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Once Reverend Debby has taken her place
before the gathering, the groom takes his place along with his best man
and the ushers. When the bride appears, and is ready to walk down
the aisle…….. Reverend Debby: Will
the guests please rise. Reverend Debby’s Welcoming and Call to Celebration With the horizon our only walls, the sky our
only ceiling, and the earth our floor we gather together here in nature to
witness a most joyous occasion. ___________&________________ have
asked all of you, their dear family and friends, to bear witness to their
vows and commitment to journey forward in their lives together as lovers
and friends in marriage. It is through love that our spirits are lifted
into a oneness that transcends all the dualities we may experience in our
lives. Marriage brings us to that deeply profound love where we can
experience the place where our souls can soar and merge as one. It is this
love that gives the deepest meaning to our lives. It is our highest
calling, our greatest purpose, and our finest achievement.
You are all being asked to participate fully with
thought, intention and prayer in asking God to guide their path as a
married couple. Blessed be! Silent Blessing and Honor of Loved Ones
(Optional) Reverend Debby:
Please join with me now as we bow our heads and close our eyes and bring
to mind any loved ones who could not be here today. Though they are absent
physically, we invoke, through our thought and prayers, their loving
presence. We pray that God might multiply beyond measure the blessings
from these loved ones to this loving couple, and any children who might
one day be a part of this union. Now, from our hearts, we ourselves
visualize and sanctify all the blessings we would bestow on
_________&____________ in their lives as a couple and a family. And in our
sincere desire to bless, we in turn, are blessed also.
Reverend Debby Speaks of Marriage Reverend Debby: ______________&______________, marriage
challenges us to be one without abandoning the truth of our individuality.
It challenges us to recognize ourselves in one another, to admire and
respect each other while walking side by side heading in the same
direction - sometimes so close together that there will be only one set of
footprints. As with all relationships, marriage is an endless
presentation of choices about how we want to be with one another.
___________&_____________ , your marriage will, no doubt, be filled with
surprises. Some you will welcome, while others will test the strength and
flexibility of your bond. Your life together will present many
opportunities to refine and deepen your love and to explore the depths of
your being. May you be compassionate with each other, and this union with
tender loving care. May your love create a safe haven for you both on the
journey that lies ahead of you. Lead with your hearts and take the time to
do the simple things that will nurture your love. Deeply listen to each
other- to your dreams and to your frustrations. Be helpmates. Be playful in finding ways to
give your love anew to each other every day. Let your love be an
inspiration to others to reach for what is good within us all. May your
love be so abundant that you have plenty to share with the rest of us as
well. For it is your love that has brought us together here today. This date will always have special meaning for
you as the day you vowed to love and to cherish each other in all ways,
always. Each year when you come upon your anniversary I encourage you to
rededicate yourselves to the vows you make here today. Take stock of where
you are in your marriage and how you are doing as marriage partners.
Express your gratitude to each other for the ways that you have
effectively loved and supported one another, and forgive yourselves and
each other for any judgments that have come between you. Show each other
that you can be trusted and counted on as a comfort when facing difficult
times, and celebrate abundantly the successes and joys life brings your
way. Let your love lead the way and be more important than anything else.
Then, your lives together will be filled with blessings and joy, and your
devotion will grow deeper and sweeter with each passing year. Declaration and Consent Reverend Debby: And now in the presence of these witnesses, I
ask you to speak your commitment: _____________(Groom), please repeat after
me; I, ________________, take you ____________, to be my beloved
wife. I promise to be by your side, always. I will laugh with you
in times of joy, and comfort you in times of sorrow. I will share in your
dreams. I will listen to you with compassion and understanding, and
speak to you with encouragement. I promise to always respect and honor you
as an individual, and to be conscious of your needs. I will help you when
you need it, and step aside when you don't. I will remain faithful to you
for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in times of sickness and in
health. You are my best friend, and I will love you and respect you
always. _____________(Bride), please repeat after
me; I, ________________, take you ____________, to be my
beloved husband. I promise to be by your side, always. I will laugh
with you in times of joy, and comfort you in times of sorrow. I will share
in your dreams. I will listen to you with compassion and
understanding, and speak to you with encouragement. I promise to always
respect and honor you as an individual, and to be conscious of your needs.
I will help you when you need it, and step aside when you don't. I will
remain faithful to you for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in times
of sickness and in health. You are my best friend, and I will love you and
respect you always. Reverend Debby: From this point forward, your beloved’s needs carry the same
priority as your own. May you find in your love profound acceptance
and complete release. You shall not be as two conflicting or
competing forces, but rather the energies of your lives shall blend into
harmony and oneness through the grace of God. May the angels dance
between you, and they will rejoice in the dance of life you do together.
Presentation of the Rings Reverend Debby: Is it your intention
to symbolize this marriage with rings? Bride and Groom: “Yes” Reverend Debby: May I have the rings
please? (The rings are handed to Reverend Debby) The wedding ring is a symbol of eternity as it has no beginning
and no end. Your wedding rings are most special because they say
that even in your uniqueness you have chosen to be bonded, to allow the
presence of another human being to enhance who you are. They are an
outward sign of the deep spiritual bond uniting your two hearts in endless
love. As you wear them through time, they will reflect not only who
you are but also the glorious union that you are now creating.
Vows of Matrimony (Reverend Debby hands the Bride’s ring to the Groom) ____________(Groom), please repeat after me”; With this ring, I give you my promise that from this day forward you shall not
walk alone. May my heart be your shelter, and my arms be your home, and
may God bless you always. I will love you through the good and the bad,
through the joy and the sorrow. I will do my best to be understanding, and
to trust in you completely. I accept you not only for who you are,
but also for who you are yet to become. With all my heart, all my
joy and all my honor, I take you to be my wedded wife. (He places
the ring on the Bride’s finger) ____________(Bride), please repeat after me”; With this ring, I give you my promise that from this day forward you shall not
walk alone. May my heart be your shelter, and my arms be your home, and
may God bless you always. I will love you through the good and the bad,
through the joy and the sorrow. I will do my best to be understanding, and
to trust in you completely. I accept you not only for who you are,
but also for who you are yet to become. With all my heart, all my
joy and all my honor, I take you to be my wedded husband. (She
places the ring on the Groom’s finger)
(Optional – A symbolic unity ceremony may be
included here)
Each of you brings gifts to the other today. Gifts of hope and
laughter, sensitivity and recognition of the beautiful and the profound.
A strong and resilient marriage is not an escape from the world but a
contribution to it. You have acknowledged to God and to the world: this is
my beloved, the one with whom I choose to create the rest of my life.
May you now combine and strengthen your gifts, to be offered as a distinct
and beautiful gift to the world. For the world is in need of the
beautiful, the good and the holy.
Final Prayer Reverend Debby: Will you all bow your heads and join me in a final prayer of
blessing for our couple? Dear God, Please bless this couple. May
their love be nurtured by You, always and forever. May this marriage be held in Your hands and
ministered unto by Your angels. We dedicate this love to You. May this man grow strong in the arms of this
woman. May this woman grow glorious in the love of
this man. May the earth be brought closer to heaven
through this love, and may all the world be blessed hereby. And so it is. Amen. Pronouncement and Presentation Reverend Debby: ___________&______________, in the presence of God, your family
and friends, you have spoken the words and performed the rites which unite
your lives. By the authority vested in me through the state of
Michigan, it is my greatest joy and privilege to declare you husband and
wife. As kisses are messengers of love, please kiss now and let soul
meet soul on each other's lips.
Ladies and gentlemen, may I now present Mr. and
Mrs. ____________________ ! |
