LeRoy A Trusty

Courtney and Joshua Wedding

Lead groomsmen and groom to the front

Bridesmaids come forward

Please rise

Father and bride come forward

Please be seated

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION

We welcome all of you here today. We also want to take a moment and remember those who have passed but we wish were here today to enjoy this wonderful and blessed day.

I am LeRoy and it is my privilege and honor to officiate. Family and Friends, we have gathered together in the presence of God and these witnesses to join Joshua Backert and Courtney Brown-Intano in holy matrimony.

Who gives this woman to be wed?

((Dad answers “we do”))

((Joshua takes Courtney’s hand and leads her to the steps))

(stand and face officiant)

Marriage is a gift from God, given to us so that we might experience the joys of unconditional love with a lifelong partner. God designed marriage to be an intimate relationship between a man and a woman.

Joshua and Courtney, because your deep love for each other comes from God above, this is a sacred moment, and it is with great reverence that I now ask you to declare your intent.

Consent

Joshua, do you take Courtney to be your wife, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony?

I do.

And Courtney, do you take Joshua to be your husband, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony?

I do

The Blessing

Heavenly Father, we know Your presence is with all of us here this special day of Courtney and Joshua’s wedding and we give thanks. We ask Your blessing and love be with us during this ceremony and to especially fill the hearts of Courtney and Joshua as they pledge their love to one another. May the wisdom and spirit of all-giving and all-understanding Love pervade all the words spoken and all the love given here today, that these vows offered will remain strong and true and abiding in the presence of love all the days of their lives.

May all of us present feel the strength and depth of Courtney and Joshua’s love and experience a rebirth of the power of love in our own lives. We ask these things in thy Name and give thanks that it is so.

Personalization

Joshua and Courtney, it is an honor to share in this moment of your story today as you commit your hearts to one another. …

When I first met Courtney she was this tall. We watched her grow and well… and now here she is, a mature young woman, a teacher.

Met Joshua early in their relationship and really got to know him when the two of them came out for a ski trip. Courtney lost the bracelet given to her by Joshua. His love for Courtney was strong in that bit of time.

These two met at Cecil College as friends and from those times together their relationship grew to where it is today and now they stand before God and all of us as witnesses of this relationship.

Scripture Reading

Paul writes in FIRST Corinthians that love is a reawakening of relationship. These words teach us what love is and how it should relate to your spouse.

Love is always patient and kind. It is never jealous. Love is never boastful or conceited, it is never rude or selfish, it does not take offense and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people's faults, but delights in the truth. It is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope. It is always ready to endure whatever comes. True love does not come to an end.

And/Or

The author of Ecclesiastes states:

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up. Again, if two lie together, they are warm; but how can one be warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

This is so applicable to marriage

Exchange of Vows

Joshua, please repeat after me

I, Joshua, take you, Courtney, / to be my wedded wife, / to have

and to hold / from this day forward, / for better, for worse, / for richer, for poorer, / in sickness and in health, / to love and to cherish, / till death do us part. / This is my solemn vow.

Joshua, do you have any vows you have prepared to say to Courtney at this time?

Courtney, please repeat after me

I, Courtney, take you, Joshua, / to be my wedded husband, / to have and to hold / from this day forward, / for better, for worse, / for richer, for poorer, / in sickness and in health, / to love and to cherish, / till death do us part. / This is my solemn vow.

Courtney, do you have any vows you have prepared to say to Joshua at this time?

The Unity Candle Lighting

The lighting of the unity candle is a ceremonial acknowledgement of the vows exchanged by the bride and groom that have united them in marriage. This single flame signifies that marriage is a joining of two people who have chosen to share life together rather than individual lives.

As you light this candle today, may the brightness of the flame shine throughout your lives. ((Take lighter))

Please Joshua and Courtney, take the two taper candles, ((light candles)) representing your individual selves and light the center candle representing your marriage. Notice that the flames burn brightest when both candles are participating, cooperating and present. A marriage is like that. Be forever present for one another, shining light and May it give you courage and reassurance in darkness, warmth and safety in the cold, and strength and joy in your bodies, minds, and spirits. May your union be forever blessed.

Exchange Of The Rings

Joshua and Courtney, the wedding ring serves as a symbol of the promises you have just spoken. It is the outward and visible sign of an inward and invisible love that binds your two hearts together. The wedding ring also is a symbol of what God is. He is without beginning and without end—He is eternal.

As you can see, the ring is without beginning and without end. So I believe this exchange of rings not only reminds us of the unending love you have for each other, but also reflects the eternal love God has for each of you.

May we have the rings?

Joshua, please place Courtney’s ring on her left hand and repeat after me:

Courtney, with this ring, I thee wed.

Courtney, please place Joshua’s ring on his left hand and repeat after me:

Joshua, with this ring, I thee wed.

And so now it is my honor and delight to declare Joshua and Courtney, husband and wife. You may seal this declaration with a kiss.

I am pleased to present the newlyweds, Mr. and Mrs. Backert!