I'll eventually post more about the wedding, but for now, here is the wedding ceremony:PROCESSIONAL
The musicians: James (the best man and Matt's brother), Ian, and Chris (Alison's brothers)
The celebrant: Susan Lee-Merrow (Alison's mom's oldest friend)
Mike and Suzanne (Matt's dad and stepmom)
Matt and Laury (Matt and his mom)
Anne and Gary (Alison's mom and stepdad)
Jody, matron of honor (Alison's stepsister)
Sean and Grace, the ring bearer (Alison's cousin) and flower girl (daughter of one of Alison's good friends)
Alison and Jim (Alison and her dad)
OPENING PRAYER
As we lift into the loving
That joins us together as one,
Let us surround Alison and Matt
With our love, our prayers,
And our best wishes for them
On this, their wedding day,
And throughout their journey together as
Husband and wife.
GATHERING WORDS
For those of us blessed by a true partnership of love,
We feel safe in the presence of our loved one.
There is no need to hide any part of ourselves
For fear of being judged or rejected.
We can just be together from moment to moment,
Believing that those moments
Will thread together into eternity.
There is a gentleness to the presence of love
That softens lifes rough edges.
It makes us somehow braver
To go forth into the world
Knowing that the shelter of someones love
Awaits us at days end.
We are most vulnerable when we love.
We place our trust in another
To honor us and to care for us,
To treasure us and to receive our love.
In love, we trust that the other will provide a safe haven
In which we can experience and share
The fullness of our being with one another.
And in so doing,
We trust that our lives will be far richer
Than had we chosen separate journeys through this world.
We trust that our love will fill us full
And make us wiser and more beautiful beings.
We find that our union graces our lives with balance,
A sweetness beyond any we have ever tasted,
And a treasure beyond any measure of value
We have ever known.
MUSICAL INTERLUDE
Montana Wedding Song, written by Chris Kennedy and performed by Chris and Ian Kennedy and James Nichols
MARRIAGE ADDRESS
Marriage is the essence of human relationships.
It challenges us to be of one accord
Without abandoning the truth of our individuality.
It challenges us not to lose ourselves in one another,
But rather to walk side by side
Heading in the same direction
As with all relationships,
Marriage is an endless presentation of choices
About how we want to be with one another.
Each choice results either in more unity
Or more separation.
Choose into that unity, Alison and Matt,
Every chance you get.
Sacrifice your judgments, expectations,
And any other ways
That you have learned to separate yourselves
From each other.
Share the gifts of your friendship, humor,
Vulnerability, sensitivity, and kindness.
Be sure to find ways each day
To protect, affirm, and support each other,
And to treasure the balance and shared values
That you have found with each other.
Enjoy the intertwining
Of your independence with your intimacy.
I wish you the courage
To keep your loving hearts open to each other
For the rest of your lives.
WATER CEREMONY
Many of us have been blessed to notice
That when we share
A true and abiding love with a partner,
Even plain water tastes sweet.
Alison and Matt,
Share this clear water now
As a symbol of the sweet and precious love you share.
As you do so,
Remember that just as you are now partaking
Of the sweetness and purity
Of this fresh and clean water,
You have already been blessed
To partake of the brilliance and magnificence
Of the love you share.
By devoting yourselves
To cherishing and nurturing this love,
May your marriage grow sweeter
With each passing year.
WEDDING VOWS
MATT:
I love you more everyday
We have both changed a lot over the past couple
Of years and grown closer to together.
With you as my partner, I look forward
To the changes and challenges to come.
I vow to always be here for you
To make your challenges my priorities
I vow to support your dreams
Trust you
And always believe in you.
I vow to love you forever with all my heart.
ALISON:
Matt, you are my friend and partner,
I want to spend all of my days with you
Facing lifes worst
And celebrating lifes best together with you.
I promise to love you, support you,
And to be by your side
Creating a happy marriage, family and life
With you.
Matt, today I take you to be my husband.
PRESENTATION OF RINGS
Sean
RING EXCHANGE PRELUDE
These rings are circles,
And circles are symbolic
Of the sun, the earth, and the universe.
As arms that embrace,
These wedding rings you give and receive this day
Reflect the circle of shared love
Into which you enter as partners in life.
May you always be blessed,
And may you abide in peace and love.
RING EXCHANGE
I give you this ring
As a sign that I choose you
To be my lover, my partner,
And my best friend
Today, tomorrow, and always.
FINAL BLESSING
Now you will feel no rain,
For each of you will be shelter to the other;
Now you will feel no cold,
For each of you will be warmth to the other;
Now there will be no loneliness,
For each of you will be companion to the other.
Now you are two persons,
But there is one life before you.
Go now to your dwelling place
To enter into the days of your togetherness,
And may your days be good and long upon the earth.
I now pronounce you husband and wife.
You may now kiss!
RECESSIONAL
Alison and Matt
Jody and James
Musical accompaniment: Ripple by the Grateful Dead, performed by Ian and Chris Kennedy