Heart beats fast...
My heart fluttered and raced as Christina Perri's A Thousand Years began to play as I watched our children making their way through our front yard to stand with my soon-to-be husband. I looked at my uncle, who was walking me down the aisle in my father's place, and gave him a nod and smile as it was our turn to walk through the front door of our Victorian home. The walk down our yard simultaneously flew by, while also seeming to take forever. "I have died every day waiting for you" played through the speaker as the tears began to fall. I couldn't tell you who was sitting along either side of the aisle or what they were doing. My eyes locked with his and everything just faded away.
We were in our own little world for the entirety of the ceremony and I barely remember what our minister said, but I decided to filter through emails and I was pleased to discover I still had correspondence between us and the minister as we hashed out the specifics of the ceremony.
'We are gathered here today, in the presence of family and friends, to give thanks for the gift of marriage and to witness the joining together of Kirby and Melanie.
The joining together of two persons into one unique, intimate and creative bond is truly a demonstration and a celebration of love's good work in life. Today, two individuals, two separate families and backgrounds, are coming together as one. Families are the heart of society and a blessed marriage is truly an occasion of which we can all celebrate here today.
(Family vows took place here. I am omitting them for this post, but will be addressing in a future post).
Kirby and Melanie, you have known each other from the first glance of acquaintance to this point of commitment. At some point you decided to marry. From that moment of yes to this moment of yes, indeed you have been making promises and agreements in an informal way. All those conversations you held while riding in the car, over a meal, or during long walks. The vows you are about to make are a way of saying to one another, "You know all those things we've promised, hoped and dreamed - well, I meant it all. Every word." All those common things and more are the real process of your wedding.
Kirby and Melanie, look at one another and remember this moment in time. Before this moment you have been many things to one another - acquaintance, friend, companion, and even teacher. Now you shall say a few words that will take you across the threshold of life and things will never quite be the same between, you. After these vows, you shall say to the world by your love, this is my husband, this is my wife.
Do you, Kirby, take Melanie as your wife, promising to tenderly care for her, to respect her individuality, to cherish her as she is, and to faithfully love her continually? Do you, Melanie, take Kirby as your husband, promising to tenderly care for him, to respect him individuality, to cherish him as he is, and to faithfully love him continually?
Melanie, I pledge to you my love, faith, and tenderness. I promise to cherish you with a husband's loyalty and devotion. Kirby, I pledge to you my love, faith, and tenderness. I promise to cherish you with a Wife's loyalty and devotion.
Today you begin your life with each other, knowing you have developed a trust and commitment that is strong enough to last through the good times and bad. The wedding ring is a token of your love and a symbol of eternity, the unbroken circle with no beginning or end.
Melanie, I offer you my hand, my heart, and my soul, as I know they will be safe with you. Kirby, I offer you my hand, my heart, and my soul, as I know they will be safe with you.
Kirby and Melanie, today is a day you will always remember - one of the greatest in your life. You started off this day two people in love and are ending it as husband and wife. This day is the start of a brand new journey, with many moments to cherish and treasure together. Although there will be many times you both disagree, these will surely be outweighed by the pleasure. So live happy forever as lovers and friends. It is the dawn of a brand new life for you, as you stand there together with love in your eyes from the moment you said "I do". With faith, all your hopes and dreams will be real. May success, health, and true happiness find its way to you! Tomorrow can bring some of your greatest joys, but today is the day it all starts.
And now as you enter the greatest journey of your life: In as much as you all have agreed to enter the marriage relationship, having exchanged vows with sincere and devoted hearts, you have given and received rings as tokens of your love, it is now my honor and privilege to pronounce you husband and wife!'
If you enjoyed part one of our wedding day, my husband & I would be honored if you wanted to treat us to a cup of coffee :D https://ko-fi.com/positiveworkes
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