shannon: Ava and Shane, have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage?
Shane and Ava: Yes
Shannon: Shane, do you now choose, Ava to be your wife, to share your life openly with her, to speak truthfully and lovingly to her, to accept her fully as she is and delight in who she is becoming, to respect her uniqueness, encourage her fulfillment, and compassionately support her so long as love and life shall endure?
Shane: I Do
Shannon: Ava, do you now choose, Shane to be your husband, to share your life openly with him, to speak truthfully and lovingly to him, to accept him fully as he is and delight in who he is becoming, to respect his uniqueness, encourage his fulfillment, and compassionately support him so long as love and life shall endure?
Ava: I Do
Exchange of Vows
Shannon: Ava and Shane are now going to exchange personal vows that they have prepared.
Shane: I loved you before this ceremony and I love you more because of it. I choose you to be my wife, my friend, my love.
I will love you enough to risk being hurt, trust you when I don't understand, weep with you in heartache, and celebrate life with you in joy. I will respect your individuality.
I will love you and honor you, make you laugh, wipe your tears, hold your hand, and hug you tight. I promise to be the best person I can be so that our lifetime together will be one of happiness and growth.
Will you be my wife?
Ava: I will
Ava: I loved you before this ceremony and I love you more because of it. I choose you to be my husband, my friend, my love.
I will love you enough to risk being hurt, trust you when I don't understand, weep with you in heartache, and celebrate life with you in joy. I will respect your individuality.
I will love you and honor you, make you laugh, wipe your tears, hold your hand, and hug you tight. I promise to be the best person I can be so that our lifetime together will be one of happiness and growth.
Will you be my husband?
Shane: I will
Reading
Shannon: At this time, I would like to invite Sarah Young to read from Lau Tzu's "Always Return".
[Sarah approaches front]
Sarah: It is good to know your strength
but always return to your flexibility.
If you can cradle your beloved in your arms
in nurturing gentleness,
love will flow through you.
It is good to achieve things
but always return to anonymity.
Your beloved does not need your achievements
but needs your uncomplicated soul.
It is good to work for change,
but always return to what is.
If you accept all things whether painful or joyful,
you will always know
that you belong to each other.
Ring Presentation
Shannon: The wedding ring is the outward and visible sign of an inward, spiritual bond that unites two hearts; a physical illustration of the commitment in marriage. The ring bears deeply in the symbolism of a relationship. These circles are the completeness of a promise to stand by one another's side, the vow to grow together, laugh together, and love together. They symbolize your commitment in marriage. As you wear these rings, may they be a constant reminder of the promises you are making today.
May I have the rings?
Shane, will you place this ring on the finger of your bride, and, holding the ring, repeat after me:
Shannon & Shane: Ava, I give you this ring as a symbol of my everlasting friendship and love; wear it with love and joy.
Shannon: Ava, will you place this ring on the finger of your groom, and, holding the ring, repeat after me:
Shannon & Ava: Shane, I give you this ring as a symbol of my everlasting friendship and love; wear it with love and joy.
Closing Remarks
Shannon: Marriage is serious business and hard work. It's not just becoming roommates, it's becoming soul mates; it's not just signing a license, it's sharing a life. Now that you've exchanged your vows, you can only imagine what they will really mean, what hills and valleys stretch out in front of you in the years ahead. There's only the future, unlimited and unknowable, and the promise to make the journey together.
Treat yourselves and each other with respect, and remind yourselves often of what brought you together. Give the highest priority to the tenderness, gentleness, and kindness that your connection deserves. Marriage is not self-sustaining; it requires nonstop nurturing. When frustration, difficulty and fear assail your relationship - as they threaten all relationships at one time or another - remember to focus on what is right between you, not on what seems wrong. When clouds hide the sun in your lives, remember that even if you lose sight of it for a moment, the sun is still there. And if each of you takes responsibility for the quality of your life together, it will be marked by abundance and delight. Together, you will half your sorrows and double your joys!
You may now seal your vows with a kiss.
[Smouchy, smouchy]
Declaration of Marriage
Shannon: Friends and family, since Shane and Ava have pledged themselves before us, spoken the words, and performed the rites which unite their lives; I pronounce them to be husband and wife.
[Shane and Ava turn to face the crowd].
I now present to you as husband and wife, Shane Rogers and Ava Hristova.
