Stephanie Lyn Lurz

Vanessa Rauch and Christopher Brown Wedding

Opening

Welcome, family, friends, and loved ones. You have come from nearby and far away to share in this commitment Vanessa and Christopher now make to one another, to offer your love and support to their union, and to allow Christopher and Vanessa to start their married life together surrounded by the people dearest and most important to them. They ask for your blessing, encouragement, and lifelong support, for their decision to be married. They also remember other loved ones who cannot be here to share this moment with them today. Those people too, they hold dear in their hearts.

It is not every day that someone comes into your life that you feel you can be completely yourself and comfortable with. Someone who supports you during the lowest of your lows and stands proudly beside you during the highest of your highs. Someone with the amount of devotion, perseverance, patience, and calmness that is exactly what you needed even when you may not have known how much you needed it. But when the day comes that you do meet that person, you marry them!

George Eliot stated What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined-to strengthen each other-to be at one with each other in silent unspeakable memories.

Vows

Christopher and Vanessa have created their own personal vows, thoughts, and reflections that they would like to share with one another at this time.

Christopher reads vows/Vanessa reads vows

Christopher repeat after me….I, Christopher, take you, Vanessa, to be my wife. I promise to always be your light in dark days. I vow to be your smile when you are down. I will share my life with yours, and build our dreams together. I promise to give you respect, love and loyalty. This commitment is made in love, lived in hope, and made new every day of our lives.

Vanessa repeat after me….I, Vanessa, take you, Christopher, to be my husband. I promise to always be your light in dark days. I vow to be your smile when you are down. I will share my life with yours, and build our dreams together. I promise to give you respect, love and loyalty. This commitment is made in love, lived in hope, and made new every day of our lives.

Ring Exchange

Christopher and Vanessa, may these rings that the two of you are about to exchange, forever remind you of your covenant with one another, as well as the circle of love the two of you have publicly created here today. May your compassion and kindness for one another always be like these rings, with no beginning and no end. May the precious metal remind you of your precious commitment, and if either begins to tarnish, may you both joyfully undertake the sacred duty to make it shine brightly again. May your relationship always be like these rings, separate but close, simple but beautiful. May these rings always belong to your hands, and your love always belong in each other’s hearts.

Christopher and Vanessa, repeat after me…With this hand I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never be empty, for I will be your wine. With this candle, I will light your way into darkness. (Christopher puts the ring on Vanessa’s finger and repeats) With this ring, I ask you to be mine.” (Vanessa puts the ring on Christopher’s finger and repeats) With this ring, I ask you to be mine.

Closing

A reading from a Benediction of the Apache

I would like to share a reading from a Benediction of the Apache. Treat yourself and each other with respect, and remind yourselves often of what brought you together. Give the highest priority to the tenderness, gentleness and kindness that your connection deserves. When frustration, difficulties and fear assail your relationship, as they threaten all relationships at one time or another, remember to focus on what is right between you, not only the part that seems wrong. In this way, you can ride out the storms when clouds hide the face of the sun in your lives — remembering that even if you lose sight of it for a moment, the sun is still there. And if each of you will take responsibility for the quality of your life together, it will be marked by abundance and delight.

Tequila

Now that Christopher and Vanessa have made their life long promises to each other and have exchanged rings, they have chosen to symbolize the joining of their two lives by participating in a very unique unity ceremony.

You may not realize it, but a good tequila is like a good marriage in many ways. I know that sounds silly; however, let me explain how this unity ceremony resembles Christopher and Vanessa’s relationship. Tequila warms you from the inside, gives you strength and confidence, and helps you face difficult situations with a little bit of ease. When the rest of the world seems to turn their backs on you, that bottle of tequila is waiting. Sometimes tequila gives you a little bit of a headache, but you get over it. Tequila is always forgiven.

Pronouncement

I leave you with these final words. May you always need one another, not so much to fill the emptiness as to help each other know your fullness. May you want one another, but not out of lack. May you embrace one another, but not encircle one another. May you succeed in all important ways with each other, and not fail in the little graces. Look for things to praise, often say I love you, and take no notice of small faults. May you have happiness, and may you find it in making one another happy. May you have love, and may you find it in loving one another.

So, by the power vested in me by the State of Nebraska and the American Marriage Ministries, it is my honor to pronounce you husband and wife. Christopher, you may kiss your bride!! It is my privilege to be the first to introduce you all to Mr. and Mrs. Brown.