...our wedding ceremony began. It was tiny, informal--just immediate family members and a handful of friends. Our guests sat on couches or random, unmatching chairs as we stood before the beautiful fireplace in a suite at the Khardomah Lodge in Grand Haven. The ceremony was perfect--simple and unassuming--a wonderful reflection of our relationship together.
We put together our own wedding ceremony script, and I'm going to share some pieces of it again here, for us to remember what we pledged to each other that day. I think you'll find that much of it has even more meaning to us now. Two years, in the grand scheme of things, doesn't seem like that long to be married (how much can a relationship weather in such a short time?), but we've had a rough couple of years, haven't we, sweetie? We've made it through thus far--through much stress, frustration, sadness, and pain. There have been good times, too, of course, which are always sweeter because we experience them together.
What stands out to me the most is that through the obstacles we've encountered these past two years, our love has only grown stronger. We are more committed to each other--to this marriage--than ever. We have made it through difficulties that have torn many other couples a part. I thank God every day for bringing you into my life. He must've known I would need you.
Drew...Thank you for never judging me. Thank you for your patience and kindnesss during those times when things seem too bleak to manage. Thank you for listening to me and understanding me, even when I don't make any sense. Thank you for always keeping that glimmer of hope alive, especially when I can't seem to find it within myself. I know I have spent many months focusing on what we don't have, Drew, and for that I am very sorry. I know it hasn't been easy on you. You have been the strong one, while I've leaned on you more than is probably fair. I know I don't say it enough, and it has been hard for me to remember these past few difficult months, but I have so much more than I deserve in this life...just because I have you.
Here's to the hope of a joy-filled 2008 for us, sweetie.
All My Love,
Em
--
December 31, 2005
2:00 p.m.
The Art Of A Good Marriage (spoken by Kate)
Wilfred A. Peterson
Happiness in marriage is not something that just happens.
A good marriage must be created.
In 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 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 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 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 old.
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.
These I Can Promise (spoken by Drew)
Author Unknown
I cannot promise you a life of sunshine;
I cannot promise riches, wealth, or gold;
I cannot promise you an easy pathway
That leads away from change or growing old.
But I can promise all my heart's devotion;
A smile to chase away your tears of sorrow;
A love that's ever true and ever growing;
A hand to hold in yours through each tomorrow.
Yes, I'll Marry You
I Promise (spoken by Ember)
Dorothy R. Colgan
I promise to give you the best of myself
and to ask of you no more than you can give.
I promise to respect you as your own person
and to realize that your interests, desires and needs
are no less important than my own.
I promise to share with you my time and my attention
and to bring joy, strength, and imagination to our relationship.
I promise to keep myself open to you,
to let you see through the window of my world into my innermost
fears and feelings, secrets and dreams.
I promise to grow along with you,
to be willing to face changes in order to keep our relationship
alive and exciting.
I promise to love you in good times and bad,
with all I have to give and all I feel inside in the only way I know how.
Completely and forever.
Hands of the Bride and Groom (spoken by officiant)
Please take each others' hands and hold them palms up so you may see the gift they are to you.
These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and vibrant with love, that are holding yours on your wedding day, as you promise to love each other all the days of your lives.
These are the hands that will work along side yours, as together you build your future, as you laugh and cry, as you share your innermost secrets and dreams.
These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes: tears of sorrow and tears of joy.
These are the hands that will comfort you in illness, and hold you when you are afraid or are sad.
These are the hands that will tenderly lift your chin and brush your cheek as they raise your face to look into his eyes: eyes that are filled completely with his overwhelming love and desire for you.
These are the hands that will massage tension from your neck and back in the evenings after you’ve both had a long hard day.
These are the hands that will hold you tight as you struggle through difficult time.
These are the hands that will comfort you when you are sick, or console you through the years, for a lifetime of happiness.
These are the hands that will give you support as she encourages you to chase down your dreams. Together as a team, everything you wish for can be realized.
God bless these hands that you see before you this day. May they always be held by one another. Give them the strength to hold on during the storms of stress and the dark of disillusionment. Keep them tender and gentle as they nurture each other in their wondrous love.
The Irish Wedding Blessing (spoken by officiant)
May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon the fields.
May the light of friendship guide your paths together.
May the laughter of children grace the halls of your home.
May the joy of living for one another
trip a smile from your lips, a twinkle from your eye.
And when eternity beckons,
at the end of a life heaped high with love,
May the good Lord embrace you
with the arms that have nurtured you
the whole length of your joy-filled days.
May the gracious God hold you both
in the palm of His hands.
And, today, may the Spirit of Love
find a dwelling place in your hearts.
Amen.
