Gabrielle Skylyn Plotts

Good morning, friends, family…Chris. We are gathered here on this beautiful beach on this gorgeous day to witness and celebrate the joining of Kiann Plotts and Christopher Crume in marriage.

For those of you that might not know, I am Kiann’s sister, and the couple generously asked me to officiate their ceremony. They said it was because I am funny, I think it is because Ki’s cheap and didn’t want to pay someone. All jokes aside, I am honored to be here and to officiate the marriage of two people I love and respect.

Today is a celebration. A celebration of love, of commitment, of friendship, of family, and of two people who are in it for forever.

You don't have to have a ceremony to have a marriage. And when you think about it, the whole thing is kind of weird, right? You're standing in front of everyone, looking fancy, and being stared at by so many of those who you hold near and dear. So why do

we do it?

The marriage ceremony has been an important feature across nearly every culture, religion, generation, and society. We have thousands of important moments that happen throughout our lives, but this one is regarded as one so critical, we acknowledge its special status by sharing it with others. Why this moment?

Because despite all of our differences, love is what we all share. It's the great unifier - our one universal truth. That no matter who we are, where we've come from, what we believe, we know this one thing: love is what we're doing right. That's why you both are standing here. That's why you all are here to watch them stand up here. We have all loved in our lifetimes, and in this moment, we're reminded that the ability to love is the very best part of our humanity.

All of us here today have our own love stories. Some are short, others long. Some are yet unwritten, while others are just getting to the good part. There are chapters in all of our stories that are sad or disappointing - and others that are exciting and full of adventure. Which brings our stories here. A time to pause, look back, and smile at all the moments that brought us here. And a time to look ahead at all the moments that are still to come.

I'm here - we're all here - because we want those moments for the two of you. We're here to hope with you, to support you, to be proud of you, and to remind you that love isn't happily ever after, love is the experience of writing your story. It's not one moment - not even this moment. It's every moment. Big ones like saying 'I love you,' moving in together, getting engaged - but mostly a million little ones that come in between the big moments. Staying awake way too late just to spend a little time together when Chris gets home from work, making hello fresh meals together, sharing new music with each other, Chris trying to teach Ki a new board game… These everyday moments fuse together into one big experience. You fell in love by chance, but you're here today because you're making a choice. The choice to get married.

I wanted to describe what a marriage was in a way that was meaningful to Kiann and Chris, so I looked to their favorite authors for inspiration. According to Chris’s favorite author, Terry Pratchett, “A marriage is always made up of two people who are prepared to swear that only the other one snores” and to quote Bella Swan in Ki’s favorite series Twilight, “Marriage isn’t exactly that high on my list of priorities… it’s sort of the kiss of death” (New Moon 540). Well thanks guys, was it too much to ask for your favorite authors to be someone a little more romantic, Like… Shakespeare who says

“Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

Or bends with the remover to remove:

O no; it is an ever-fixed mark” (Sonnet 116)

And as someone with a Literature degree, I can tell you that that was pretty damn romantic.

Each of us here knows that a true marriage is not created by a law or a ceremony; rather it occurs in the hearts of two human beings. It grows out of loving, caring, and sharing ourselves with another. This ceremony will not create a relationship that does not already exist and has not already been celebrated in all the commitments Chris and Kiann have made to each other, both large and small, in the days since they first met and recognized their connection to one another. I for one recognized a pretty special connection from the moment Ki first told me about Chris. And thanks to Facebook Messenger I actually have the messages from 2014 when Kiann first told me about Chris. From the very first week they met she described him as “gorgeous, smart, funny, and crazy nice…so basically he’s perfect.” But one fact really stood at to me.

You see ever since Kiann read and became obsessed with the Twilight series, she has had a list of what her future partner must have. And once I told her “sparkles in the sun” and “reads minds” just wasn’t realistic, she toned down her expectations.

However, one thing that stayed on that list was that her future partner had to know the song, Clair De Lune, and they had to have at least attempted to read Twilight. And when Ki told me that this random guy she met on the cruise, not only knew Claire De Lune but also had read and quoted the 1st chapter of Twilight to her… well I told her she was either making this guy up or she had to marry him. And I am so glad she wasn’t making you up Chris. Because while Ki gained a true partner, I gained a great brother. And someone who can finally beat all the hard levels on my video games.

I’ve been living with Chris and Kiann for a little over a year now, and what I have seen and learned from them as a couple is that of course they are together because no one else would be able to put up with them. Kiann would never be able to find anyone else who could put up with her when she gets Hangry. And Chris might have a hard time finding anyone else other than Kiann who would put up with his innate need to interrupt whatever conversation is happening to inform you what exact song is playing, the artist, and what decade it came out. But through all your shortcomings, every day it is obvious just how much you two love each other. During their first week of meeting Chris shared with Kiann that normally when he considered dating a girl he thought about all the logistics and everything that could go wrong, but with Kiann, he just didn’t care because he wanted to be with her. And despite long distance and all the challenges that came with that, they persevered and truly made it work. And on the last night of that fateful cruise Chris said to Kiann, “promise me you’ll never settle. You’re pretty, smart, funny, and wonderful. You deserve someone amazing. So don’t settle for anyone less than well you know me.” And now here we are almost exactly 7 years since, and Kiann is fulfilling that promise to Chris. And we are all hear to witness their new promises to each other.

*Vows*

You have chosen to write your own vows, and it is with these words you express your binding promises to love, honor, and cherish one another. If you are ready to make these promises to each other I invite you now to face each other and declare your intentions.

Kiann when you’re ready you may begin

Christopher when you’re ready you may begin

*Rings*

May we have the rings?

Now this is the point in the ceremony when people talk about the wedding bands being a perfect circle, having no beginning and no end. But we all know that these rings have a beginning. Rock is dug up from the earth. Metals are liquefied, the hot metal is forged, cooled, and then painstakingly polished. Something beautiful made from raw elements. Love is like that. It comes from humble beginnings, made by imperfect beings. It is the process of making something beautiful where there was once nothing at all.

Christopher, place the ring on Kiann’s finger and repeat after me.

"As this ring encircles your finger... from this moment forward... so will my love forever encircle you... You will never walk alone... My heart will be your shelter... My arms will be your home... We will walk through life as partners & best friends... I promise to do my best to love, cherish and accept you... just the way you are... I give you my heart until the end of time... I have no greater gift to give."

Now, Kiann, place the ring on Christopher’s finger and repeat after me.

"As this ring encircles your finger... from this moment forward... so will my love forever encircle you... You will never walk alone... My heart will be your shelter... My arms will be your home... We will walk through life as partners & best friends... I promise to do my best to love, cherish and accept you... just the way you are... I give you my heart until the end of time... I have no greater gift to give."

The love already shared by your hearts has been strengthened by the vows you have spoken and the rings you have now exchanged. You are proving your marriage here today in speaking your vows before your family and friends and you will do it again in the days and years to come, standing by each other, sharing all that is sweet and bitter in life. Each tender act, each loving word will be the declaration of what was made here today.

*Pronouncement*

And so by the authority vested in me by American Marriage Ministries and the State of New Jersey, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride. (Move out of the way)

Family and loved ones, I now present to you the newly married couple Kiann and Chris!