I'm going to just let our actual ceremony tell the story
We are gathered here to share in one of the happiest moments in the lives of Sara and Ryan, as they are about to become husband and wife. They are delighted you have chosen to share this very special time in their lives.
True marriage is more than joining the bond of marriage of two persons. It is the uniting of two souls already attuned to one another. We are here to observe the beginning of a new relationship between Sara and Ryan, these two friends who are already one in spirit.
Heavenly Father, thank you for allowing us the opportunity to be present in a surrounding…where dreams come true…where couples unite in marriage and where others become closer friends…and, where others fall in love all over again. Thank you for Sara and Ryan as they begin their journal through life together – please walk with them each step of the way…and give them the faith, and the wisdom, to face whatever the future may hold…in your name we pray, Amen.
May I ask who adds their blessing to this beautiful wedding by presenting Sara to be married to Ryan?
Father of the Bride: Her mother and I do.
It is with love and joy that your families are with you on this happy occasion, as a new family is begun.
Please face each other and hold both hands, so you may feel the gift that they are to one another.
Sara and Ryan, these are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you.
They are being held by yours on your wedding day as you two promise to love each other for the rest of your lives.
The hands that you hold are the very hands that will work alongside yours as together you build your future and share your innermost secrets and dreams together.
These too 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 also the hands that will hold you when fear or grief threaten to overwhelm you.
These too are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes, tears of sorrow and tears of joy.
These are the hands that will tenderly hold your children.
These are the hands that will help you to hold your family together as one.
And these are the hands that will give you strength when you need it the most.
And lastly, these are the hands that even when becoming wrinkled and aged will still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness with just a touch.
God, bless these hands, may they always be held by one another. Give them the strength to hold on during the storms of every day life. Keep them tender and gentle as they nurture each other in their wondrous love. We ask this in your name. Amen
Do you, Ryan, knowing of this woman’s love for you and returning it, realizing her strengths and learning from them, recognizing her weaknesses and accepting them, take Sara, to be your lawfully wedded wife?
Ryan: I do
Do you, Sara, knowing of this man’s love for you and returning it, realizing his strengths and learning from them, recognizing his weaknesses and accepting them, take Ryan, to be your lawfully wedded husband?
Sara: I do
(I jumped the gun a little bit on this and said "I do" before Rev Jack finished. He said something really funny and we all laughed.)
Marriage is not only a commitment between lovers; it is also an agreement between two friends. A good marriage most be created together. The little things are the important 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. It is doing things for each other, not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice, but in the spirit of joy and love.
This service is not magic. It will not create a relationship that does not already exist. It is a time for tying a knot in the rope of days and saying, “We will not slip backwards from here, but will go forward together.” It is a time for one thing of which we are certain, love for one another and a desire for that love to last forever. Love one another and you will be happy. It is as simple and as difficult as that.
You are now taking into your care and keeping the happiness of the one person in all the world whom you love the best. You are adding to your life not only the affection of each other, but also the companionship and blessing of a deep trust as well. You are agreeing to share strength, responsibilities, and love.
You will indeed experience marriage to be one of life’s greatest commitments, one of life’s greatest blessings, but also one of life’s greatest challenges. So, be mindful of this; every effort to preserve love with one another by demonstrating patience, by holding each other gently, and by lifting each other up, will go a long, long way in guaranteeing a wonderful and happy life together.
As a symbol of your union, will you now join hands and look into the eyes of the one you love and repeat after me:
I, Ryan, take you, Sara, to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love and honor you all the days of my life.
I, Sara, take you, Ryan, to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love and honor you all the days of my life.
The wedding ring is the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual bond which unites two loyal hearts in endless love. These rings have no beginning and no end…a circle of life and a circle of love. God bless these rings. May they be given, may they be received to remind you of the vows you have made today.
(I love the look on our RB's face, you can totally tell he's thinking he should have the rings!)
Ryan, please place this ring on Sara’s finger and repeat after me:
I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. I give you my promise to share every smile, every tear and every dream I have with you. I give you all that I am, and all that I will be, from this moment on.
Sara, please place this ring on Ryan’s finger and repeat after me.
I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. I give you my promise to share every smile, every tear and every dream I have with you. I give you all that I am, and all that I will be, from this moment on.
The engagement ring is a symbol of promise and intention. Now the intention is realized and the promise fulfilled. Ryan, please place your engagement ring on Sara’s finger over her wedding band to symbolize that the love that brought you together will always protect and sustain your marriage.
As love is symbolized by light, may the lighting of this candle remind us of the estate of unity you are now entering. May the lighting of the candle by you together, serve as witness that your lives are no longer parallel, but are now one. May the blessing of light, be with you always, light without and light within. May the brightness of this candle shine throughout your lives, giving you courage and reassurance in the darkness. May its warmth give you shelter from the cold. And may its energy fill your spirits with strength and joy. May your love be as beautiful on each day you share, as it is on this day of celebration. You may light your unity candle.
(Yay! It worked. Now came the other complicated part, Rev Day had a specific way he wanted us to walk back to the front, I think we got this right too.)
May you always need one another, not so much to fill the emptiness as to help each other know your fullness. May you succeed in all the important ways with each other, and not fail in the little graces. Find things to praise, often say, “I love you”; and take no notice of small faults. May you have happiness, and may you find it in making one another happy. May you have love, and my you find it in loving one another.
Sara and Ryan, may your marriage bring you all the exquisite excitement that a marriage should bring. And my life grant you patience, tolerance and understanding.
Sara and Ryan, you have pledged your lives and souls to one another in our presence; therefore by the authority vested in me by the State of Florida, I pronounce you husband and wife. What God has joined together let no one put asunder.
Ryan, you may now kiss your beautiful wife.
Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be shelter for the other. Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth to the other. Now there will be no loneliness, for each of you will be companion to the other. Now you are two persons, but there is only one life before you. May beauty surround you both in the journey ahead and through all the years. May happiness be your companion and your days together be good and long upon the earth.
Ladies and Gentlemen, with the greatest of pleasure I present to you for the first time as husband and wife...
, but he actually managed to keep it pretty together. It was definitely nice to have that time together. Wasn't it so awesome? It really was like being famous or something. We both loved that part so much. 
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. My MOH came to the rescue with a tide pen but it did not work at all, so we think it must have been grease from the door jamb of the limo. Luckily with the pick-ups on my dress it was not as noticeable.
