hzak1203

They look wonderful. Great ideas-thanks for sharing.

Fantastic job!!!!

Thanks for sharing!!! Gonna head there today:)

So glad that it worked out for you and you found a better dress. Congratulations!

I wouldn't ask her. I am sure she knows that she is going there as a guest. If you feel bad, maybe add another reading or have her do the reading instead of her husband. It is ultimately your day and your bridesmaids are there for you because they have been there for you through your life:)

They look great!!

I agree with the other ladies, if it is going to cause drama with other family members, it's not worth it.

That is sooo cute, you did an amazing job:)

The Jenna is stunning:)

They look sooo professional-great job!

That is a gorgeous dress!

We are going on a cruise and I am doing one per cabin and having them placed in the cabin before they enter.

Thanks for sharing!

I think it sounds very sweet and I am sure they will appreciate it:)

My bridesmaids are paying for their own dresses. I chose the color and material and they got to choose whatever style looked best on them. I spent a lot on their gifts plan on doing something special for them on the cruise:)

The newsletter is a great idea to get your guests pumped up before the trip:)

I don't know if there are any rules for monograms, but what I read for invitations is that the bride's name goes first, so I used that for the monogram:) Hope that helps.

I love it!!!!!

Thanks so much!!! I got most of it from this thread. I love it and am really excited. I am going to be all tears during the ceremony:)

I thought I would share mine:) We are gathered here today to celebrate one of life’s greatest moments, to give recognition to the worth and beauty of love, and to add our best wishes to the words which shall unite Shawn and Heather in matrimony. Who gives this woman to be married to this man? (Son-Her parents and I do) This beautiful setting should remind us that, like the ocean, human life is an ebb and flow- The life of the spirit and emotions- moves in cycles. To be in a relationship does not guarantee an eternal summer. To make a sincere and honest commitment does not promise, an end to all struggle. What a good relationship does offer, much like this ocean, is the opportunity for renewal. It recognizes the abiding, shared hope that after every fall and winter, spring and summer will come again. On behalf of Shawn and Heather, I welcome you and thank you all for gathering here on this beautiful day to witness their marriage ceremony. The fact that you all have traveled such a great distance to be here today is a testament to the amazing amount of love and support they have. Many of you have given them much happiness, love, warmth, and guidance through the various stages of their lives. They would like to sincerely thank you all for being here to celebrate their special day. A special and respectful acknowledgement must also be made to those friends and family members who were unable to attend, or have passed on, but whose spirit remains alive and strong in all our hearts. Shawn’s dear friend Tracey will now provide us with a reading: (Tracey comes forward and reads a hand blessing) “Shawn and Heather, will you please hold up your hands and hold one another, so you may feel the gift that you are to each other. These are the hands of your best friend, strong and full of love for you, that are holding yours on your wedding day as you promise to love and cherish each other today, tomorrow, and forever. These are the hands that will work alongside yours as you build your future together. These are the hands that with the slightest touch will continue to give you goose bumps through the years. These are the hands that will celebrate with you in your accomplishments. These are the hands that will support you and give you strength when you need it. These are the hands that will comfort you in illness and hold you tight when fear or grief engulfs your heart. These are the hands that will wipe the tears from your eyes; tears of sorrow and tears of joy. These are the hands that will help you to tenderly embrace your family together as one. And lastly, these are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged will still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness with just a touch. Our prayer for you today is that both of you will use these hands to build a marriage where all your dreams come true.” Thank you Tracey. Love is life’s highest emotion. It makes us less selfish, it makes our personalities grow, and it makes our lives more meaningful. Love is caring about the welfare and happiness of your partner as your own. It makes burdens lighter because you divide them. It makes joys more intense because you share them. And it makes you stronger so you can reach out and become involved with life in ways you dared not risk alone. You have chosen to walk through life together. There is no truer statement of love. The choice was not made by any one moment, but by being together you grew to realize that you belonged together and that you fulfilled each other’s needs. You have come to thrive upon each other’s presence, loyalty and wisdom. The foundation of your love is profound friendship. A friendship you have nurtured until at last you realized that you wanted to be together always. For Shawn and Heather marriage is an affirmation of life, an undying commitment, a spiritual, emotional, and intellectual bond between two people. It is created from the purest of friendship, respect and love. The institution of marriage is not entered into lightly, because it symbolizes commitment on every level. The exchanging of vows is a promise, a promise to make a life of love together, sharing the uncertainties of the future and trusting that your love remains constant through it all. Shawn, do you take Heather, to be your wife, to live together in matrimony? Do you promise to love, honor, comfort and protect her, keep her in sickness and in health, forsaking all others as long as you both shall live? (Shawn-I do) Heather, do you take Shawn, to be your husband, to live together in matrimony? Do you promise to love, honor, comfort and protect him, keep him in sickness and in health, forsaking all others as long as you both shall live? (Heather-I do) May I have the rings? Notice that these rings are a perfect circle, with no beginning and no end. They represent the unconditional love that you have for one another. Let these rings serve as a bond between you and wear them with honor and pride, as they are a visible reminder of the vows and promises that you are making here today. Shawn, please repeat after me: “Heather, I give you this ring, as a part of me, not just to encircle your finger, but your whole being. I give you this ring as a sign of my love and faithfulness, in doing this I take you as my wife.” Heather, please repeat after me: “Shawn, I give you this ring, as a part of me, not just to encircle your finger, but your whole being. I give you this ring as a sign of my love and faithfulness, in doing this I take you as my husband.” As you stand beside the ocean, may your love always be as constant as the never-ending waves, flowing endlessly from the depths of the sea; Your love came softly upon each others heart, just as the foam comes softly upon the sand, and just as there will never be a morning without the ocean's waves, so there will never be a day without love for each other. You have pledged yourselves on this day that your love will be as dependable as the tide; as these waters nourish the earth and sustain life, may your constant devotion nourish and sustain you until the end of time. Shawn and Heather, you have sealed your relationship by the giving and receiving of rings and have committed here today to share the rest of your lives with each other and your son, ___. ____, please come forward. Today, the uniting of this family is symbolized through the pouring of these individual containers of sand, each representing a member of the family in all that they were, all that they are, and all that they will ever be. At the beginning of this ceremony, Shawn and Heather’s parents each poured a small amount of sand into the container to represent the strong foundation they have given. It was the hard work and guidance they provided, and their everlasting love, support, and encouragement that Shawn and Heather learned the true meaning of love, friendship and family. Shawn and Heather would like to sincerely thank their parents for all that they have done for them. Now, as each of you holds your container of sand, the separate vessels represent your lives to this moment. Each one holds its own unique beauty, strength, and character. They can stand on their own and be whole, without need of anything else. However when these are all blended together they create an entirely new and extraordinarily more intricate entity. Each grain of sand brings to the mixture a lasting beauty that forever enriches the combination. As you combine the sand, your lives also join together as one. You may now blend the sand together symbolizing the uniting of your family and your future together. Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so will your marriage and family be a molding of individual personalities, bonded together forming one love, one heart, and one family. Shawn and Heather, I would ask that you always remember to cherish each other as special and unique individuals, that you respect the thoughts, ideas and suggestions of one another. Give the highest priority to the tenderness, gentleness and kindness that your marriage deserves. Give to one another new experiences of joy. Challenge one another so that you may grow. Laugh often and enjoy each other every day, steadfast in hope and confidence, believing in yourself and believing in each other. May you never take each other for granted, but always experience the wonder of your union. Be slow to anger, quick to forgive, leaving no tracks of resentment behind each day. May your love be a sanctuary and a source from which you draw strength to live your lives with enthusiasm and imagination. May the people you touch in your lifetime know how much you love and care for one another and may you love one another forever. In as much as the two of you have agreed to live together in matrimony, by the exchanging of the vows, the giving and receiving of rings and the joining of your hands, by the virtue vested in me by the great state of Florida, I am very proud and honored to declare you to be husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.

My son is walking me down the aisle and my step dad who has been more of a father to me was totally understanding. He still gets to dance with me at the reception, so it's all good. I say do what you want! I have seen a lot of couples walking together down the aisle which is very sweet:)

Thanks so much to everyone who has posted their scripts.

I think you would be fine to go with Melissa in the intro and then go with Missy. It's your day so you can go with whatever you want:)

Welcome to the forum. I am a March 2011 cruise bride with Carnival. I went with them over RC because we were looking for more of a fun atmosphere and the price was right. We have over 30 cabins booked. It is going to be a blast!

Because I am not doing my wedding ceremony through Carnival. We are getting married the second day of the cruise while in port and then having the reception only back on board. I chose the time and had to get it confirmed, but that was it. If you have any questions, I would be glad to answer:)