Our little ceremony was held by the Chattahoochee River at
Canoe. While it was a beautiful day, it was also a bit chilly and windy.
I let the Maids of Honor pick their dresses, with the only stipulation being they were in the same navy color (David's Bridal's "Marine"). I wanted them to be comfortable with what they were wearing. I also let them decide their hairstyle and makeup and shoes. However, I did force them to wear some
vintage earrings I had bought. :)
Before the ceremony started, I waited back near the kitchens of the restaurant. After the girls went out the door ahead of me, I was all alone back there, peering through the glass door, watching the ceremony begin!
Dad was successful - I didn't fall on my face or trip! Yay - Fear #62 didn't happen!
As neither my husband nor myself are religious folk, we decided upon a secular ceremony. We compiled our ceremony from bits and pieces of other ceremonies we
found online. We had Husband Guy's best friend act as our officiant
(and Best Man). Below is our entire ceremony script.
GREETING
& OPENING WORDS
CHRIS:
Welcome! Brandy and Matt would like to warmly welcome all that have
taken the time to make their way to this special event. They
appreciate your support and are so thankful to share this momentous
day with their favorite people.
We
are gathered here today, not to witness the beginning of what will
be, but rather what already is! We do not create this marriage,
because we cannot. We can and do, however, celebrate with Brandy and
Matt, and their friends and families the wondrous and joyful
occurrence that has already taken place in their lives.
The
reality is that everyone's life is limited to only a certain amount
of time. As Robert Green Ingersoll said, "The time to be happy
is now. The place to be happy is here." Take the time to make
your partner feel special. Never take each other for granted. Take
the time to listen and to share. Give each other the benefit of the
doubt because communication will be different at times and
misunderstandings are inevitable. Be flexible and willing to adapt
well to changes and new circumstances. It takes time, effort,
courage, and commitment to make a successful marriage. Ideally, you
will never stop building your relationship. Together you will find
new ways to enhance each others lives while finding greater happiness
and meaning in your own. May you find in each day some opportunity to
express how deeply you adore one another.
READING
CHRIS:
Matt and Brandy have asked Matt's Godmother, Nancy, to
share a poem by Charles Baxter called the Feast of Love.
NANCY:
"Here's the profundity, the best we can do: Sometimes you just
know...You just know when two people belong together.
We had never really experienced that old happenstance before, but
this time, with one another, we knew. Before, we had tried to make
relationships work, by means of willpower and forced affability. This
time we didn't have to search for anything. A quality of ease spread
over us. Whatever it was, That is apparently what we both wanted and
needed. We don't know exactly what we love about each other and
that's because we don't have to: we just do. We offered
ourselves to one another and accept each other entirely."
WINE
BOX CEREMONY
CHRIS:
At this time I'd like to draw your attention to the box beside Brandy
and Matt. They have written letters to each other expressing
their feelings as they begin their marriage. They have detailed
why they fell in love and what they truly admire about the other
person. These letters have not yet been read. We will include these
letters in the box along with a bottle of wine and two wine glasses.
Together they will seal the box, and on the happy occasion of their
5th anniversary, they will open the box, and read the letters. By
reading these love letters, you will be given an opportunity to
reflect upon the reasons that you fell in love with each other.
Larry,
the father of the bride and the creator of this wine box, will you
please bring up the letters.
Brandy
and Matt, I now ask you to place the letters in the box and seal it
shut.
VOWS
CHRIS:
The symbolic vows that you are about to make are a way of saying to
one another, 'You know all those things we've promised and hoped and
dreamed — well, I meant it all, every word.' Look at one another
and remember this moment in time. Before this moment you have been
many things to one another: friend, companion, lover, and even
teacher, for you have learned much from one another in these last few
years. Now you shall say a few words that take you across a threshold
of life, and things will never quite be the same between you. For
after these vows, you shall say to the world, this is my husband,
this is my wife.
BRANDY:
Matt, you are my Smi, my Everything, my beloved Mister. In finding
you I've experienced the deepest happiness and the truest love I've
ever known.
I
promise to never forget how absolutely lucky I am to have a man such
as you in my life.
I
vow to always strive to provide patience, consideration, and
unwaivering affection.
I
promise to fully support you – no matter what. No matter
what.
I
vow to insure that you always feel needed and appreciated and
completely loved.
I
vow that I am yours. Now – until the very end.
MATT:
Today changes everything. It is no longer you or I, but us. And as
we travel forward with our life together I want you to always know
that I am yours. To you I give my love, my life, my heart, my
imagination, my adventure, my friendship, my trust, my support, my
commitment, my devotion, my very breath, and my story...which is now
our story. Now, forever, and for all time. I will be your rock,
your pillar, and your shield. Whatever life may hold for us and
whatever comes our way, I will always be yours.
CHRIS:
Brandy, do you take Matt to be your lawful wedded husband?
BRANDY:
I do.
CHRIS:
Do you promise to love and cherish him, in sickness and in health,
for richer for poorer, for better for worse, and forsaking all
others, keep yourself only unto him, for so long as you both shall
live?
BRANDY:
I do.
CHRIS:
Matt do you take Brandy to be your lawful wedded wife?
MATT:
I do.
CHRIS:
Do you promise to love and cherish her, in sickness and in health,
for richer for poorer, for better for worse, and forsaking all
others, keep yourself only unto her, for so long as you both shall
live?
MATT:
I do.
RING
EXCHANGE
CHRIS:
Do you have the rings?
MATT
& BRANDY:
We do.
[Matt
& Brandy get rings from Bradley/Courtney.]
CHRIS:
You have both decided to exchange rings as a tangible reminder of
this day. These rings announce to the world that you have been found.
CHRIS:
Brandy
and Matt, you may now exchange rings.
[Brandy,
then Matt, each put the ring on the other's finger and say the
following:]
BRANDY/MATT:
All these years, all these memories, there was you. You pull me
through time. I give you this ring as a reminder that I will love
you always.
PRONOUNCEMENT
CHRIS:
Brandy
and Matt, having witnessed your vows for marriage with all who are
assembled here, and by the authority vested in me, I announce with
great joy that you are husband and wife.
[kiss
moment]
CHRIS:
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.
It
is my honor to present to you, for the first time as husband and
wife: Mr. and Mrs. Lastname!
[Recessional]
Up Next: Officially Married! - Couples Shots
*I've been having some font formatting issues with Blogger, so please forgive me if the text in this post appears super huge or multicolored or weirdly spaced. :(
