Private Ceremony Inspired by Thoughts from True Love by Thich Nhat Hanh1

hps://www.gatherinhope.com [email protected] (850) 4434777

Private ceremony inspired by thoughts from True Love by Thich Nhat Hanh1

Welcome We are here on this beauful morning to celebrate the dawn of [Bride] and [Bride]’s new life together. Morning is a perfect me to solemnize your love because of your love of new adventures and your commitment to culvang your relaonship through consistency and care.

Marriage Address Our lives are spent in exploring and wonder. We seek to experience all the beauty and adventure the world has to offer. We strive to ease suffering, to advance understanding, to increase the beauty in the world, and to enable others to enjoy it. This is the work of love and it requires that we care for and nourish ourselves, so that we can give our whole selves to our endeavors. But to be nourished, we must find our home. Kayla and Denise, you have each been restless. You wanted to see and experience more. You always wanted to be somewhere else. Somewhere that offered adventure but also belonging. When you met, you found that the place you were looking for was in each other. Your embrace is the home that will empower you to explore and to love.

Tree Planting You have chosen to be married on this day because you have found in each other a woman who helps you to understand yourself. She helps you connect to your deepest emoons, embrace your dreams, and ﬁnd calm in a world that would sell you empness. The understanding and trust you have found is not a treasure embodied in your partner, but a pracce you must maintain through communicaon and honesty with your partner and yourself. To remind you of the need to nurture yourselves, each other, and your connecon, you have chosen to plant a tree. Just as this tree, you must nurture your

1 Thích Nhất Hạnh. 2006. True Love. Shambala Publications Inc. Page 1 of 27 Original work by Lily Wells except where stated. © Copyright 2019 Lily Wells hps://www.gatherinhope.com [email protected] (850) 4434777

relaonship. Learn to truly listen, offer each other mindful inquiry and shared exploraon of your selves and your experiences. Make me for each other and be present so that you may grow with each other into your fullest selves. “The most precious gi we can offer each other is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.”

With your care, this tree will grow strong. Its roots will grow deeply and hold fast through any storm. Its trunk will bend and sway with the winds of me but not break. Its branches will be flush with life and in turn will provide a home for other living things. Your mindful care will provide each of you with strength to weather the storms of life. You will find yourselves prepared to adjust to the changes in your lives and the new direcons your journey takes. The calm and contentment you nurture will enable you to support your partner and to help her blossom. From this day forward, your wellbeing is intertwined. Her suffering will be your suffering. Her happiness will be your happiness. Your understanding will be her comfort and her understanding will be yours. Commit yourselves to support and protect this relaonship and delight as your partner’s joy increases your own.

Declaration of Intent In the knowledge of the work of love and the energy you must pour into maintaining it, do you come willingly and freely to be joined in marriage? Please so aﬃrm by saying “I do.” [Bride] and [Bride]: I do.

Reciting of Vows/Handclasping As you planted the tree, you put your hands together for a shared task, as you will for the rest of your lives. These hands and the eﬀort of your shared undertakings are a precious gi. More than any object or visible symbol, these vows and your connecon to each other will enable you to build your home within yourselves and provide you with security wherever your paths may lead. Please take each other’s hands and repeat aer me with one voice. I promise you my loving kindness I promise you my devoon and presence and to show you my love daily

I promise you my compassion I promise to work to understand your experiences and I will mindfully support and grow with you I promise you my sympathec joy I promise to rejoice in your happiness and to generously increase your joy and pleasure I promise you my equanimity I promise to be a calm respite and to culvate stability no maer what life brings Through these four promises, I recognize our oneness and celebrate our marriage

Throughout your life together, remember these vows you have made and hold fast to the hands that will fulﬁll them with you. These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you. These are the hands that will work alongside yours as together you build your future. These are the hands that, through the years, will passionately love you and caress you. These are the hands that will hold you when fear or grief comes to you. These are the hands that will wipe tears of sorrow and joy from your eyes. These are the hands that will tenderly hold your children, the hands that will join your family as one. These are the hands that will give you strength, support, and encouragement to pursue your dreams, and comfort through diﬃcult mes. These are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged will sll be reaching for yours, steadfast and tender.2

Pronouncement of Marriage As you have joined your hands, now you have joined your lives. May your kindness, compassion, shared joy, and tranquility bring you prosperity and peace. Love each other fully and give yourselves to the exploraon of the world you share and the worlds within each other. It is my deep privilege to pronounce you married. Seal your marriage with a joyful kiss! 2 Revised from Blessing of the Hands, revised by Rev. Daniel L. Harris. Found at: "Blessing Of The Hands: A Classic Wedding Ceremony Reading - Bridal Musings". 2019. Bridal Musings. hps://bridalmusings.com/8545/ceremony- reading-blessing-of-the-hands/. Page 3 of 27 Original work by Lily Wells except where stated. © Copyright 2019 Lily Wells hps://www.gatherinhope.com [email protected] (850) 4434777

Thoughtful ceremony for high school sweethearts

Welcome I welcome you this evening and thank you for sharing in celebrang the love of Bride and Groom. This long-awaited day has arrived. Today is not the beginning of your lives together, but a recognion of the companionship and trust you have developed. Enjoy this moment to honor your commitment and to revel in the memories of all you have experienced together.

The values you hold for your marriage have led you to select a reading to be shared by Bride’s sister, [name]. Listen carefully with ancipaon for all that lies ahead.

Reading (by Sister) On Marriage by Khalil Gibran3 Then Almitra spoke again and said, And what of Marriage, master? And he answered saying: You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore. You shall be together when the white wings of death scaer your days. Ay, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God. But let there be spaces in your togetherness, And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.

Love one another, but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Fill each other’s cup but drink not from one cup. Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf. Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone, Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

Give your hearts, but not into each other’s keeping. For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts. And stand together yet not too near together: For the pillars of the temple stand apart, And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.

Marriage Address The oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow. This wisdom is reﬂected in the environment around us. These ancient cypress and their neighboring oaks

3 On Marriage, from The Prophet by Khalil Gibran. Found at: "On Marriage". 2019. Poetry Foundaon. hps://www.poetryfoundaon.org/poems/148576/on-marriage-5bff1692a81b0. Page 4 of 27 Original work by Lily Wells except where stated. © Copyright 2019 Lily Wells hps://www.gatherinhope.com [email protected] (850) 4434777 stand independently, but together create a safe home and supply a rich ecosystem. Together, they have stood witness to the passage of me and the coming and going of so much life. Together, you have experienced so much that life has to offer. You have found meaningful companionship, built and honored trust, and shared both trial and joyful achievement. Marriage is a sacred undertaking, and your cauon in taking this step has given you the me to nurture your relaonship and develop deep respect for one another and communicaon skills that will help you weather all that your journey will bring you through. Your lives together have been unique, offering you the opportunity to bring your home with you, a partnership rooted in your closeness for so many years and your shared upbringing. The path that has brought you here is not what you expected, and your future holds many more surprises. But the faithfulness and passionate support of your partner, proven through many years, will connue to provide a solid foundaon for all the storms life can bring. So too, your lasng love provides the comfort to reach outside of yourselves to achieve more than you ever imagined. Dream with your partner, knowing that they understand you so well. Grow with your partner, knowing that they have learned to live and love together with you. Share every joy with your partner, knowing that you have created memories and so much more together.

Declaration of Intent Bride and Groom, with an understanding of the gravity of this union, and the delight in your devoon to one another, do you come freely and willingly prepared to be united with one another in marriage?

Please so aﬃrm by saying “I do.”

Bride & Groom: I do.

Please join hands and repeat together aer me.

I promise to share my life with you, to be honest and worthy of your trust I promise to learn and grow with you as we pursue new goals and adventures I promise to respect your autonomy and support your dreams I promise to connue to nurture healthy boundaries while trusng you to support me I promise to be conscious of my choices and to aﬃrm our marriage in everything I do

Reciting of Vows The law can recognize the commitment of two people, but only these two can pledge themselves to one another. As you share the vows you have prepared, remember all that you have shared and the moments that have brought you to this commitment. Bride, please share your vows with Groom. Bride: own vows.

Groom, please share your vows with Bride.

Groom: own vows.

Exchanging of Rings May I please have the rings? In addion to the vows you have made before your friends and family, you have chosen to exchange rings to serve as a visible symbol of your love and the promises you have made to each other. These rings will be a constant reminder of the security of your love and that, no maer where your journey takes you, your home will be by each other’s side. The whole story of your lives through this day and beyond will be at hand, echoing through these rings. Groom, please place the ring on Bride’s ﬁnger and repeat aer me: Bride, I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. Wear it always to remind you of our love, our home, and our adventures together. Bride, please place the ring on Groom’s ﬁnger and repeat aer me: Groom, I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. Wear it always to remind you of our love, our home, and our adventures together.

Pronouncement of Marriage Bride and Groom, before your friends and family, you have aﬃrmed the commitment that you began long ago and have renewed each day. You have shared your vows to one another that will guide you as you connue your journey together. You have exchanged rings to remind you of the love that you share and the security you ﬁnd in each other’s arms. Before you lies the rest of your lives and endless discoveries for you to make together. Support one another and share your burdens and joys. Share also your freedom and delight in the uniqueness you each bring to this marriage. Take comfort in the security of your shared history and your mutual aspiraons for renewal and growth.

Having le you with this charge, and witnessed your vows to one another, it is my great privilege and pleasure to pronounce you husband and wife. Seal this marriage now and every moment you can with your kiss. Please allow me to introduce for the ﬁrst me as husband and wife, Mr. Groom and Mrs. Bride! Please celebrate these newlyweds as they pass and shower them with your love and the provided ﬂowers!

Joyful Wedding with Puns, Bowling References, and Inspiration from TV Series The Office

Welcome I welcome you this evening as we celebrate the love of [Bride] and [Groom]. They are so grateful you have come to witness the joining of their lives. Before we get started, I want to remind you all to put your phones away. Aer the wedding, they will share all the photos you could ever want. For now, please focus on this beauful day and the puns I’ve snuck in. Once we are done, you can all have cake and enjoy whatever choreographed dance numbers you have planned. Somemes people wait for years to ﬁnd love they can be sure of. A bad rack or two might slow some down. But since [Groom] ﬁrst met [Bride], he knew she was right up his alley.

[Bride] had found a man who would put her ﬁrst, who would support her plans and celebrate her passion, who would welcome her into his family and his life. She knew that this man would spark her interest and respond to every need with gentle care.

[Groom] had found a woman who would value his work and his wit. He knew that this was the one woman who was going to make life worthwhile. He knew he had to forget about logic and fear and doubt. He knew he had to just jump.4 And so they started their journey together, a journey that has included several road trips and a move here to Tallahassee. All the while, they were learning to love each other deeply.

Marriage Address A marriage is built of love. It is the sacred undertaking that joins two lives on a single path of shared fortunes. Love is not mere aﬀecon, but the choice to seek the wellbeing and pleasure of another as much as your own.

4 Revised from: "The Oﬃce". 2005-2013. TV program. NBC. Page 7 of 27 Original work by Lily Wells except where stated. © Copyright 2019 Lily Wells hps://www.gatherinhope.com [email protected] (850) 4434777

Love is paent, love is kind, love is not envious, it is not boasul, it is not puffed up. It does not act unbecomingly, it does not seek the things of its own, it is not easily provoked, love keeps no account of wrongs. It does not delight at unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.5 Love comes home aer a long night at work and makes sure your lunch is packed and you have a pleasant start to your day before going to bed. Love listens to your troubles and offers wise counsel. Love keeps you grounded and helps you plan for tomorrow. Love becomes part of your family and delights in your tradions. Love makes you feel safe and secure and comforts you through sorrows. Love celebrates when you watch your favorite series for the fiieth me and love makes sure you know you’re funny even when no one else appreciates it. Love and the marriage you are building with it require that you commit to your partner every day. That you share your abundance and your loss. That you communicate freely and wholly, and respond to your partner with tenderness and generosity. This union is not to be entered lightly, and you will work every day of your lives to be beer partners, lovers, and friends.

Unity Ceremony – First Aid To help you remember to nurture your relaonship, and your commitment to an equal partnership in its care, you have chosen to build a First Aid Kit for your marriage. You have selected the items to be included for both their praccal ulity and their representaon of essenal aspects of your partnership. As you place each item into the box, remember that a First Aid Kit is only eﬀecve when it is tended and each component is up to date and funconing. You cannot care for each other if you have not ensured your own wellbeing. Be whole so that you can bring your whole selves to one another. And when you need help, enlist your partner in your healing.

As I name each item, together, place it into the box and consider the ways you have cared for each other and how you will connue to do so.

5 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Revised from several versions for wording. Page 8 of 27 Original work by Lily Wells except where stated. © Copyright 2019 Lily Wells hps://www.gatherinhope.com [email protected] (850) 4434777

First, you have selected a Bible. Let it remind you to look at the map, read the instrucons, and ask for direcons. Seek wisdom outside of yourself and learn from the experiences of others. Be humble in your relaonship, because you are learning together.

Next you have selected Mosquito Repellant. Somemes closeness can foster irritaon. Somemes your partner will just plain bug you. Somemes [Bride] is going to get a giggle out of picking at you. Somemes [Groom] is going to cut up just a bit too much. No, don’t spray each other with bug spray. Remember that each of you has needs that can be hard to verbalize. When your spouse is buzzing in your ear, ask what’s bugging them so they can stop bugging you and start communicang.

You have selected Vitamins to remind you to keep your relaonship healthy. Your love grows from what you feed it. So bring to each other your generosity, tenderness, forgiveness, and gentleness. Share your strength, your passion, and above all, your me.

You have selected an Ace Bandage to remind you to be supporve of one another. Even when it is challenging, your partner needs your encouragement, your compassion, and your respect. Be consistent in your aﬀecon and empathy. Upli your partner with hope and investment in your shared future.

You have selected Tape to remind you to sck together. Your partner is your advocate, your champion, your sounding board, and your respite. Be open and honest with one another. Nurture your communicaon for it is the foundaon of all you share.

You have chosen a Candle to remind you to seek light even when the world feels darkest. Hold fast to hope and work together to fulﬁll the promise of tomorrow.

You have chosen a Stethoscope to remind you that your partner’s honest communicaon depends on your commitment to listen with empathy, constancy, and forgiveness. Be trustworthy and Page 9 of 27 Original work by Lily Wells except where stated. © Copyright 2019 Lily Wells hps://www.gatherinhope.com [email protected] (850) 4434777

demonstrate your integrity so that your partner will feel safe opening up with you.

You have chosen Scissors to remind you to cut negavity from your marriage. You should not engage in false posivity, for it is important to honestly confront life’s troubles. But remove destrucve inﬂuences that distract you from caring for one another and reaching your goals together.

You have chosen a Blanket to remind you to bring warmth to your partner’s life and to embrace the comfort your partner oﬀers you. Relish the pleasure and contentment in each other’s embrace.

You have selected an Ice Pack to remind you to keep your cool. Life brings struggle, and disagreement is normal. Pracce temperance and be calm and respecul in your interacons. When you have resolved your diﬀerences, how you have treated each other will bring comfort instead of resentment.

You have selected a Band-aid to remind you to help each other to solve problems. With humility, empathy, and humor, idenfy and tackle challenges together. Share tasks and allow each other to contribute according to your individual gis.

Declaration of Intent Now that you have all the tools you need for a smooth approach to this adventure together and knowing the gravity of the commitment you make today. [Bride] and [Groom], do you come freely and willingly, prepared to be united with one another in marriage? Please so aﬃrm by saying “I do.”

[Bride] & [Groom]: I do.

Reciting of Vows The law can recognize the commitment of two people, but only these two can pledge themselves to one another. These vows you are about to share represent the love you have nurtured and what you

value most in each other. As you read (OR repeat) these to each other, remember all the moments-- serious, tender, and silly--that have brought you to this place.

[Bride], please commit your vows to [Groom] [Bride]: I am so thankful to be part of your life and to become your family I promise to provide you with safety and security I promise to share my plans and dreams and to help you achieve yours I promise to comfort you when hardship and pain visit I promise to annoy you for the rest of my life I promise not to leave you if you shave your beard

[Groom], please commit your vows to [Bride] [Groom]: I am so thankful to be part of your life and to become your family I promise to provide you with safety and security I promise to share my plans and dreams and to help you achieve yours I promise to comfort you when hardship and pain visit I promise to annoy you for the rest of my life I promise not to leave you if you grow a beard

Exchanging of Rings In addion to the vows you have made before your friends and family, you have chosen to exchange rings to serve as a visible symbol of your love and the promises you have made to each other. These rings are formed through the fusion of metals with fire6. Gold is purified and combined with other precious metals to create something beauful but stronger than gold alone. Regard them as the first of many gis your beloved will give you in celebraon of your strength together.

6 Inspired by: : "The Oﬃce". 2005-2013. TV program. NBC. Page 11 of 27 Original work by Lily Wells except where stated. © Copyright 2019 Lily Wells hps://www.gatherinhope.com [email protected] (850) 4434777

[Bride], please repeat aer me. [Groom], I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. Wear it always and remember that together we will overcome all obstacles before us.

[Groom], please repeat aer me. [Bride], I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. Wear it always and remember that together we will overcome all obstacles before us.

Pronouncement of Marriage [Groom] and [Bride], through your love and commitment you will be stronger and more resilient to the challenges life brings. With every obstacle you face, remember that there's only one thing that outweighs every other concern. One thing that will make you give up on everything you thought you knew, every insnct, every raonal calculaon—love.7 That love brought you to this altar and started you on your journey. No one can know where it is going. Refer to your First Aid Kit and, together, build the hope that will help you ﬁnd your desnaon along the way.

Having le you with this charge, and witnessed your vows to one another, it is my great privilege and pleasure to pronounce you husband and wife.

You may now kiss your bride!

Please allow me to be the ﬁrst to introduce Mr. and Mrs. [Groom] and [Bride]. Hail State!

7 Quoted from: "The Oﬃce". 2005-2013. TV program. NBC. Page 12 of 27 Original work by Lily Wells except where stated. © Copyright 2019 Lily Wells hps://www.gatherinhope.com [email protected] (850) 4434777

Intellectual wedding held in a library

Welcome Dear friends and family, it is with joy that we gather today to recognize the devoon that [Groom] and [Bride] hold for one another and to solemnize the lasng commitment they enter into on this day.

Declaration of Intent Through the millennia of human history, marriage has transformed in its meaning. The nature and degree of the social and legal obligaons required of a couple have shied and grown. Yet, through these transformaons, a sacred mystery has been created. Marriage is more than two people standing together. It is an entwining. A dance. A new future formed by the elecon of two people to build their relaonship as a sacred and separate place. This union forever changes each partner and forever changes their chosen community. More than that, the unions we create change the very fabric of the universe. The energy expended in laugh and love, the moon of bodies in touch and toil, these shi and change the bits and spaces that create everything around us. Beyond me, when a new universe exists with new dimensions we can scarcely imagine, there will not even be the soest whisper of human history. And yet the very nature of that universe will echo with your embrace. The moon of every parcle that will ever be is altered because you were two.

Reading Pablo Neruda Sonnet XVII I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz, or the arrow of carnaons the ﬁre shoots oﬀ. I love you as certain dark things are to be loved, in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that never blooms but carries in itself the light of hidden ﬂowers; thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance, risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you straighorwardly, without complexies or pride; so I love you because I know no other way

than this: where I does not exist, nor you, so close that your hand on my chest is my hand, so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.8

Marriage Address Marriage is a vital social instuon. The exclusive commitment of two individuals to each other nurtures love and mutual support; it brings stability to our society. For those who choose to marry, marriage provides an abundance of legal, financial, and social benefits. In return it imposes weighty legal, financial, and social obligaons. Without queson, civil marriage enhances the welfare of the community. It is a social instuon of the highest importance. Marriage also bestows enormous private and social advantages on those who choose to marry. Civil marriage is at once a deeply personal commitment to another human being and a highly public celebraon of the ideals of mutuality, companionship, inmacy, fidelity, and family. It is an associaon that promotes a way of life, not causes; a harmony in living, not polical faiths; a bilateral loyalty, not commercial or social projects. Because it fulfills yearnings for security, safe haven, and connecon that express our common humanity, civil marriage is an esteemed instuon, and the decision whether and whom to marry is among life’s momentous acts of self-definion. It is undoubtedly for these concrete reasons, as well as for its inmately personal significance, that civil marriage has long been termed a “civil right.” … Without the right to marry — or more properly, the right to choose to marry — one is excluded from the full range of human experience. [And] the right to marry means lile if it does not include the right to marry the person of one’s choice. That couples are willing to embrace marriage’s solemn obligaons of exclusivity, mutual support, and commitment to one another is a testament to the enduring place of marriage in our laws and in the human spirit. [Bride] and [Groom], I implore you to recognize the fullness of the promises you will make today and

8 Pablo Neruda, “One Hundred Love Sonnets: XVII” from: Eisner, Mark. 2004. The Essenal Neruda: Selected Poems. City Light Books. Page 14 of 27 Original work by Lily Wells except where stated. © Copyright 2019 Lily Wells hps://www.gatherinhope.com [email protected] (850) 4434777

the communion of privilege and responsibility into which you are about to enter. These vows are not to be taken lightly. The beneﬁts and obligaons they entail have cost the lives and livelihoods of many who have sought to ensure this instuon be deﬁned by those willing partners who enter into it.

Reciting of Vows [Couple wrote own vows]

Exchanging of Rings Plato referred to the ancient need to find one’s other half. He described that humans once had four arms and four legs and two faces. In fear of the power these beings possessed, the gods divided the humans in half. Aer the division the two parts of each, desiring the other half, came together, and throwing their arms about one another, entwined in mutual embraces, longing to grow into one. So ancient is the desire of one another which is implanted in us, reuning our original nature, making one of two, and healing the state of humankind. And when one of us meets our other half, we are lost in an amazement of love, friendship, and inmacy.9 These rings you have chosen are a symbol of the decision you have made to intertwine your lives and grow together. They will act as a reminder of your commitment to each other and of the safety found in each other’s arms. [Groom], please take the ring you have selected and place it on the third finger of [Bride]’s le hand and repeat aer me. I give you this ring as a symbol of my affecon and as a reminder of my devoon. I choose you to be my partner, my lover, my friend. Wear it and remember my promise to place your needs before my own and our love first in my heart. With this ring, I take you to be my confidante and my partner for life.

[Bride], please take the ring you have selected and place it on the third ﬁnger of [Groom]’s le hand and repeat aer me. I give you this ring as a symbol of my aﬀecon and as a reminder of my devoon. I choose you to be my

9 Inspired by: Plato. The Symposium ; And, The Phaedrus : Plato's Eroc Dialogues. Albany :State University of New York Press, 1993. Page 15 of 27 Original work by Lily Wells except where stated. © Copyright 2019 Lily Wells hps://www.gatherinhope.com [email protected] (850) 4434777

partner, my lover, my friend. Wear it and remember my promise to place your needs before my own and our love ﬁrst in my heart. With this ring, I take you to be my conﬁdante and my partner for life.

Pronouncement of Marriage [Groom] and [Bride], since you have consented together in matrimony and have pledged yourselves to each other by your solemn vows, by the giving of rings, and by declaring your commitment of love before these witnesses, I now pronounce you husband and wife!

Fandom-inspired wedding in a secluded wood

Welcome We gather in evening at the joining of moon, stars, and sun to solemnize the commitment of [Bride] and [Groom] in marriage. On this day you have chosen to join your lives in the seclusion of the forest because you recognize that while others may celebrate your love, only you have built it, only you can nurture it, only you can preserve it.

Marriage Address Passion seeds love, but it is communicaon, kindness, truthfulness, and presence that builds love, stone by stone10 into a stronghold for your hearts. Forfy your love with thoughul care so that your love will be strong and your union will last. You have chosen each other as partners. Honor that partnership by communicang openly to solve the challenges of life together. What has been impossible for either of you alone, you are now empowered to face. There is a way out of every box, a soluon to every puzzle; it’s just a maer of ﬁnding it… within each other. Things are only impossible unl they’re not;11 when you create a soluon together. Even with deep communicaon, some challenges may defeat you. In these mes, your kindness and tenderness toward each other will sustain you through the hardest days. It is possible to commit no mistake and sll lose. That is not weakness; that is life.12 Hold each other blameless against the trials of the world and pracce kindness to give comfort in mes of failure. From me to me though, your partner will bear fault for your pain. In those mes, honesty, not just for the wrongdoing, but also for the feelings of harm will be the path to restoring your faith in each other. Such truthfulness and vulnerability requires pracce. For while mes are good, it is easy to believe that your love carries itself without eﬀort. But it’s easy to confuse what is with what ought to

10 Quoted from:: "Game of Thrones". 2011-2019. TV program. HBO. 11 Quoted from: "Star Trek: The Next Generaon". 1987-1994. TV program. Paramount Television. 12 Ibid. Page 17 of 27 Original work by Lily Wells except where stated. © Copyright 2021 Lily Wells hps://www.gatherinhope.com [email protected] (850) 4434777

be,13 especially when what is has worked out in your favor. Nurturing truthfulness will strengthen your communicaon and enable you to uncover and share the core of insecuries beneath the sharpest hurts. Then you will experience the wisdom that somemes it is best to return injusce with mercy.14 Returning kindness for hurt will heal the chasm and restore your love. The pracce of daily communicaon, kindness, and truthfulness will enable you to focus importance on the present and understand one another in the experiences of each moment. In that understanding, you will be able to soothe each other’s fears and provide comfort in every word and touch. Fear of what may be or what may unravel is the enemy of your love. Swi as deer. Quiet as shadow. Fear cuts deeper than swords15. By engaging in every moment as the most important, you will ﬁnd that power resides where you believe it resides. It’s a trick, a shadow on the wall. 16But together you can learn to place power in what serves your union--in your pracce of loving each other.

Declaration of Intent So with the knowledge of the gravity of this commitment, are you both prepared to promise each other your communicaon, kindness, truthfulness, and presence as you enter this sacred union? (We are.)

Affirmation of Vows Then I ask you, [Bride], do you take this man [Groom] to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love and cherish as your sun and stars17? (I do.) Do you, [Groom], take this woman [Bride] to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love and cherish as moon of your life18? (I do.)

13 Quoted from: "Game of Thrones". 2011-2019. TV program. HBO. 14 Ibid. 15 Ibid. 16 Ibid. 17 Ibid. 18 Ibid. Page 18 of 27 Original work by Lily Wells except where stated. © Copyright 2021 Lily Wells hps://www.gatherinhope.com [email protected] (850) 4434777

Pronouncement of Marriage With these vows, you have commied yourselves to each other. I charge you to go forth from this place together, challenge each other to grow as people, to selﬂessly care for each other, to support the other in what brings them joy, and to build each other up in the face of their self-doubt. Set a course for exploraon, discovery, and pleasure as husband and wife. Make it so. 19

19 Quoted from: "Star Trek: The Next Generaon". 1987-1994. TV program. Paramount Television. Page 19 of 27 Original work by Lily Wells except where stated. © Copyright 2021 Lily Wells hps://www.gatherinhope.com [email protected] (850) 4434777

Wedding balancing tradition and adventure

Welcome I welcome you this evening to this place where music emboldens so many to express their deepest emoons. We come together to witness the depth of the love that [Bride] and [Groom] hold for each other, to celebrate their devoon, and to oﬀer our fellowship as they solemnize their union. The sacred task for which we have gathered requires full and reverent presence. Thus, leave aside all every-day worries and set your mind on the mysteries of love and the joyous adventure that has brought us together.

Marriage Address Marriage is a sacred undertaking. It is the public consecraon of private devoon. It is not merely a statement of affecon, but the commitment to leave a life seeking one’s own goals to be united on a path of shared abundance or shared want. Marriage, like life, carries grave risk. It also offers deep and fulfilling rewards. The union you enter today is not a binding but a liberaon, for from this day, none of what will come will be yours to carry alone. From this day, you will always be together. Therefore, I charge you to allow that togetherness to make you full. Together, become accustomed to courage, for you no longer face challenges alone. Together, be bold and creave, for your champion is by your side. Together, let go of midity and reservaon, for this sacred bond frees you unto each other. Together, give yourselves to pleasure and contentment, for your lover has chosen your embrace. Follow your hearts and meet each other in both paradise and wilderness, for your shelter and your joy is in the one you have chosen to walk beside you.

Recognition of Family All those who have joined here today as well as all those unable to be with us have provided [Bride] and [Groom] with examples of friendship, love, honor, and faithfulness. These examples have led them to seek within one another partnership for a lifeme. Page 20 of 27 Original work by Lily Wells except where stated. © Copyright 2021 Lily Wells hps://www.gatherinhope.com [email protected] (850) 4434777

No one more greatly bears the responsibility and privilege of guiding these two than their parents. Your care and love culminates in this moment as your children create their own family through marriage. Your presence today demonstrates your commitment to connue to support [Bride] and [Groom] in their journey together and to love and nurture the family they intend to build.

Affirmation of Support It is through the nurturing and support of our friends and family that we are empowered to love and care for one another. I am thankful that each of you have come on this day to demonstrate your enduring support for [Bride] and [Groom]. I call upon you to aﬃrm your blessings for this new family. Will you encourage [Bride] and [Groom] as they embark on this new adventure together? Will you counsel them as their love grows? Will you advocate for their future and their dreams? Will you honor their commitment to one another and seek to strengthen their marriage in all your interacons with them? Please aﬃrm by saying: “We will.” GUESTS SAY: We will

Declaration of Intent [Bride] and [Groom], with an understanding of the seriousness of this union and having been blessed by the aﬃrmaon of your family and friends, do you come freely and willingly this day, prepared to commit your hearts and lives to one another and be united in marriage? Please so aﬃrm by saying “We do.” [BRIDE] AND [GROOM]: We do

Reciting of Vows The law can recognize the commitment of two people, but only these two can pledge themselves to one another. These vows you are about to share represent what you value in your relaonship and all that will strengthen you on your journey together. As you repeat these words to each other, remember also the promises you have shared in secret. In moments of hardship. In moments of joy. In moments

of passion. Those promises are essenal to your love, and your faithfulness to them will sustain you as much as these public commitments. Please face one another and take the hands of your beloved as you commit yourself to this wondrous adventure.

[Groom], please repeat aer me: [Bride], I take you to be my wife and oﬀer myself as your husband. I give you my heart, my respect, and my passion. I will care for you tenderly, thoughully creang moments that show how much I cherish you and the memories we have culvated. I will be generous with my me, my resources, and myself. I will seek your perspecve and shared understanding as we learn and grow together. I promise you kindness, forgiveness, and gentleness as I provide you with security wherever we ﬁnd ourselves. I promise to love you each and every day as we pursue new adventures and build our family. I will cling to you so long as I draw breath. I pledge you this and all the secret vows we share.

[Bride], please repeat aer me: [Groom], I take you to be my husband and oﬀer myself as your wife. I give you my heart, my respect, and my passion. I will care for you tenderly, thoughully creang moments that show how much I cherish you and the memories we have culvated. I will be generous with my me, my resources, and myself. I will seek your perspecve and shared understanding as we learn and grow together. I promise you kindness, forgiveness, and gentleness as I provide you with security wherever we ﬁnd ourselves. I promise to love you each and every day as we pursue new adventures and build our family. I will cling to you so long as I draw breath. I pledge you this and all the secret vows we share.

Exchanging of Rings In addion to the vows you have made before your friends and family, you have chosen to exchange rings to serve as a visible symbol of your love and the promises you have made to each other. These rings will be a constant reminder of the love and safety your partner oﬀers you. They will remind you of the adventures you have shared. They will remind you of the goals you seek to achieve together. Regard them as the ﬁrst of many gis your beloved will give you in celebraon of your love. Page 22 of 27 Original work by Lily Wells except where stated. © Copyright 2021 Lily Wells hps://www.gatherinhope.com [email protected] (850) 4434777

[Groom], please repeat aer me: [Bride], I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. Wear it always to remind you that I will be by your side through whatever life brings. [Bride], please repeat aer me: [Groom], I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. Wear it always to remind you that I will be by your side through whatever life brings.

Pronouncement of Marriage [Bride] and [Groom], your love brought you to this altar. Your hope led you to share these promises. When you leave this place, remember the rings you have exchanged, the vows you have made, and the encouragement of your family and friends. Before you lies a great adventure. Seek to uncover the mysteries within each other, for you will find the courage, boldness, liberaon, and pleasure to sustain your relaonship and to culvate personal capacity and abundance. Be transformed, together. Then, go forth to discover truth and treasure and share selflessly with your spouse all you find. When life presents hardship, use those moments to create an expectaon of comfort and a promise of beer days. Your burdens will always be lighter and your achievements will always be more triumphant because they are shared. Having le you with this charge, and witnessed your vows to one another, it is my great privilege and pleasure to pronounce you husband and wife. Seal this marriage now and every moment you can with your kiss.

Wedding with a cup of sugar and a pinch of pastry puns

Welcome We are here on this beauful morning to celebrate the dawn of [Bride] and [Groom]’s new life together. Morning is a perfect me to solemnize your love, to rejoice in the renewal of hope your love has given you. Through one another, you have found more than just companionship; you have each found a partner to support you as you seek to build a beer life, full of promise, stability, and comfort. On this day you have chosen to join your lives in the seclusion of this place because you recognize that while others may celebrate your love, only you have built it, only you can nurture it, only you can preserve it.

Marriage Address Marriage is a sacred undertaking. It is the public consecraon of private devoon. Marriage is not a mere statement of aﬀecon, but the commitment to fold your lives together, to share abundance and want, bloom or burn. The union you enter into today is not a binding but a liberaon, for from this day, none of what will come will be yours to bear alone. Your lives began with hardship, but together, you have proven equal to the task of rising above the challenges life brings. Your connecon has enabled you to become resilient, to not just grow and learn, but to spring back when life punches you down. A love that strengthens and matures is a rare gi. Culvate this relaonship. Devote to one another consistency and care. Strive to ease one-another’s troubles, advance shared understanding, work together to increase the beauty in the world, and bring more life to the life you share. This is the work of love and it requires that you each care for and nourish yourselves, so that you can give your whole selves to your endeavors and share your whole self with your spouse. But to be nourished, you must ﬁnd your home. [Bride] and [Groom], when you met, you found the what you were looking for in each other. Your embrace is home. Let this home empower you to explore and to love. Let this love be a foundaon to build a life full of layers, richness, and sweetness.

Declaration of Intent [Bride] and [Groom], with an understanding of the gravity of this union, do you come freely and willingly prepared to be united with one another in marriage? Please so aﬃrm by saying “I do.” [Bride] & [Groom]: I do.

Reciting of Vows The law can recognize the commitment of two people, but only you two can pledge yourselves to one another. As you speak these promises, rejoice in the assurance that your lover has chosen your embrace and your champion will be by your side forever.

[Groom], please repeat aer me. [Bride], I take you to be my wife, and I offer myself as your husband. I promise to share myself with you, to be honest and faithful and worthy of your trust I will be generous with my me, my resources, and myself I promise to be your safe place and your respite I will create with you a home filled with learning, laughter, and compassion I will seek to fill our days with magical moments and adventure I promise to put the full measure of my passion to give you a life of sweetness and laughter I will work with you to overcome all obstacles before us I promise you will always be my favorite catch

[Bride], please repeat aer me. [Groom], I take you to be my husband, and I oﬀer myself as your wife. I promise to share myself with you, to be honest and faithful and worthy of your trust I will be generous with my me, my resources, and myself I promise to be your safe place and your respite I will create with you a home ﬁlled with learning, laughter, and compassion

I will seek to ﬁll our days with magical moments and adventure I promise to put the full measure of my creavity to give you a life of sweetness and laughter I will work with you to overcome all obstacles before us I promise you will always be my favorite catch

Exchanging of Rings You have chosen to exchange rings to serve as a visible symbol of your love and the promises you have made to each other. Regard them as the ﬁrst of many gis your beloved will give you in celebraon of your strength together. [Bride], please repeat aer me. [Groom], I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. Wear it always and remember there is nothing we can’t accomplish together and nowhere life will take you that I won’t be by your side. [Groom], please repeat aer me. [Bride], I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. Wear it always and remember there is nothing we can’t accomplish together and nowhere life will take you that I won’t be by your side.

Pronouncement of Marriage [Bride] and [Groom], in the quiet of this morning, you have begun to braid your lives together. You have shared your vows to one another. You have exchanged rings to remind you of the love that you share and the security and pleasure you find in each other’s arms. Go forth from this place together, be the warmth you each need to grow as people, to selflessly care for each other, to support the other in what brings them joy, and to build each other up in the face of their self-doubt. Allow yourself to knead your spouse. Let your relaonship give you the strength to share your compassion with others and the confidence to demand goodness and happiness in return. Create the comfort you seek and rely upon each other when the world feels bigger than your resolve. Remember Page 26 of 27 Original work by Lily Wells except where stated. © Copyright 2021 Lily Wells hps://www.gatherinhope.com [email protected] (850) 4434777 that seized chocolate is sll delicious and if your partner is short with you, you can always make them into a pie. Embrace your zest for life and build your dreams together. Love each other fully. Before you lies the rest of your lives and endless discoveries for you to make together. Support one another and share your burdens and joys. Most importantly, delight in the sweetness of your love. Your burdens will always be lighter and your achievements will always be more triumphant because they are shared.