My Wedding Ceremony

[ErinB]

Here it is! I worked really hard to find something that was "us". FI has major objections to organized religion so I wanted something that was spiritual, but not over the top and would make him uncomfortable.

 

I still need to find my music selections! Ooops I forgot about that until I opened this to post!

 

Quote:

Call to Worship Dear friends and family, with great affection for _Michael_ and _Erin__ we have gathered together to witness and bless their union in marriage. To this sacred moment they bring the fullness of their hearts as a treasure and a gift to share with one another. They bring the dreams which bind them together in an eternal commitment. They bring their gifts and talents, their unique personalities and spirits, which they will unite together into one being as they build their life together.   Presentation of the Bride Doubly blessed is the couple which comes to the marriage altar with the approval and consent of their families and friends. Who has the honor of presenting this woman to be married to this man? Steve “Her mother and I do.†  Minister addresses Witnesses   If any man can show any just cause why you may not now be lawfully joined together let him now speak and forever hold his peace. I beseech you both that if you know of just cause or legal impediment why you should not be lawfully joined together you do confess it.   Reading The bride’s mother will now share a reading dedicated to the couple.   May You Always Feel Loved - Sandra Sturtz Hauss May you find serenity and tranquility in a world you may not always understand.   May the pain you have known and conflict you have experienced give you the strength to walk through life Facing each new situation with courage and optimism.   Always know that there are those whose love and understanding will always be there, even when you feel most alone.   May you discover enough goodness in others to believe in a world of peace.   May a kind word, a reassuring touch, a warm smile be yours every day of your life, and may you give these gifts as well as receive them.   Remember the sunshine when the storm seems unending.   Teach love to those who know hate, and let that love embrace you as you go into the world.   May the teaching of those you admire become part of you, so that you may call upon them. Remember, those whose lives you have touched and who have touched yours are always a part of you, Even if the encounters were less than you would have wished. It is the content of the encounter that is more important than its form.   May you not become too concerned with material matters, but instead place immeasurable value on the goodness in your heart.   Find time in each day to see the beauty and love in the world around you.   Realize that each person has limitless abilities, But each of us is different in our own way. What you may feel you lack in one regard may be more than compensated for in another. What you feel you lack in the present may become one of your strengths in the future.   May you see your future as one filled with promise and possibility. Learn to view everything as a worthwhile experience.   May you find enough inner strength to determine your own worth by yourself, and not be dependent on another's judgment of your accomplishments.   May you always feel loved.   Pledge __Michael_ and __Erin_, you have made a very serious and important decision in choosing to marry each other today. You are entering into a sacred covenant as partners in life. The quality of your marriage will reflect what you put into nurturing this relationship. You have the opportunity to go forward from this day to create a faithful, kind, and tender relationship. We bless you this day. Yet, it is up to you to keep the blessings flowing each and every day of your lives together. We wish for you the wisdom, compassion, and constancy to create a peaceful sanctuary in which you can both grow in love. _Michael__, do you understand and accept this responsibility, and do you promise to do your very best each day to create a loving, healthy, and happy marriage? Groom: Yes, I do. __Erin__, do you understand and accept this responsibility, and do you promise to do your very best each day to create a loving, healthy, and happy marriage? Bride: Yes, I do.   Wedding Vows   I love you ___ as I love no other. All that I am I share with you. I take you to be my (husband/wife) through health and sickness, through plenty and want, through joy and sorrow, now and forever.   Blessing of the Hands   Michael, please face Erin, hold her palms up, so you may see the gift they are to you. These are the hands that hold yours on your wedding day as she gives you her pledge to love you and accepts your ring. These are the hands that are smooth and young and carefree now, but will be lined and rougher, working to make you comfortable. These are the hands that will hold each child in tender love, soothing them through illness, disciplining them when naughty, and wringing themselves in worry when trouble comes. These are the hands that will hold your face and wipe tears from your eyes - in wonder and awe that you would cry for her. These are the hands that will hold you in joy, excitement and hope when she tells you that you are to have a child; that together you have created new life. These are the hands that through the years will caress your body in the passion of love, to enhance your intimacy. 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.   Erin, please turn and face Michael, and hold his hands palms up, where you can see the gift that they are to you. These are the hands, young and strong and vibrant with love, that hold yours on your wedding day, as he promises to love you all the days of his life. These are the hands you will place with expectant joy against your stomach until he too, feels his child stir within you. These are the hands that look so large and clumsy, yet will be so gentle as he holds your baby for the first time. These are the hands that will work long hours to earn money for you and your family. These are the hands that will be nicked and bruised from fixing things around the house to make you more comfortable. These are the hands that will caress your body through the years, to make the passion of love come alive in you. These are the hands that will countless times wipe tears from your eyes; tears of sorrow, and as in today, tears of joy. These are the hands that will comfort you in illness, and hold you when fear or grief weigh on 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 filled completely with his overwhelming love and desire for you alone. 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.   These are the hands that will enter the Sacrament of Matrimony. These four hands will be your armor and shield against the evils and temptations of the world. These are the hands that will reach out, first to each other, then united, will spread your love and your sacrament to all they touch. And, lastly, these are the hands that will ease your parents’ loneliness as you leave the nest, will first teach your own children the marvels of the world, and will be a sign to friends and strangers alike as to just how wonderful married life can be.       Exchanging of the Rings   Minister: "The wedding ring is a symbol of eternity. Being one unbroken circle with no beginning and no end, your rings symbolize unending love. It is an outward sign of an inward and spiritual bond which unites two hearts. And now as a token of your love and of your deep desire to be forever united in heart and soul, you _Michael__, may place a ring on the finger of your bride." Groom: "__Erin__, I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness to you with all that I am and all that I have." Minister: "By the same token _Erin___, you may place a ring on the finger of your groom." Bride: "__Michael__, I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness to you with all that I am and all that I have."   Minister’s Conclusion and Benediction   For as much as ______________ and _______________ have consented together in Holy matrimony and have witnessed the same before God and this company and declared the same by joining hands and giving and receiving rings. By the power vested in me as a Marriage Officer for the Island of Jamaica and a Minister of Religion. I now pronounce that you are husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.

Here is the template in case anyone wants to borrow!

[jajajaja]

I sense some tears!

[alex]

Jeeze, I just teared up! Beautifully put-together!

[Bride010101]

Beautiful! Thanks for sharing with us. : )

[ErinB]

I have been reading this every day so I can "de-sensitize" myself to it. I'm a crier anyway and this gets me every time!