Marriage Celebration Structure

[Joe McParland]

[shadow=red,left,300][/shadow]Most marriage celebrations have the following structure:

• Processional (with music) and giving of one partner away;
• Welcoming of the guests and initial Address by the officiant
• Reading (s) – secular or religious
• Declaration of Intent
• Vows
• Family vows and vows of children of the couple
• Exchange of Rings[/color]
• Officiant’s Affirmation/Proclamation
• Signing of the Register (with music)
• Optional Ceremonies (Sand, Unity Candle, Wine Sharing, Handblessing, etc)
• Official Introduction of The New Couple
• Blessing (where applicable)
• Concluding Remarks
• Recessional (with music)

This is the general structure and it can be revised in whatever manner the couple desires in order to best express their love and commitment for each other. It is recommended that prior to the preparation meeting with the officiant couples spend time reviewing the examples that follow and select the ones that best suit their unique expression of love. Couples are not limited to just using what is presented here. There may be other readings, blessings, vows etc. - even personalized vows - that you may want to use. Therefore, what follows are suggestions you may wish to consider for the bolded blue sections above.

WELCOMING & ADDRESS

(A)

Welcome friends, families, and honored guests. We are here to celebrate love. Love organizes our large and sometimes unpredictable world. It is that which enshrines and ennobles our human experience. It is the basis for the peace of family, and the peace of the peoples of the earth. The greatest gift bestowed upon humans is the gift of love freely given between two persons.

In marriage, two people turn to each other in search of a greater fulfillment than either can achieve alone. Marriage is a bold step, taken together, into an unknown future. It is risking who we are for the sake of who we can be. Only in giving of ourselves fully, and sharing our lives with another, can the mysterious process of growth take place. Only in loyalty and devotion bestowed upon another can that which is eternal in life emerge and be known. Two among us, who have stood apart, come together now, to declare their love and to be united in marriage.

The words we say today have no magic or prophetic powers. The power of the wedding vows is merely a reflection of a reality that already exists in the hearts and minds of these two people. _____________ and ___________, nothing I can say, or nothing you can say to each other, will ensure a long and happy, satisfying and committed marriage. Only your love for one another and your integrity to make your commitment real can do that.

(B)

Welcome. We are here on this glorious day to celebrate the love that _____ and _____ have for each other, and to recognize and witness their decision to journey forward together in their lives as marriage partners.

We gather to support them as they embark upon the voyage of discovery as husband and wife. Let us also be there for them throughout their marriage.

(Officiant speaks to those gathered): Honored guests, you have been invited her today to represent the families, friends and traditions that have brought ______ and _______ to this point in their lives. ______ and ________ have asked you to join them out of their love and respect for you. Please affirm your support for their marriage by responding, "Yes, I do" to the following questions.

As part of the community that surrounds _______ and _______, do you offer your love and support to strengthen their marriage and bless this family created by their union?

Guests: Yes, we do.

(C)

Good evening (afternoon) and welcome to the celebration that will unite _____ and _____ in marriage.
We gather here today to celebrate their union, and to honor their commitment to not just gazing at one another, but to looking outward together in the same direction.
Today _____ and _____ proclaim their love to the world, and we rejoice with and for them.
In marriage, we give ourselves freely and generously into the hands of the one we love,
and in doing so, each of us receives the love and trust of the other as our most precious gift.
But even as that gift is shared by two people who are in love, it also touches the friends and family members who support and contribute to the relationship.

All of you are _____ and _____’s community, and one of the reasons gathering as a community is such an important part of a wedding ceremony is because you are witnessing _____ and ____ taking a new form as a married couple, and in this form,
they become part of their community in a new way.

_____ and _____, we are here to celebrate your love and acknowledge your lifelong commitment to one another, and also to be reminded that it is love that guides us on our path.
It is in this spirit that you have come here to today to exchange these vows.

(D)
Today there will be no dearly beloved, no betrothed, and no ancient rhyme of the married. Today there are no dead languages to solemnize vows that are very much alive and will remain so for a lifetime. Today promises become permanent and friends become family.

However, this day is not about the words spoken or the rings exchanged, nor is it about grand pronouncements and recessional marches. This day – the day of BRIDE and GROOM’s wedding – is about love.

One of my favorite authors once wrote, “If love is not all, then it is nothing: this principle, and its opposite, collide down all the years of my breathless tale.”

BRIDE and GROOM, your breathless tale is about to begin. If love is not all, then it is nothing. Its opposite – If love is all, then it is everything – is going to be the basis for every aspect of your relationship. All you have to do is simply love one another and that love shows through in everything you do for one another, how you treat each other, in good times and bad.

Love isn’t just a word; it’s an action. Love isn’t something you say, it’s something you do.

Love is genuine, honest, and open, compassionate and kind, passionate and blind, love doesn’t know space or time, nor look through jealous eyes, and in the modified words of Paul in his letter to the Corinthians, “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love never dies.”

There are many different kinds of love, almost if not all of which are represented here today. There is romantic love, the love of parents and children, of brothers and sisters and family, and love among friends. Not only do BRIDE and GROOM love one another romantically – and they do, you can see it in every look, every touch, every moment they’re together – they also love one another as friends.

In fact, they’re best friends, constantly giggling and taunting and teasing and very plainly and obviously having fun together. That love and enjoyment of each other as best friends will sustain them through this marriage.

In addition, the love collectively in this room, from friends and family, will help sustain and support the promises they make today.

All of us here will help solidify this bond, as these two individuals are joined as husband and wife. This new journey will be at times richly rewarding and extremely difficult, but, most importantly, it will be a journey you take together.

Marriage is much more than your signatures on a legal contract. You are promising, in front of all these people you love, that you want to be with each other and only each other for the rest of your lives, and that you will do everything in your power to honor the promises you are making here today.

For their part, the people who love you will also do everything in their power to try to help you hold up your end of the bargain.

(E)

Family and friends, we welcome you today to witness the marriage of_________ & ______. You all have shared and contributed to their lives in the past, and by witnessing their marriage ceremony today, _________ & ______ask you to share in their future.

Marriage is a solemn promise - a promise made in the hearts of two people who love each other - a promise that takes a lifetime to fulfill. Within the circle of its love, marriage encompasses all of life's most important relationships. A husband and wife are each other's lover, teacher, listener, critic, and best friend. It is into this state that _________ & ______wish to enter. (and for marriages with children involved) And today we not only join _________ & ______in marriage, but we are also joining _________ & ______and (childrens’ names) together as a family.

(Officiant speaks to those gathered): Honored guests, you have been invited her today to represent the families, friends and traditions that have brought ______ and _______ to this point in their lives. ______ and ________ have asked you to join them out of their love and respect for you. Please affirm your support for their marriage by responding, "Yes, I do" to the following questions.

As part of the community that surrounds _______ and _______, do you offer your love and support to strengthen their marriage and bless this family created by their union?

Guests: Yes, we do.

(F)

Today is a celebration. A celebration of love, of commitment, of friendship, of family, and of two people who are in it for forever.
You don't have to have a ceremony to have a marriage. And when you think about it, the whole thing is kind of weird, right? You're standing on a stage, looking fancy, holding flowers, and being stared at by pretty much everyone who has meant anything to you in the past twenty-something years. So why do we do it? The marriage ceremony has been an important feature across nearly every culture, religion, generation, and society. We have thousands of important moments that happen throughout our lives, but this one is regarded as one so critical, we acknowledge its special status by sharing it with others.

Why this moment?
Because despite all of our differences, love is what we all share. It's the great unifier — our one universal truth. That no matter who we are, where we've come from, what we believe, we know this one thing: love is what we're doing right. That's why you both are standing here. That's why you all are here to watch them stand up here. We have all loved in our lifetimes, and in this moment, we're reminded that the ability to love is the very best part of our humanity
All of us here today have our own love stories. Some are short, others long. Some are yet unwritten, while others are just getting to the good part. There are chapters in all of our stories that are sad or disappointing — and others that are exciting and full of adventure.

And that brings them here. A time to pause, look back, and smile at all the moments that brought them here. And a time to look ahead at all the moments that are still to come.
I'm here — we're all here — because we want those moments for you. We're here to hope with you, to support you, to be proud of you, and to remind you that love isn't happily ever after, love is the experience of writing your story. It's not one moment — not even this moment. It's every moment. Big ones like saying "I love you," moving in together, getting engaged — but mostly a million little ones that come in between the big moments. Falling asleep next to one another, making dinner together, spending holidays with your families, binge-watching Netflix shows, getting a big hug when you get home from work… These everyday moments fuse together into one big experience.

And even though this experience is so incredible, words fail us when we try and explain it. That's just the way it is with love — it's meant to be felt, not described.


READINGS

I Love You
Anonymous Author

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 fFor 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 of my life not a tavern, But a temple;
Out of 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.


Gift from the Sea
From: “The Oyster Bed”
by Anne Morrow Lindbergh

“Love does not consist of gazing at each other (one perfect sunrise gazing at another) but in looking outward together in the same direction.” For, in fact man and woman are not only looking outward in the same direction; they are working outward. Here one forms ties, roots, a firm base. Here one makes oneself part of the community of men, of human society.

And here the bonds of marriage are formed. For marriage, which is always spoken of as a bond, becomes actually, in this stage, many bonds, many strands, of different texture and strength, making up a web that is taut and firm. The web is fashioned of love. Yes, many kinds of love: romantic love first, then a slow—growing devotion and playing these through, a constantly rippling companionship. It is made of loyalties, and interdependencies, and shared experiences. It is woven of memories of meetings and conflicts; of triumphs and disappointments. It is a web of communication, a common language, and the acceptance of lack of language, too; a knowledge of likes and dislikes, of habits and reactions, both physical and mental. It is a web of instincts and intuitions, and known and unknown exchanges. The web of marriage is made in the day to day living side by side, looking outward and working outward in the same direction. It is woven in space and in time of the substance of life itself.


“Time In A Bottle", by Jim Croce

“If I could save time in a bottle, the first thing that I'd like to do, is to save every day ‘till eternity passes away, just to spend them with you. If I could make days last forever; if words could make wishes come true; I'd save every day like a treasure and then, again, I would spend them with you. If I had a box just for wishes, and dreams that had never come true; the box would be empty, except for the memory of how they were answered by you. But there never seems to be enough time to do the things you want to do, once you find them. I've looked around enough to know that you're the one I want to go through time with.”


Desiderata, by Max Erhmann (1927)

"Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams; it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy."

Once In A Lifetime

Once in a lifetime,
you find someone special,
your lives intermingle,
and somehow you know . . .

This is the beginning
of all you have longed for,
a love you can build on,
a love that will grow . . .

Once in a lifetime,
to those who are lucky,
a miracle happens
and dreams all come true--

I know it can happen,
it happened to me, for I've found
my "once in a lifetime"
with you.

Author Unknown


Far Far Away
by Sumod

When we're not together
my thoughts drift alongside
memories of you
Things we've done
the way you smile so brightly
that helps me forget my worries
and celebrate our wonders.
When we're not together
my moods come into play more often
and make me yearn for the strength
I feel in you
the security I find in your eyes

When we're not together
I sometimes feel so very alone,
for myself and you ...
imagining you being without
my loving feelings
as I am without yours.

When we're not together ...
my best wishes still go with you always,
wishing to share in your exitements
wanting to comfort your hurts
needing to be reassured that
you're keeping warm and well

When we're not together...
I seem to spend my time
wishing that we were.


Love is...
~Susan Polis Schutz

Love is
being happy for the other person
when they are happy
being sad for the other person
when they are sad
being together in good times
and being together in bad times
Love is the source of strength

Love is
being honest with yourself
at all times
being honest with the other person
at all times
telling, listening, respecting the truth
and never pretending
Love is the source of reality

Love is
an understanding that is so complete
that you feel as if you are a part
of the other person
accepting the other person
just the way they are
and not trying to change them
to be something else
Love is the source of unity

Love is
the freedom to pursue your own desires
while sharing your experiences
with the other person
the growth of one individual alongside of
and together with the growth
of another individual
Love is the source of success

Love is
the excitement of planning things together
the excitement of doing things together
Love is the source of the future

Love is
the fury of the storm
the calm of the rainbow
Love is the source of passion

Love is
giving and taking in a daily situation
being patient with each
other's needs and desires
Love is the source of sharing

Love is
knowing that the other person
will always be with you regardless
of what happens
missing the other person
when they are away
but remaining near in heart at all times
Love is the source of security

Love is the
source of life.

MY LOVE
~ Linda Lee Elrod ~

When I met you, I had no idea
how much my life
was about to be changed...
but then, how could I have known?

A love like ours happens
once in a lifetime.
You were a miracle to me,
the one who was everything
I had ever dreamed of,
the one I thought existed
only in my imagination.

And when you came into my life,
I realized that what I
had always thought
was happiness
couldn't compare to the joy
loving you brought me.

You are a part of everything
I think and do and feel,
and with you by my side,
I believe that anything is possible.
(this day) gives me a chance
to thank you for the miracle of you...
you are, and always will be,
the love of my life.


WHY MARRIAGE?
~ By: Mari Nichols-Haining ~

Because to the depths of me, I long to love one person,
With all my heart, my soul, my mind, my body...

Because I need a forever friend to trust with the intimacies of me,
Who won't hold them against me,
Who loves me when I'm unlikable,
Who sees the small child in me, and
Who looks for the divine potential of me...

Because I need to cuddle in the warmth of the night
With someone who thanks God for me,
With someone I feel blessed to hold...

Because marriage means opportunity
To grow in love in friendship...

Because marriage is a discipline
To be added to a list of achievements...

Because marriages do not fail, people fail
When they enter into marriage
Expecting another to make them whole...

Because, knowing this,
I promise myself to take full responsibility
For my spiritual, mental and physical wholeness
I create me,
I take half of the responsibility for my marriage
Together we create our marriage...

Because with this understanding
The possibilities are limitless.

THE ART OF MARRIAGE
~ Author Wilfred A. Peterson ~

Happiness in marriage is not something that just happens.
A good marriage must be created.

The little things are the big things.
It is never being too old to hold hands.
It is remembering to say "I love you" at least once a day.

It is never going to sleep angry.
It is at no time taking the other for granted;
the courtship should not end with the honeymoon,
it should continue through all the years.

It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives.
It is standing together facing the world.
It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family.
It is doing things for each other, not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice,
but in the spirit of joy.

It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating
gratitude in thoughtful ways.
It is not expecting the husband to wear a halo or the wife to have wings of an angel.
It is not looking for perfection in each other.

It is cultivating flexibility, patience, understanding and a sense of humor.
It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.
It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow.
It is finding room for the things of the spirit.
It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.
It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal, dependence is mutual and the obligation is reciprocal.
It is not only marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner.

St. Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians 13 : 1-13

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.


TRADITIONAL IRISH BLESSING

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

May God be with you and bless you;
May you see your children's children.
May you be poor in misfortune,
Rich in blessings,
May you know nothing but happiness
From this day forward.

May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home
And may the hand of a friend always be near.

May green be the grass you walk on,
May blue be the skies above you,
May pure be the joys that surround you,
May true be the hearts that love you.


THE PRAYER
~ By St. Francis of Assisi ~

Lord, make
us instruments of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let us sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, union;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, Grant that we may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen

HOW DO I LOVE THEE
~ By Elizabeth Barrett Browning ~

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, -- I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! -- and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

SONNET 18
~ By William Shakespeare ~

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate...
When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

EXCERPT FROM "THE GIFT FROM THE SEA
~ By Anne Morrow Lindbergh ~

When you love someone, you do not love them all the time, in exactly the same way, from moment to moment. It is an impossibility. It is even a lie to pretend to. And yet this is exactly what most of us demand. We have so little faith in the ebb and flow of life, of love, of relationships. We leap at the flow of the tide and resist in terror its ebb. We are afraid it will never return. We insist on permanency, on duration, on continuity; when the only continuity possible, in life as in love, is in growth, in fluidity - in freedom, in the sense that the dancers are free, barely touching as they pass, but partners in the same pattern.
The only real security is not in owning or possessing, not in demanding or expecting, mot in hoping, even. Security in a relationship lies neither in looking back to what was in nostalgia, nor forward to what it might be in dread or anticipation, but living in the present relationship and accepting it as it is now. Relationships must be like islands, one must accept them for what they are here and now, within their limits - islands, surrounded and interrupted by the sea, and continually visited and abandoned by the tides.


APACHE MARRIAGE BLESSING

Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be the shelter for each other. Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be the warmth for the other. Now you are two persons, but there is only one life before. Go now to your dwelling place to enter into the days of your life together. And may your days be good and long upon the earth.

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. 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 only the part which seems wrong. In this way, you can ride out the storms when clouds hide the face of the sun in your lives - remembering 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.

Excerpt fromThe Bridge Across Forever
~ Richard Bach ~

A soul mate is someone who has locks that fit our keys, and keys to fit our locks. When we feel safe enough to open the locks, our truest selves step out and we can be completely and honestly who we are; we can be loved for who we are and not for who we're pretending to be. Each unveils the best part of the other. No matter what else goes wrong around us, with that one person we're safe in our own paradise.

Our soul mate is someone who shares our deepest longings, our sense of direction. When we're two balloons, and together our direction is up, chances are we've found the right person. Our soulmate is the one who makes life come to life.

CHEROKEE PRAYER

God in heaven above
please protect the ones we love.
We honor all you created as we pledge
our hearts and lives together.

We honor mother-earth
- and ask for our marriage to be abundant
and grow stronger through the seasons;

We honor fire
- and ask that our union be warm
and glowing with love in our hearts;

We honor wind
- and ask we sail though life
safe and calm as in our father's arms;

We honor water
- to clean and soothe our relationship
- that it may never thirsts for love;

With all the forces of the universe you created,
we pray for harmony and true happiness as we forever grow young together.

Amen.

I PROMISE
~ Dorothy Colgan ~

I promise to give you the best of myself
and to ask of you no more than you can give.

I promise to respect you as your own person
and to realise that your interests, desires and needs
are no less important than my own.

I promise to share with you my time and my attention
and to bring joy, strength and imagination to our relationship.

I promise to keep myself open to you,
to let you see through the window of my world into my innermost fears
and feelings, secrets and dreams.

I promise to grow along with you,
to be willing to face changes in order to keep our relationship alive and exciting.

I promise to love you in good times and in bad,
with all I have to give and all I feel inside in the only way I know how.
Completely and forever.


MARRIAGE JOINS TWO PEOPLE IN THE CIRCLE OF ITS LOVE
~ By Edmund O'Neill ~

Marriage is a commitment to life, the best that two people can find and bring out in each other. It offers opportunities for sharing and growth that no other relationship can equal. It is a physical and an emotional joining that is promised for a lifetime.

Within the circle of its love, marriage encompasses all of life's most important relationships. A wife and a husband are each other's best friend, confidant, lover, teacher, listener, and critic. And there may come times when one partner is heartbroken or ailing, and the love of the other may resemble the tender caring of a parent for a child.

Marriage deepens and enriches every facet of life. Happiness is fuller, memories are fresher, commitment is stronger, even anger is felt more strongly, and passes away more quickly.

Marriage understands and forgives the mistakes life is unable to avoid. It encourages and nurtures new life, new experiences, and new ways of expressing a love that is deeper than life.

When two people pledge their love and care for each other in marriage, they create a spirit unique unto themselves which binds them closer than any spoken or written words. Marriage is a promise, a potential made in the hearts of two people who love each other and takes a lifetime to fulfil.

WHAT OF MARRIAGE?
From The Prophet
~ By Kahlil Gilbran ~

THEN Almitra spoke again and said, And what of Marriage master?

And he answered saying: You were born together, and together you shall be for evermore. You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days. Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God. But let there be spaces in your togetherness. And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.

Love one another, but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.

Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf. Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone, Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.

For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.

And stand together yet not too near together:

For the pillars of the temple stand apart,

And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.

Let there be spaces in your togetherness,

And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.

Love one another, but make not a bond of love.


EXCERPT FROM TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE
~ By Mitch Albom ~

“Still,” Morrie said, “there are a few rules I know to be true about love and marriage: If you don’t respect the other person, you’re gonna have a lot of trouble. If you don’t know how to compromise, you’re gonna have a lot of trouble. If you can’t talk openly about what goes on between you, you’re gonna have a lot of trouble. And if you don’t have a common set of values in life, you’re gonna have a lot of trouble. Your values must be alike.

“And the biggest one of those values, Mitch?”

Yes?

“Your belief in the importance of your marriage.”

He sniffed, then closed his eyes for a moment.

“Personally,” he sighed, his eyes still closed, “I think marriage is a very important thing to do, and you’re missing a lot if you don’t try it.”


EXCERPT FROM THE VELVETEEN RABBIT
~ By Margery Williams ~


"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but Really loves you, then you become Real."

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.

"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."

"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get all loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

Captain Corelli's Mandolin

Love is a temporary madness,
it erupts like volcanoes and then subsides.
And when it subsides you have to make a decision.
You have to work out whether your roots have so entwined together
that it is inconceivable that you should ever part.
Because this is what love is.
Love is not breathlessness,
it is not excitement,
it is not the promulgation of eternal passion.

That is just being "in love" which any fool can do.
Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident.

Those that truly love, have roots that grow towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossoms have fallen from their branches, they find that they are one tree and not two.
(Louis de Bernieres)

How Falling in Love is like Owning a Dog
by Taylor Mali

First of all, it’s a big responsibility,
especially in a city like New York.
So think long and hard before deciding on love.
On the other hand, love gives you a sense of security:
when you’re walking down the street late at night
and you have a leash on love
ain’t no one going to mess with you.
Because crooks and muggers think love is unpredictable.
Who knows what love could do in its own defense?

On cold winter nights, love is warm.
It lies between you and lives and breathes
and makes funny noises.
Love wakes you up all hours of the night with its needs.
It needs to be fed so it will grow and stay healthy.

Love doesn’t like being left alone for long.
But come home and love is always happy to see you.
It may break a few things accidentally in its passion for life,
but you can never be mad at love for long.

Is love good all the time? No! No!
Love can be bad. Bad, love, bad! Very bad love.

Love makes messes.
Love leaves you little surprises here and there.
Love needs lots of cleaning up after.
Somethimes you just want to get love fixed.
Sometimes you want to roll up a piece of newspaper
and swat love on the nose,
not so much to cause pain,
just to let love know Don’t you ever do that again!

Sometimes love just wants to go out for a nice long walk.
Because love loves exercise. It will run you around the block
and leave you panting, breathless. Pull you in different directions
at once, or wind itself around and around you
until you’re all wound up and you cannot move.

But love makes you meet people wherever you go.
People who have nothing in common but love
stop and talk to each other on the street.

Throw things away and love will bring them back,
again, and again, and again.
But most of all, love needs love, lots of it.
And in return, love loves you and never stops.

Taylor Mali




DECLARATION OF INTENT

(A)

Officiant: ____________ and ________________, is it your intention to share with each other your joys and sorrows and all that the years might bring, and to live as husband and wife?

Response: We do.

(B)

_______________, you have chosen _______________ to be your life partner. Will you love and respect him/ her? Will you be honest with him/her always and will you stand by him/her through whatever may come? (Answer: 'I will')

_______________, you have chosen _______________ to be your life partner. Will you love and respect him/her? Will you be honest with him/her always and will you stand by him/her through whatever may come? (Answer: 'I will')

And do you both promise to make the necessary adjustments in your personal lives in order that you may live in a harmonious relationship together? (Both Answer: 'We Do')

(C)

The covenant of marriage can only be entered into by those persons who are legally and spiritually free to offer their hand to another. ______ & ______, is it your intention to marry your Beloved on this day?

(Both partners answer, “Yes")



VOWS


Vows Example 1

I ---------take you----------to be my lawful wife ( husband ). It is with much love, and great happiness, that I stand with you today to be married. In doing so, I join my life with yours, encompassing all sorrows and joys, all hardships and triumphs.

Vows Example 2

I ---------take you----------to be my beloved for the rest of my life.
As I stand by you today it is with the knowledge that our lives together will realise the promises that were made today, and it is to this future that I humbly submit.

Vow Example 3

I ---------take you----------to be my friend, my lover and my wife ( husband). I choose you above all others to share my life with me in marriage. I love you for yourself, and I want you to become all that you can be. I will love and respect you all the days of my life. I make this pledge today in the presence of my family and friends.

Vows Example 4

I ________, promise to love you _______, to cherish you, and to respect you always. I promise to participate fully in our marriage relationship. I will give completely of my mind, body, heart and soul. I promise to make your plans and dreams as important to me as my own. I promise to do my share so that our lives together can be healthy, happy, and abundantly satisfying. I promise to lovingly fulfill these vows each and every day for all of my days.

Vows Example 5

I ---------take you----------to be my lawful wife ( husband ). I will try to be a loving wife ( husband ). I promise to respect you as an individual. I want to love you through good fortune and adversity, while we both shall live.

Vows Example 6

I ---------take you----------as my wife ( husband). I pledge to share my life openly with you, to speak the truth to you in love. I promise to honour and tenderly care for you, to cherish and encourage your own fulfillment as an individual for the rest of my life.

Vows Example 7

----------, I choose you above all others, to share my life with me in marriage. I promise to love and cherish you always, forever increasing over the passage of time. I promise to stand by you in all things and provide for your warmth, tenderness, understanding and protection. I promise to nurture a home environment filled with love, light and laughter. I promise to speak to you lovingly, with an open heart and to always honour the divine within you, your heart, your body and your spirit. I promise to fully appreciate your presence in my life and to accept you fully as you are. I promise to support and encourage you in the fulfillment of your hopes, your dreams, your life purpose, your highest good. This is my pledge and my commitment to you and our life together as husband (wife) and wife (husband) for all the days we shall live.

Vows Example 8

I affirm my love for you -------as I invite you to share my life. I promise always to respect your needs and individuality. I will endeavour through kindness, unselfishness and trust to achieve a warm rich life we will now share.

Vows Example 9

I ---------take you----------to be my wife (husband). I will be faithful to you in thought, word and deed. I will respect you as an individual and be true to you through good times and hard. to these things I give my word.

Vows Example 10

I ---------take you----------to be my wife (husband). In doing so I affirm my love for you, as I invite you to share my life. I promise always to speak the truth to you; love you and care for you. This is my commitments to you, made in love, kept in faith, lived in hope and eternally made new.

Vows Example 11

In declaring my love for you today I ----------- take you----------- to be my wife (husband). As we begin our married life, I make this commitment to share my life with you. I will always be there as your partner, lover and friend as we embrace the experiences of life together. ------------, I know my love for you will continue to grow, and that we will enjoy our lifetime together.

Vows Example 12

-----------I want to be with you always just as you are. I choose you above all others, to share my life with me in marriage. I love you for yourself, and I want you to become all that you can be. I promise to honour this pledge as long as I live.

Vows Example 13

I ------- wish you ------- to be my devoted wife (husband) as I will be your devoted husband (wife): from today and forever more, through all the highs and lows that life has to offer, while we both shall live.

Vows Example 14

I, ________, _________ as my friend and love, beside me and apart from me, in laughter and in tears, in conflict and tranquility, asking that you be no other than yourself, loving what I know of you, trusting what I do not yet know, in all the ways that life may find us.

Vows Example 15

I ------------promise to be good to you------------ in good times and bad, in sickness and in health. I promise to be patient and understanding. I promise to listen to you and support you at all times. I will love you and honour you, all the days of my life.

Vows Example 16

I ---------take you----------to be my lawful wife (husband). I will try to be a loving wife (husband). I promise to respect you as an individual. I intend to develop as a person in partnership with you. I want to love you through good fortune and adversity, while we both shall live.

Vows Example 17

I ------------ take you ----------- to be my lawful wife (husband) In doing so I vow to do my utmost to make our lives together a true partnership. I commit to being motivated in our marriage and I will observe and act on your needs. I vow to care for your well being and show my love in all I do throughout our lives together. I will endeavour to comfort you and enrich you with my love. I will show you I can be an equal partner and with my support build a stable foundation for our lives together.

Vows Example 18

I, ______, take you, ______, from this day forward and into the long forever, to be my beloved, my sweetheart, my darling, my wife/husband. I promise always to love you, to honour you, to adore you, to give thanks for the gift of your presence. You are the one I admire, you are the one I adore. You are the one I choose to go on with forever, from now until the end of my life. In the name of God, I, ______, take you, ______, to be my wife/husband. To have and to hold, from this day onward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow.

Vows Example 19 (Combination of vows and ring exchange)

With this ring I pledge you my love. I promise to trust you, to tell you the truth and treat you gently and with respect, in my thoughts, words and actions, whether or not you are present. Let this ring be a symbol of our love and a token of our fidelity. (Name), today we make a commitment to one another. I want you to know that you are a precious gift and that you bring so much joy into my life. I affirm the special bond between us, and promise to keep it alive always. I promise to be your confidante, your best friend and to share in your hopes and dreams. In recognition of this, I, (name), take you, (name), to be my husband/wife. With this vow we face new responsibilities together. I will be trustworthy as your husband/wife, and will love you in all circumstances.

Vows Example 20

_______, do you take ______ to be your lawfully wedded wife (partner)? Will you support her (him) hopes and dreams, as if they were your own? Will you love, honor, and cherish her (him), in good times and in bad, forsaking all others as long as you both shall live?

(Partner): I DO.

(repeat for second partner)

Vows Example 21 (traditional)

I, ______, take you ______, to be my (wife/husband), to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part.


FAMILY & CHILDREN VOWS

(A) (Parents’ vows)

Marriage is not just a union of two individuals, but of two families and officiant stresses the importance of the merging of the two family groups together to help provide part of the "glue" for this new marriage. Then, after the couple recites their vows, I turn to the bride's parents and say,

"Will you, Mr. and Mrs. _______, take ______ to be your son-in-law, will you love him, care for him, treat him as your own son, and do all you can to strengthen and encourage his marriage to your daughter? (They answer "I do.")
"Will you, Mr. and Mrs. ________, take ________ to be your daughter-in-law, will you love her, care for her, treat her as your own daughter, and do all you can to strengthen and encourage her marriage to your son?"(They answer "I do.")

(B) (Parents’ vows)

Since the dawn of man, people have been united in marriage in all lands, all cultures, and all religions. In marriages everywhere, this is a time for two individuals to leave the families that raised them, to begin a new family. At this time, we ask the parents of the Bride and Groom to stand and to bless this marriage.

Do you, ______ & ______, and _______ & _______, who have lovingly raised and nurtured these two individuals, offer your blessing for their marriage, promising to support them, guide them, understand them, and encourage them in their solemn endeavor, in the years ahead? If you agree, please say, "We do".

And to the witnesses and honored guests here today, I ask the same question. Do you offer your blessing for their marriage, promising to support them, guide them, understand them, and encourage them in their solemn endeavor, in the years ahead? If you agree, please say, "We do".

(C) (childrens’ vows)

________(partner), will you take _________(child) to be your step_______? Will you provide for her/him and care for her/him with love and affection, offering her/him encouragement and guidance, and will you live with her/him and her father/mother, as love and respect would lead you, in the role of stepmother/stepfather and wife/husband?
Child/children: “I (we) will”
Child/children, will you take _____ as your step/mom/father? Will you give her/him love and caring, accept her/his encouragement and guidance, and will you live with her/him and respect her/him as your stepmother/stepfather?
Child/children: “I (we) will”

(D) (childrens’ vows)

Marriage is not just a union of two individuals, but of two families. For this reason I must stress the importance of the two family groups working together to help provide part of the "glue" for this new marriage.

"Will you accept _______ into your family? Will you love him/her, care for him/her and do all you can to strengthen and encourage his/her marriage to your mother/father?
(They answer "I do.")




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EXCHANGE OF RINGS

1. _______________, I give you this ring, that you may wear it, as a symbol of the vows, we have made this day. I pledge you my love and respect, my laughter and my tears. With all that I am I honour you.

2. _______________, I give you this ring, to wear upon your hand, as a symbol of my endless commitment and love for you.

3. _______________, this ring is a symbol of the strength and beauty of our love. May it belong to your hand as my heart belongs to you, separate but close, simple yet miraculous.

4. ____________, just as this circle is without end, my love for you is eternal. Just as it is made of indestructible substance my commitment to you will never fail. With this ring I take you to be my trusted confidante and partner for life.

5.________________, I accept you just as you are today. I give to you my promise that from this day forward, you will not walk alone. We will walk forever side by side, rich in laughter, close in friendship. Feel deeply loved, for you are. With this ring, I give you my heart. I have no greater gift to give. I promise to dream with you, and to work to make our dreams come true. I promise to be faithful to you, and never to allow anything to build a wall between us. I feel so honored to call you mine. With this ring, a symbol of my love for you, I take you to be my wife/husband.

6. ________________, I take you to be no other than yourself, loving what I know of you, trusting what I do not yet know, with respect for your integrity and faith in your love for me through all our years and in all that life may bring us.

7. ________________, I offer this ring as a symbol of my love and devotion. Let it always be a reminder of my vows to you.




OPTIONAL CEREMONIES


Hand Blessing Ceremony

Please present your hands palms up, so that your beloved may see the gift you are offering to each other.

•These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you.

•These are the hands that are holding yours on your wedding day as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow and forever.

•These are the hands that will work along side yours as together you build your future.

•These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years and with the slightest touch will comfort you like no other.

•These are the hands that will hold you when fear or grief try to overwhelm you.

•These are hands that will wipe tears from your eyes countless times, both tears of joy and tears of sorrow.

•These are the hands that will help hold your family together as one.

•These are hands that will give you strength when you need it.

•These are the hands that even when wrinkled with age, will still be reaching for the hand of your beloved, still giving the same unspoken tenderness with just a touch.

•These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you.

(optional)
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 _____ __and ________ see their four hands as healers, protectors, shelter and guides. AMEN


The Rose Ceremony for the Couples

The Rose Ceremony is simple yet profoundly moving. The bride and groom exchange two red roses, symbolizing the giving and receiving of their love for each other throughout their entire married life. The Rose Ceremony also conveys how to use the rose and its symbolism in difficult times in order to forgive each other.

"Your gift to each other for your wedding today has been your wedding rings - which shall always be an outward demonstration of your vows of love and respect; and a public showing of your commitment to each other.

You now have what remains the most honorable title which may exist between a man and a woman - the title of "husband" and "wife." For your first gift as husband and wife, that gift will be a single rose.

In the past, the rose was considered a symbol of love and a single rose always meant only one thing - it meant the words "I love you." So it is appropriate that for your first gift - as husband and wife - that gift would be a single rose.

Please exchange your first gift as husband and wife. In some ways it seems like you have not done anything at all. Just a moment ago you were holding one small rose - and now you are holding one small rose. In some ways, a marriage ceremony is like this. In some ways, tomorrow is going to seem no different than yesterday. But in fact today, just now, you both have given and received one of the most valuable and precious gifts of life - one I hope you always remember - the gift of true and abiding love within the devotion of marriage.

_________ and _____________, I would ask that where ever you make your home in the future - whether it be a large and elegant home - or a small and graceful one - that you both pick one very special location for roses; so that on each anniversary of this truly wonderful occasion you both may take a rose to that spot both as a recommitment to your marriage - and a recommitment that THIS will be a marriage based upon love.

In every marriage there are times where it is difficult to find the right words. It is easiest to hurt who we most love. It is easiest to be most hurt by who we most love. It might be difficult some time to words to say "I am sorry" or "I forgive you"; "I need you" or "I am hurting". If this should happen, if you simply can not find these words, leave a rose at that spot which both of you have selected - for that rose than says what matters most of all and should overpower all other things and all other words.

That rose says the words: "I still love you." The other should accept this rose for the words which cannot be found, and remember the love and hope that you both share today.

__________ and ________, if there is anything you remember of this marriage ceremony, it is that it was love that brought you here today, it is only love which can make it a glorious union, and it is by love which your marriage shall endure."


ROSE CEREMONY FOR THE TWO MOTHERS

Marriage is a coming together of two lives and a celebration of the love of two people. But it is more. The love that _____ & ______ feel for one another is the flowering of a seed that their parents planted in their hearts years ago.

Today, as they embrace one another in their love, so do they embrace the families which have come together to celebrate with _____ & ______ on this happy occasion.

As a sign of their love for their families, _____ & ______ would like to offer these roses, to their mothers, _____ & ______, as symbols of their eternal love.

_____ & ______, (bride) & (groom) would like you to know that your efforts were not in vain and that your love and support is very much appreciated. They thank you for everything you have instilled in them. These roses are a promise that no matter how far away you are that you are not forgotten, and a reminder that you are always in their hearts.

(OPTIONAL)

&
WHISKEY SHOTS FOR THE FATHERS

And not to leave the fathers out of this, ___________invite their fathers, ____________, to now come forward now and do what many proud fathers do – a shot of whiskey for their children. Whiskey has long been known as “Aqua Vitae” – the Water of Life.

The term was in wide use during the Middle Ages, although its origin is much earlier. Since Robert and Douglas have obviously had a significant part in the lives of ___________, it is only fitting that they now toast the new life ___________now embrace.

I invite _____________to pour their dads a healthy shot of Aqua Vitae…



The Sand Ceremony

_______ and _______, you have just sealed your relationship by the giving and receiving of rings and the exchange of a kiss, and this covenant is a relationship pledge between two people who agree that they will commit themselves to one another throughout their lives. The most beautiful example of this partnership is the marriage relationship. You have committed here today to share the rest of your lives with each other.

Today, this relationship is symbolized through the pouring of these two individual containers of sand one, representing you, _______ and all that you were, all that you are, and all that you will ever be, and the other representing you, _______, and all that you were and all that you are, and all that you will ever be. (Children can be included here as well…)

As these two containers of sand are poured into the third container, the individual containers of sand will no longer exist, but will be joined together as one. Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so will your marriage be.


Loving Cup Ceremony (wine ceremony)

OFFICIANT: The Loving Cup ceremony is a wedding tradition dating back to the fifteenth century. It allows ______ & _________, who have just committed to live as husband and wife, to share this drink together and to show the coming together of two families.

Traditionally, the cup is passed down from generation to generation, ensuring happiness and good fortune to all who drink from it. This is a special moment for _______ & _______ to toast their love, devotion, and friendship.

Officiant with hands over the wine:

The years of life are as a cup of wine poured out for you to drink. This Loving Cup contains within it a wine with certain properties that are sweet and symbolic of happiness, joy, hope, peace, love and delight.
This same wine also holds some bitter properties that are symbolic of disappointment, sorrow, grief, despair, and life's trials and tribulations.

Together the sweet and the bitter represent "Love's Journey" and all of the experiences that are a natural part of it. For all who share the wine from this Loving Cup, so may you share all things from this day on with love and understanding.

Those who drink deeply from the Loving Cup with an open heart and willing spirit, invite the full range of challenges and experiences into their being for themselves and ________ & ________.

Officiant holds the full Loving Cup up for those in the audience to see.
Officiant: This cup of wine is symbolic of the cup of life. As you all share the wine from the Loving Cup, you undertake to share all that the future may bring. It represents the blessing given and passed on to each participant in this ceremony.
All the sweetness life's cup may hold for each of you will be the sweeter because you drink it together. Whatever drops of bitterness it may contain will be less bitter because you share them.
Drink now, and may the cup of your lives be sweet and full to running over.

After family and friends have sipped wine from the Loving Cup, it is passed back to the officiant. He then holds up the Loving Cup and says the following to _______ & _________:
This Loving Cup is symbolic of the pledges you have made to one another to share together the fullness of life. As you drink from this cup, you acknowledge to one another that your lives, separate until this moment, have now become one.

Officiant: Now drink to the love you've shared in the past.
________ & __________ sip from the Loving Cup

Officiant: Drink to your love in the present, on this your wedding day.
_________ & __________ sip from the Loving Cup
Officiant: And drink to your love in the future and forever more!
____________ & __________ sip from the Loving Cup and hand it back to the officiant.

Officiant:
As you have shared the wine from this Loving Cup, so may you share your lives. May you explore the mysteries of the Loving Cup and share in the reflection of love in one another's soul. From love all things proceed and unto love they must return.

Unity Candle Ceremony

______ and _________, this candle you are about to light is a candle of Marriage. Its fire is magical because it represents the light of two people in love.

This candle before you is a candle of Commitment because it takes two people working together to keep it aflame.

This candle is also a candle of Unity because both must come together, giving a spark of themselves, to create the new light.

_______ and ________, would you both please now light the candle.

As you light this candle today, may the brightness of the flame shine throughout your lives. May it give you courage and reassurance in darkness; warmth and safety in the cold; and strength and joy in your bodies, minds and spirits. May your union be forever blessed.


Glass Breaking Ceremony and Pronouncement

The "glass" is wrapped in a white napkin or towel. A family member will hand the officiant the towel containing the glass and he places the glass on the ground before the groom. The officiant will say a few words to explain the significance of the breaking of the glass]:

There have been many stories explaining the breaking of the glass. For those of us here today, it serves to remind us of several very important aspects of a marriage. That _______&________ and everyone should consider these marriage vows as an irrevocable act, just as permanent and final as the breaking of this glass will be unchangeable.

The glass that will be shattered also reminds us how fragile life and love can be. That sometimes a single thoughtless act, breech of trust, or marital misstep can damage a marriage in ways that are very difficult to undo, just as it would be difficult to undo the breaking of the glass.

It serves as a reminder of the sanctity of marriage, and that the love of the bride and groom should last for as long as it would take to make the glass perfectly whole again. It also symbolizes the transforming experience that marriage creates, leaving _______&________ forever changed.

_______&________ , because you have chosen one another and pledged to love each other for all the days of your lives, before this loving community of family and friends, by virtue of the power vested in me through the Marriage Act and the Province of Ontario, it is my honor to pronounce you husband and wife! You may seal this union with a kiss!

Then the officiant addresses the groom: please break the glass with your right foot.

Love Letter & Memory Box Ceremony

Officiant: _____________, have chosen as a couple to include a Love Letter & Memory Box ceremony.

This box will soon contain a bottle of wine, two glasses, and a love letter from each to the other. The letters describe the good qualities they find in one another, the reasons they fell in love, and their reasons for choosing to marry. The letters are sealed in individual envelopes and they have not seen what the other has written. You have created your very own "romantic" time capsule to be opened on your 5th wedding anniversary.
I recommend that you keep the box in a place of honor prominently displayed in your home as a constant reminder of your commitment to each other.

Officiant: ______________should you ever find your marriage enduring insurmountable hardships before your 5th anniversary of marriage, you are to, as a couple, open this box, sit and drink the wine together, then separate and read the letters you wrote to one another when you were united as a couple in marriage. By reading these love letters you will reflect upon the reasons you fell in love and chose to marry each other here today. The hope is, however, that you will never have a reason to open this box. And if this is the case, you are to open this box to share and enjoy on your 5th year wedding anniversary! [/p]

Officiant: ___________, you may now seal the box.

NOTE: The officiant drives the first nail, then the best man and maid of honor, followed by the bride and groom nail the box shut. You can also have each member of your wedding party step up, drive in one nail to help



BLESSINGS

(1) May the glory which rests upon all who love, bless you and keep you, filling you with happiness and a gracious spirit. Despite all changes of fortune and time, may that which is noble and lovely and true remain abundantly in your hearts, giving you strength for all that lies ahead.

(2) May every desire you have for your love be fulfilled, and may you be given the vision
with which to clearly behold one another, the listening with which to perceive one another most genuinely, and the endless generosity of spirit with which to nourish one another's soul and sweetly keep the promises you make here today.

(3) __________ and ___________, love set you on a path towards each other and to this moment. From the rich encouragement of your affection, may you be inspired to open your doors to the needs you perceive in the world. In the embrace of mutual respect, may you each complete the unfinished pattern of your true selves. May you strive all the rest of your lives to meet this commitment to each other with the same love and devotion you now possess.

(4) Now may the love which has brought you together continue to grow and enrich your lives.
May you meet with courage any problems which arise to challenge you.
May your marriage be one of ever-growing depth and meaning.
May you always respect the uniqueness of each other.
May your communication always be clear and honest and may your relationship always be one of love and trust.
May the happiness you share today be with you always and may every word you have pledged here be a living truth in your lives.

(5) Blessed be the Light that has guided your souls to the threshold of this new day. Blessed be the Journey you walk as one, sharing your love with the world. Blessed be the Stillness that refreshes your souls and awakens God's Dream in your hearts. The Shield of the God of Life be yours. The Compassion of the Loving Christ be yours. The Wisdom of the Living Spirit be yours, now and evermore." Amen

(6) May the LORD bless you and keep you;
May the LORD let His face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
May the LORD‘s favor rest upon you, and forever give you His peace. AMEN