The Ceremony
We have come here in celebration of the joining together of Jennifer and Michael. There are many things to say about marriage. Much wisdom concerning the joining together of two souls has come our way through all paths of belief, and from many cultures. With each union, more knowledge is gained and more wisdom gathered. Though we are unable to give all this knowledge to these two, who stand before us, we can hope to leave with them the knowledge of love and its strengths and the anticipation of the wisdom that comes with time. The law of life is love unto all beings. Without love, life is nothing, without love, death has no redemption. If we learn no more in life, let it be this. Marriage is a bond to be entered into only after considerable thought and reflection. As with any aspect of life, it has its cycles, its trials and its triumphs. With full understanding of this, Michael and Jennifer have come here today to be joined as one in marriage.
Amanda and Pete
Jason and Alison
Jesse and Gwen
DJ and Katherine
Andy and Mariann
The Blessings
In times past it was believed that the human soul shared characteristics with all things divine. It is this belief which assigned virtues to the cardinal directions; East, South, West and North. It is in this tradition that a blessing is offered in support of this ceremony.
East - Air
Blessed be this union with the gifts of the East;
Communication of the heart, mind, and body,
Fresh beginnings with the rising of each Sun,
The knowledge of the growth found in the sharing of silences.
West - Water
Blessed be this union with the gifts of the West;
The deep commitments of the lake,
The swift excitement of the river,
The refreshing cleansing of the rain,
The all - encompassing passion of the sea.
South - Fire
Blessed be this union with the gifts of the South;
Warmth of hearth and home,
The heat of the heart's passion,
The light created by both to lighten the darkest of times.
North - Earth
Blessed be this union with the gifts of the North;
The firm foundation on which to build,
The fertility of the fields to enrich your lives,
A stable home to which you may always return.
Above you are the stars, below you are the stones, as time passes, remember... Like a stone should your love be firm; like a star should your love be constant. Let the powers of the mind and of the intellect guide you in your marriage, let the strength of your wills bind you together, let the power of love and desire make you happy, and the strength of your dedication make you inseparable. Have patience with one another, for storms will come, but they will pass quickly. Be free in giving affection and warmth. Have no fear and let not the ways of the unenlightened give you unease, for god is with you always.
The Exchange of Rings
Michael, I have not the right to bind thee to Jennifer, only you have this right.
If it be your wish, say so at this time and place your ring in her hand.
Jennifer, if it be your wish for Michael to be bound to you, place the ring on his finger.
The Handfasting
Will you share each other's pain and seek to ease it?
And so the binding is made.
Will you share the burdens of each so that your spirits may grow in this union?
And so the binding is made.
Will you take the heat of anger and use it to temper the strength of this union?
And so the binding is made.
Will you share in one another’s laughter, will both of you look for the brightness in life and the positive in each other?
And so the binding is made.
Will you dream together to create new realities and hopes?
And so the binding is made.
Will you seek to never give cause to break your honor?
And so the binding is made.
The lover's knot, or knot of destiny, will now be tied by in the name of Love.. With this cord, I bind you to the vows that you each have made. As your hands are bound together now, so your lives and spirits are joined in a union of joy, love, trust, and mutual support. This bond I draw between you: That though you are parted in mind or in body, there will be a call in the core of you, one to the other, to which no one else will answer. The knots of this binding are formed not by these chords but instead by your vows. Either of you may drop the chords, for as always, you hold in your own hands the making or breaking of this union.
We recognize with full awareness that only a couple can administer the sacrament of marriage to each other, and only a couple can sanctify it. Neither a church, nor any power vested in me by the state, can grant me the authority to declare what only two hearts can declare, and what only two souls can make real. And so now, inasmuch as you, Jennifer and you, Michael have announced the truths that are already written in your hearts, and have witnessed the same in the presence of these, your family and friends, and the One Living Spirit…we observe joyfully that you have declared yourself to be…husband and wife.
Let us now join in prayer…Spirit of Love and Life, out of this whole world, two souls have found each other, not once, but twice. Their destinies have been woven into one design, and their perils and their joys shall not be known apart. Jennifer and Michael, may your home be a place of happiness for all who enter it; a place where the old and the young are renewed in each other's company, a place for growing and a place for sharing, a place for music and a place for laughter, a place for prayer and a place for love. May those who are nearest to you be constantly enriched by the beauty and the bounty of your love for one another, may your work be a joy of your life that serves the world, and my your days be good and long upon the Earth.
This cord in now untied, but you are not unbound from each other.
May your love so endure that its flame remains a guiding light unto you.
