Wedding Ceremony for Chloe & Joshua
When guests arrive, they will be given a small stone by Ciera
Processional:
Joshua will escort his mother, Rita to her seat. Joshua will stand next to Officiant. Best man, Raymond will escort, Chloe's mom, Jan to her seat. Raymons will join Officiant and Joshua at the front. Benjamin and Nancy will enter next. Maid of honor, Sally will enter next, unescorted. Children, Matthew (4) Stephanie (5) will enter next. The will sit with their grandparents.
Officiant will have everyone stand. Chloe will enter, escorted by her father, Doug
Doug will kiss Chloe and go to his seat. Chloe will hand her flowers to Officiant., Sally will fix Chloe's dress. Officiant will then hand flowers to Sally.
Officiant will informally welcome all guests on behalf of Joshua & Chloe.
Opening Words
(Officiant)
We have come here today to celebrate love. We see it in the faces of Chloe and Joshua who stand before us, and we experience it in our own hearts as well. It is a love which is spoken of in all religions, and is our true home, our true meeting place. It kindles our souls with hope. We are grateful to them for inviting us to witness and share in this precious moment. To this day they bring their love as a treasure to share with one another.
A marriage is a promise between two people which takes a lifetime to fulfill; a promise to share your lives generously and enthusiastically each and every day; a promise to listen when the other needs to talk; a promise to comfort when the other needs assurance; and a promise to renew the appreciation and love you feel for each other.
A good marriage must be created and maintained. It is more than the excitement and romance of being deeply in love. By marrying, you are committing to an agreement-one that you must make new every day: "I agree to help you. I agree to look out for you. I agree to trust you and be worthy of your trust. I agree to put up with your bad moods and try to make you laugh. I agree to do the best I can, and if on occasion, my best falls short, I will continue to grow and get better. And so each day becomes a small mosaic of plans and trials and laughter and ideas and promises shared and promises fulfilled, and to this we add the words: "Because I love you, I agree to do this. And because I love you, I will make this agreement new everyday."
With love, shared pain is lessened. With love, shared joy is increased. With love, happiness is fuller, memories are fresher, commitment is stronger, even anger is felt more strongly, and passes away more quickly. In love and in marriage, we see beneath the surface, to the qualities which make our beloved special and unique.
Love makes you stronger, so that you can reach out and live in ways you dared not risk alone. Let your love give you the strength to stand apart, to make your own contributions to the world. Love each other's families as your own. May you look upon each other's strengths with joy, accept each other's imperfections with understanding, and renew your love each and every day.
Statement of Intention
(Officiant)
Do you, Joshua, take Chloe to be your wife? Do you pledge to be her constant friend and her partner in life? Do you promise to love her without conditions, honor and respect her, protect her from harm, comfort her in times of distress, and grow with her in mind and spirit?
Joshua: I do
Do you Chloe, knowing this man's love for you and returning it, realizing his strengths and learning from them, recognizing his weaknesses and helping him to overcome them, take Joshua to be your husband?
Chloe: I do
Vows
Officiant: Having stated your intentions to live together in marriage, I ask you to read your vows to one another.
Joshua (Personal vows read here.)
Chloe (Personal vows read here.)
Exchange of Rings
Officiant will get the rings from best man.
(Officiant) These rings mark the beginning of a long journey filled with wonder, surprises, laughter, tears, celebration, grief & joy. May these rings glow in reflection of the warmth and love which flow through both of you today.
Chloe, please extend your left hand. Joshua please take Chloe's ring and place it on her finger, repeating after me:
Joshua: I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. As I place it on your finger, I commit my heart and soul to you. I ask you to wear this ring as a reminder of the vows we have spoken today.
(Officiant) Chloe, please take Joshua's ring, place it on his finger, and repeat after me:
Chloe: I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. As I place it on your finger, I commit my heart and soul to you. I ask you to wear this ring as a reminder of the vows we have spoken today.
Signing of the license witnessed by the children (Matthew & Stephanie)
Vows to children
Officiant: Today, we celebrate not only the union of Joshua's and Chloe's two hearts, but we rejoice in the family they have formed. Joshua and Chloe would like to honor this new family by declaring their vows of love for one another's children.
Joshua to Stephanie: Today, I have promised to love your mother will every beat of my heart. But in my heart, there is also room for you. I promise to be patient and loving and to try to understand. I will care for you as my own children and love you just the way you are. I vow to stand side by side with your mother/father to be your strength and your emotional support. I will love you with all my heart from this day forward.
Chloe to Matthew: Today, I have promised to love your father will every beat of my heart. But in my heart, there is also room for you. I promise to be patient and loving and to try to understand. I will care for you as my own children and love you just the way you are. I vow to stand side by side with your mother/father to be your strength and your emotional support. I will love you with all my heart from this day forward.
Joshua & Chloe will present the necklaces to the children here.
Words of thanks to the parents
(Officiant) Joshua & Chloe would like to extend thanks to their parents:
When we were children, you held our hands when we crossed the street. All these years later, you no longer hold our hands but you still hold our hearts. You have given us roots to ground us and wings to let us soar. We have made you proud, worried, frustrated, frazzled, afraid, euphoric and bewildered-sometimes (during the teen years) all in the span of 5 minutes. Still, you have believed in us, encouraged us and loved us unconditionally. You cheered, advised, listened, cajoled and extricated us from more sticky situations than we will ever admit. You have baked cookies, scared the monsters away from under the bed and helped us calculate at what spot two trains traveling toward each other from 100 miles apart, leaving at the same time and traveling at 50mph would pass. You have always been there and without that, we would not be the people we are today.
Most important, you have been our role models, not only in teaching us, but by living lives of integrity, selflessness and unconditional love for us and one another. Because of your love, we, in turn, are able to love each other wholeheartedly and without reservation.
And for that, we thank you.
Bowl of Blessings
(Officiant) You have each been given a small stone that you have held in your hands while Chloe and Joshua have expressed their vows of love and commitment. The rock, which was once a very part of the earth itself and the material which comprises the earth upon which we stand, is a very strong symbol of permanence, strength and beauty. It is fitting therefore that we use rocks to symbolize the strength and permanence of the vows that Joshua and Chloe have proclaimed before all of us.
And yes, we have come here to day to celebrate with Joshua and Chloe but I remind you that we have come here for another reason as well, and that is to offer our ongoing love and support to them as they begin their married life. By our presence at this marriage ceremony, we have been called upon to uphold and bless this union. And in light of that, I ask that you now take your stone in your hand and in the quiet of your heart offer a small blessing for this couple...a wish that is uniquely from you.
Silence….
Perhaps you wish for them the graceful passage of time as they grow old together…
Perhaps it is strength to endure the hard times
Maybe you wish them eternal optimism and faith in each other
Or everlasting passion for life together
Silence (brief)
After the ceremony, there will be a bowl in which you may deposit your "blessing" stone. The richness of the colors and the shine of the stones will be a symbol of the richness and blessings that they represent. Joshua and Chloe will make this bowl a part of their home, where they will have it always as a reminder of this day and the love and support that will be forever extended to them by all of us gathered here today.
Joshua and Chloe may these small stones always be a reminder to you that you are surrounded by people who care about you and wish you well. May the blessings of all of us gathered here be reassurance that the love you have for one another will continue to grow and hold you close. May the true light within you guide your way together. May your dreams come true, and when they don't, may new dreams arise. And long, long years from now, when these stones are not quite as shiny and new, may you look at each other and say, "Because of you, I have lived the life I always wanted to live-because of you I have become the person I longed to be."
Blessing (read by Chloe's Uncle, Dick)
Now you feel no rain,for each of you will be shelter to the other.Now you feel no cold,for each of you will be warmth to the other.Now there is no loneliness,for each of you will be a companion to the other.You are two bodies,but there is one life before you and one home.When evening falls,You look up and there the other will be.You will take handsand you'll turn togetherTo look at the road you traveled to reach this - the hour of your happiness.It stretches behind you,even as the future lies ahead.A long and winding road,whose every turn means discovery.Old hopes, new laughter, shared fears.The adventure has just begun.
Pronouncement
(Officiant)
Joshua & Chloe, you have proclaimed your love and commitment before all of us gathered here and sealed these promises by the giving and receiving of rings. Therefore, by the power vested in me by the state of California, it is now my honor to pronounce that you are husband and wife.
Joshua you may kiss your bride.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I present "Mr. and Mrs. Joshua and Chloe Smith"
Recessional
Everyone walks out as couples.