Special Ceremonies

Congratulations!

You are planning the event that will change your life! Everyone dreams of the perfect, magical wedding. And while it is ALWAYS a lot of work to plan and prepare for, it can be a time of great joy and fulfillment with the proper planning. On this page you will find many free and helpful resources that will assist you in your journey to your special day. I hope that you find them useful!

On this page you will find an assortment of readings and poetry. I hope that it is of use to you. Your local library will also have an assortment of books from which you can draw. Or, you could be a complete romantic and write a tribute of your own.

Arranging Floral Centerpieces

Art of Marriage

The little things are the big 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;
the courtship should not end with the honeymoon,
it should continue through all the years.

It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives.
It is standing together facing the world.
It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family.
It is doing things for each other, not in the attitude
of duty or sacrifice,
but in the spirit of joy.

It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating
gratitude in thoughtful ways.
It is not expecting the husband to wear a halo or the wife to have wings of an
angel.
It is not looking for perfection in each other.

It is cultivating flexibility, patience, understanding and a
sense of humor.
It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.
It is giving each other an atmosphere in
which each can grow.

It is finding room for the things of the spirit.
It is a common search for the good and
the beautiful.
It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal, dependence is mutual and
the obligation is reciprocal.
It is not only marrying the right partner,
it is being the right partner.

Celebration of Marriage

Marriage is a supreme sharing of experience, and an adventure in the most intimate of human relationships. It is the joyous union of two people whose comradeship and mutual understanding have flowered in romance. Today ___________ and__________ proclaim their love and commitment to the world, and we gather here to rejoice, with and for them, in the new life they now undertake together.

The joy we feel now is a solemn joy, because the act of marriage has many consequences, both social and personal. Marriage requires "love," a word we often use with vagueness and sentimentality. We may assume that love is some rare and mystical event, when in fact it is our natural state of being.

So what do we mean by love? When we love, we see things other people do not see. We see beneath the surface, to the qualities which make our beloved special and unique. To see with loving eyes, is to know inner beauty. And to be loved is to be seen, and known, as we are known to no other. One who loves us, gives us a unique gift: a piece of ourselves, but a piece that only they could give us.

We who love, can look at each other's life and say, "I touched his life," or, "I touched her life," just as an artist might say, "I touched this canvas." "Those brushstrokes in the comer of this magnificent mural, those are mine. I was a part of this life, and it is a part of me." Marriage is to belong to each other through a unique and diverse collaboration, like two threads crossing in different directions, yet weaving one tapestry together.

The secret of love and marriage is similar to that of religion itself. It is the emergence of the larger self. It is the finding of one's life by losing it. Such is the privilege of husband and wife - to be each himself, herself and yet another; to face the world strong, with the courage of two.

To make this relationship work, therefore, takes more than love. It takes trust, to know in your hearts that you want only the best for each other. It takes dedication, to stay open to one another, to learn and grow, even when it is difficult to do so. And it takes faith, to go forward together without knowing what the future holds for you both. While love is our natural state of being, these other qualities are not as easy to come by. They are not a destination, but a journey.

The true art of married life is in this an inner spiritual journey. It is a mutual enrichment, a give and take between two personalities, a mingling of two endowments which diminishes neither, but enhances both.

Kahlil Gibran on Marriage

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 scatter 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.

Renewal Vows (group 1)

The word renaissance means rebirth;
today we celebrate the rebirth of our commitment
before this honored gathering.
(Name), with full confidence in the solid anchor of our love,
I take you once again as my (husband/wife).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once before I have stood with you before family and friends;
once again I take your hand as my partner.
(Name), I take you this day and for all days as my (husband/wife)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I believe in this marriage more strongly than ever.
(Name), it is with joy born of experience and trust
that I commit myself once again to be your (husband/wife)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Perhaps the only thing truer than one's first love
is to recommit to that love before family and friends.
(Name), you were and are my love for life;
I take you from this day forward as my (husband/wife)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I, (name), give to you, (name), a new promise and yet not so new;
a new (husband/wife), and yet not so new;
and a new affirmation of love from the heart that has loved you for (x) years
and will love you for as many more as God allots to it.

Ceremony Readings
(to be read by family and friends)

You are now taking into your care and keeping the happiness of the one person in all the world whom you love 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 to share love.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

George Eliot

What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined for life, to strengthen each other in all labor, to rest on each other in sorrow, to minister to each other in all pain, to be with each other in silent unspeakable memories at the moment of the last parting?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I should like at this time, to try to speak of some of the things which many of us wish for the both of you. We wish for you a home, not a place of stone and wood, but an island of peace, a place from which you will receive strength and support that stays and carries with you throughout your daily lives. We hope that your home encompasses the beauty of nature, that has within it the elements of simplicity, beauty, silence, and color, in concordance with your dreams and aspirations. We wish for you a home of books, poetry and music, a home with all the things which represent the highest of both men and women.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marriage is the most important of all earthly relationships. It should be entered into reverently, thoughtfully and with full understanding of its sacred nature. Marriage is a gift of god, given to comfort the sorrow of life and magnify the joys.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Love is always patient and kind, it is never jealous, love is never boastful or conceited, it is never rude or selfish, it does not take offense, and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasures in other people's sins but delights in the truth, it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes. Love does not come to an end.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marriage is the clasping of hands, the blending of hearts, the union of two lives as one. Your marriage must stand, not by the authority of the state nor by the words of the minister, but by the strength of your love and the power of faith in each other and in God.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It should never be said of either of you that you show more concern for a friend than you do for each other. More kindness, gentleness, and concern needs to be shown in the privacy of your own home than anywhere else. Indeed, your home should be a haven from all the confusion and craziness the world will create. And faith fullness to each other in every way is the primary ingredient that will keep all those aforementioned virtues in order and produce the joy you seek at this altar.

Ceremony Readings
(to be read by family and friends)

May this man and this woman be a blessing and comfort to each other, sharers of each their dreams, consoler to each others sorrows, helpers to each other in all life's vicissitudes. May they encourage each other in what ever they set out to achieve. May they trust each other, trust life and be unafraid. May they love each other and offer love and support to those around them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

May your marriage bring you all of the exquisite excitement a marriage should bring. And may life grant you also patience, tolerance, and understanding.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marriage is not only a commitment between lovers, it is also an agreement between two friends. Allow each other time to be an individual, respect each other's wishes as well as their dreams.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Name) and (Name) nothing is easier than saying words and nothing is harder than living them day after day after day. What you promise today, must be renewed and decided again tomorrow, and tomorrow after that and the tomorrow after that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Marriage is for more than an exchange of vows. It is the foundation of the family, mankind's basic unit of society, the hope of the world and the strength of our country. It is the relationship between ourselves and the generations to follow."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A marriage which really works is one which works for others. Marriage has both a private face and a public importance. If we solved all our economic problems and failed to build loving families, it would profit us nothing, because the family is the place where the future is created good and full of love-or deformed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Those who are married live happily ever after the wedding day if they persevere in the real adventure which is the royal task of creating each other and creating a more loving world. This is true of every man and every woman undertaking marriage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Name) and (Name), you are about to make promises to one another. Today, these vows are beautiful words representing even more beautiful intentions. But you will find that as you
live these vows over the years, investing your time an d your love and your commitment to one another, the happy times of your life will be twice as joyous, because there will be someone to share those joy with. And when life gets tough, it will only be half as bad, because there will be someone by your side to help
carry the burden. For those times when life presents all of us with challenges, I would like to offer you the serenity prayer to remember: God grant me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Passages from Scriptures

Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient; love is kind and envies no one. Love is never boastful, nor conceited, nor rude; never selfish, not quick to take offense. Love keeps no score of wrongs; does not gloat over other men's sins, but delights in the truth. There is nothing love can not face; there is no limit to its faith, its hope, and its endurance.

Genesis 1:28
And God blessed them, and Gold said unto them,
Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it.

Genesis 2:18-24
And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be along; I will make him a help mate for him. And out of the group, the Lord God formed every beast in the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all the cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found a help mate for him. And the Lord caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; and the rib, which the Lord God has taken from the man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and the flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Braham-Sutra
When the one man loves the one woman and the one woman loves the one man, the very angels desert heaven and sit in that hour and sing for joy.

John 15:9-12
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, and abide in his love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commendment: That ye love one another as I have loved you.

Psalm 128:1-4
Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labor of thine hands; happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house, thy children like olive plants round about thy table. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.

Mark 10:6-9
From the beginning of creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; and they shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

I Ching
When two people are at one in their inmost hearts, they shatter even the strength of iron or of bronze.

Talmud (Ketubot 8)
Blessed art though, O Lord, King of the Universe, who created mirth and joy, bridegroom and bride, gladness, jubilation, dancing, and delight, love and brotherhood, peace and fellowship. Quickly, O Lord our God, may the sound of mirth and joy be heard in the streets of Judah and Jerusalem, the voice of bridegroom and bride, jubilant voices of bridegrooms from their canopies and youths from the feasts of song. Blessed art though, O Lord, who makes the bridegroom rejoice with the bride.

Ephesians
Submit yourselves one to another as the fear of God. Wives, show reverence for your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church and He is the savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own
Husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wife, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by
the word; that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkles or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own body; He that loves his wife loves himself.
For no man ever yet hateth his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord the church. For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is a profound one and I am saying this as it refers to Christ and the Church; however, let husband love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respect her husband."

Renewal of Commitment

I call upon those here present, to witness, that I renew the gift of myself to you, which I first made, when Christ Our Lord bound us together on our Wedding Day I renew my loving promise to you. I promise to be true to you, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honour you, all the days of my life. I am sorry for any want of love, any selfishness, any times I have sinned against our marriage. I promise, for the time to come, to give myself in love, to both you and our children, trusting in Christ Our Lord, who lives in our home. AMEN The husband then blesses his wife and children, laying his hands on them. May the Lord bless you and keep you - Amen May His face shine upon you and be generous to you - Amen May He look upon you with kindness and give you His peace - Amen May Almighty God bless you, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - Amen

The Prophet

" Love one another, but make not a bond of that love. Let it rather be like a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
And stand together, and yet not too near together. For even the pillars of the temple must stand apart; and the oak tree and the cypress will not grow in each other's shadow. Remember that love gives nothing but from itself. Love possesses not, nor would it be possessed, for love is sufficient unto love. And think not that you can direct the course of love. For love, if it finds you worthy, will direct your course."

Passages written by William Shakespeare

…Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or Bends with the remover to remove.
O, no! It is an ever-fixed mark,
That looks on tempests and is never shaken.
It is the star to every wandering bark,
whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So they lov'd as love in twain
Had the essence but in one;
Two distinct, divisions none…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My bounty is as deep boundless as the sea. My love as deep;
The more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One half of me is yours, the other half yours-
Mine own, I would say; but if mine, then yours,
And so all yours!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Love comforteth like sunshine after rain.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Love sought is good, but given unsought is better.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Such is my love, to thee I so belong,
That for thy right myself will bear all wrong.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For thy sweet love remember'd such Wealth brings,
That then I scorn to change my state with kings