Wedding Ceremony
Bride and Groom enter together, proceed up aisle to dais, climb and turn to face guests. Officiant stands at left side of dais, takes center position, turns to face guests, and says:
Family and Friends of Dorothea May Rovner and David Ilmari Salo:
We are here because these two have decided to join their lives. We are here to witness the public expression of the commitments they have already made to each other in private.
The legal requirements of a marriage are very simple. Our law needs only a declaration that the parties take each other as husband and wife, in the presence of witnesses and of some officer designated by the law of the state. Once this has been fulfilled, the community and the state will recognize, respect, and protect the new relationship. But considering this form alone, brief as it is, one might overlook the deeper meaning and significance of this bond. Therefore Dorothea and David have chosen to make a public declaration of their feelings for and commitments to one another in their own words, and in the words of those others who can best express these feelings.
Bride and Groom together:
Today we join hands and joyfully and willingly take another step forward on the road that we will journey together for the rest of our lives.
Bride and Groom alternating (Groom first):
As one, we will share our burdens on that road,
We will help each other when we slip or fall,
We will toil together when our road becomes hard,
We will share our wisdom as we seek out our way,
We will lighten our cares with laughter and the joy that we find in each others’ company.
READING
(from Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte D’Arthur)
For it giveth unto all lovers courage, this lusty month of May, in something to constrain him to some manner of thing more in that month than in any other month, for diverse causes. For then all herbs and trees renew a man and woman, and in like wise lovers call again to their mind old gentleness and old service, and many kind deeds that were forgotten by negligence.
For like as winter rasure doth alway erase and deface green summer, so fareth it by unstable love in man and woman. For in many persons there is no stability; for we may see all day, for a little blast of winter’s rasure, anon we shall deface and lay apart true love for little or nought, that cost-much thing; this is no wisdom nor stability, but it is feebleness of nature and great disworship, whomsoever useth this.
Therefore, like as May month flowreth and flourisheth in every man’s garden, so in likewise let every man of worship flourish his heart in this world, unto the joy of them that he promised his faith unto; for there was never worshipful man nor worshipful woman, but they loved one better than another; and such love I call virtuous love.
But nowadays men cannot love sevennight but they must have all their desires. That love may not endure by reason, for where they be soon accorded and hasty, heat soon cooleth. And right so fareth love nowadays, soon hot soon cold; this is no stability. But the old love was not so; for men and women could love together seven years, and then was love truth and faithfulness; and lo, in like wise was used such love in King Arthur’s days.
Wherefore I liken love nowadays unto summer and winter, for like as the one is hot and the other cold, so fareth love nowadays; therefore all ye that be lovers call unto your remembrance the month of May, like as did Queen Gwenyver, for whom I make here a little mention, that while she lived she was a true lover, and therefore she had a good end.
Bride and Groom alternate (Bride first):
In this joining, from two we become, not one, but more than one;
As the two sides of an arch, we will bear each other up where one might fall.
We are neither each other’s opponent, nor a needless duplicate.
Rather we are as mirrors, reflecting back the best we see in each other;
No lifeless image, but a living reflection.
And as we behold each other, and ourselves in one another,
Changing and growing together through the years,
We will form a new image, not of one or the other as we have been,
But become the best of both of us and more.
Bride and Groom together:
Here we set foot upon the road that we shall walk for the rest of our lives together.
Bride and Groom, alternating: (Groom first):
To you who are gathered here before us,
our family and our friends,
the community which nourished us and in which we live,
we declare before you our intent to join each other in love and fellowship until our life’s end,
and we desire you to assent and witness our union.
Officiant: You family and friends who are assembled here, do you agree that David and Dorothea be so united?
Guests: We do!
READING
(From Rilke Letters to a Young Poet, not reproduced for copyright reasons)
Officiant: Now Dorothea and David will pronounce their vows.
Bride and Groom together:
From the love I bear you, and the fellowship I hold with you,
Bride and Groom alternating (Groom says line 1; Bride says lines 1 and 2; Groom says lines 2 and 3, and so on):
I undertake to account you in all matters as my equal.
I undertake to honor you as my free companion in life’s journey.
I undertake to be honest with you in all matters, great and small.
I undertake to give of myself when you need me.
I undertake to bear any difficulties that may arise between us with a kind and patient heart.
I undertake, even in anger, to avoid both bitterness and apathy.
I undertake to have patience, even in times of great confusion.
I undertake to cherish you and strive to bring you happiness.
Officiant: Do you bring with you a token of your vows?
The bride and groom hold up their rings before the guests. They say:
Groom: These rings are composed of two strands of gold twined together to form one circle.
Bride: As these two strands joined in one strengthen, beautify, and support each other, so may we give each other strength in our union.
The bride and groom exchange rings, saying in turn:
In token of all that I have, my goods, my life, my love, I give you this ring.
Groom:
I, David, son of Matias Toivo Salonpää and Sule Malke Goldshteyn, take Dorothea, daughter of Irwin and Ann Rovner as my wife.
Bride:
I, Dorothea, daughter of Irwin and Ann Rovner, take David, son of Matias Toivo Salonpää and Sule Malke Goldshteyn as my husband.
Officiant:
And now, by virtue of the authority vested by law in a Judge of the Court of Appeals, and with the assent of their family and friends assembled here, I witness that David and Dorothea are united as husband and wife.
Bride and Groom kiss
Dorothea SaloSite URL: http://www.terracom.net/~dorothea/wedding/ceremony.html