Joseph Richard Palladino Jr

Welcome Statement

Minister:

Welcome, and thank you all for joining us for this joyous occasion. Together, we are gathered here to witness a truly special ceremony:

The union of Melissa and Jared before God.

Melissa and Jared,

Today we celebrate the power of your love and the strength of your bond. Before we begin, take a moment to look around at the many friendly faces before you.

Know that all are here to offer love, support, and encouragement as you embark on this incredible journey together.

There are few greater joys in life than finding someone with who we truly “click.”

In the spirit, I will now share a short reading on soulmates from author Richard Bach:

“A soulmate is someone who has locks that fit our keys, and keys to fit our lock. When we feel safe enough to open the locks, our truest selves step out and we can be completely and honestly who we are; we can be loved for who we are and not for who we’re pretending to be. Each unveils the best part of the other. No matter what else goes wrong around us, with that one person we’re safe in our own paradise. Our soulmate is someone who shares our deepest longings, our sense of direction.”

May this ceremony provide you with wonderful memories to look back on and treasure for the rest of your days.

Family Blessing

Minister: Who gives this Bride today?

Father of the Bride: I do.

Speak Now

Minister: If anyone has cause to object to the forming of this union, speak now or forever hold your peace.

Wedding Sermon

Minister:

Melissa and Jared, as you stand here today before God,

Realize that you are preparing to celebrate one of life’s greatest gifts,

The depths of which you have only begun to explore.

Your level of love and commitment is something that many seek, but not everyone finds.

The bond you share is a rarity in this world, and its fruits more valuable than any precious stone or metal.

Marriage, of course, is more than a formal exchange of rings.

It is a sacred and solemn promise to one another that no matter what, you’re in this together.

Life is full of surprises – both positive and negative. By nature, it’s impossible to know what is around the next bend.

However, with a trusted partner by your side, you may take comfort in the unknown.

Whatever storms may come, you will weather them together.

That is the beauty of love: not only does it cradle us when we are feeling weak and tired, it creates a solid foundation on which we can always rely.

Henceforth, your lives will become permanently intertwined.

The union you form today is built to withstand any and all challenges.

Through sorrow and joy, through failure and success, through despair and triumph, you bond will persevere – buoyed by the everlasting love you share.

With the vows exchanged today, you will both finalize this promise and begin life anew, together.

Declaration of Intent

Minister: Melissa and Jared, it is time to join hands.

Jared, before your family and friends, do you take Melissa as your beloved Wife, to have and to hold, through laughter and in sadness, through challenges and successes, so long as you both shall live?

Jared: I do.

Minister: Melissa, before your family and friends, do you take Jared as your beloved Husband, to have and to hold, through laughter and in sadness, through challenges and successes, so long as you both shall live?

Melissa: I do.

Ring Exchange

Minister:

Wedding rings are a traditional symbol of the strength of the bond between two soulmates.

This bond is never broken, and continues in a perpetual circle, glowing with the warmth and eternal light of two souls in a perfect union.

By wearing these rings, you will be always reminded of the connection you share and the vows you have made today.

Please repeat after me:

With this ring,

I, Jared,

Commit my love to you, Melissa,

For all time,

giving you all that I am and all that I will be.

Please accept it as a symbol of my love.

With this ring,

I, Melissa,

Commit my love to you, Jared,

For all time, giving you all that I am and all that I will be.

Please accept it as a symbol of my love.

Pronouncement

Minister:

Melissa and Jared, by the power vested in me by the state of Maryland, under the eyes of God, I happily pronounce you Husband and Wife!

Kiss

Minister: Jared, you may now kiss the Bride.

Presentation

Minister: Ladies and gentlemen, for the first time, I give you Mr. and Mrs. Kappenstein!

Recessional

Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo'Ole