Joan V Mooney

Dearly friends and family

We are gathered here together to join LeeAnn and Tom in the spiritual union of marriage.

Each of you here represents a piece of Tom and LeeAnn's lives. Whether you came into their lives years ago or more recently, your presence here is a gift to them and I know it means a lot to them.

Before we begin today's celebration, I have just one question for our family and friends that I'd like for you to answer loudly and proudly:

Are we ready to get these two married????

YES!

Tom and LeeAnn, today your lives blend seamlessly together and you're about to embark on the greatest adventures. A new path is ahead of you and to navigate it well there are skills to be learned and practiced daily.

In the book The Art of a Good Marriage, it reminds us that a good marriage doesn't just happen, one must be created. In marriage, the little things are the big things, like never being too old to hold hands, and remembering to say I love you at least once a day.

It also takes patience and kindness and fighting the urge to snarkily respond when it's best to keep your mouth zipped.

On that note a good marriage sometimes takes a really good sense of humor, as the following reading reminds us:

Marriage - by an anonymous writer:

Marriage is about giving and taking

and forging and forsaking.

Kissing and loving and pushing and shoving.

Caring and sharing and screaming and swearing.

About being together whatever the weather.

About being driven to the end of your tether.

About sweetness and kindness.

And wisdom and blindness.

It's about being strong when you're feeling quite weak.

It's about saying nothing when you're dying to speak.

It's about being wrong when you know you are right.

It's about giving in, before there's a fight.

It's about you two living as cheaply as one

(you can give us a call if you know how that's done!)

Never heeding advice that was always well meant.

Never counting the cost until it's all spent.

And for you two today it's about to begin

And for all that the two of you had to put in.

Some days filled with joy and some days with sadness.

Too late you'll discover that marriage is madness."

This contract is not to be entered into lightly but thoughtfully and seriously, and with a deep realization of its obligations and responsibilities. Please remember that love, loyalty, and understanding are the foundations of a happy and enduring home.

LeeAnn and Thomas will now share their vows with us.

*(Vows)*

Do you LeeAnn take this man Thomas to be your lawfully wedded partner, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself unto him for as long as you both shall live?

YES!

Do you Thomas take this woman LeeAnn to be your lawfully wedded partner, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself unto her for as long as you both shall live?

YES!

LeeAnn and Thomas will now exchange rings as a symbol of their love and commitment.

*(Ring Exchange)*

Now it's time for the Lighting of the unity candle:

Tom and LeeAnn please take one of the smaller candles.

Each of the candles represents you as individuals. After lighting your candles, Tom and LeeAnn, please take your candles and light the center candle together.

The center candle represents the joining of two individuals into one married couple. Each year on your anniversary you will relight your candles and relive your vows.

Now that Tom and LeeAnn have exchanged their vows and rings , I can now pronounce you husband and wife by the power vested in me by the State of New York.

I now have the honor to introduce for the first time Mr. and Mrs. Thomas and LeeAnn WISNEESKI!