Nicole Marie Bates

Greeting:

Welcome, We have come here together in the presence of God to witness the joining

together of this man and this woman in holy matrimony. It is at once one of man's

greatest blessings and also one of his most awesome responsibilities. Marriage is not to

be entered into lightly, but soberly and deliberately.

Prayer:

Before we begin, let's bow our heads and ask the Lord's blessing for Dave and Ashley -

Heavenly Father,

We ask your blessing upon Dave and Ashley. We come to you knowing

that you have created them for a purpose, and we are confident Lord that your

will for their lives contains some amazing triumphs for them as they walk

together in your name. We ask that you bless them and keep them with you, and

that you hold us accountable to do the same, Lord. In Jesus' name we pray,

AMEN.

Give away:

This is the part where I ask the question, “Who gives this woman to be

married to this man?” But I don't like the word give. Giving implies that once it’s said and

done you’ll see the parents driving away like maniacs, tires squealing and smoke from

burned rubber to follow. So I’m not going to ask that question. Instead, each family here

today will have invited the other to become a part of this new blended family. So no one

is giving anything away, instead, we are receiving an addition.

To congregation:

We hold marriage up as a sacred union between two people who are committed to

loving one another and spending the rest of their lives together, faithful to each other. But we also know that marriage is a serious institution. It requires deep commitment, faith, and trust in your spouse, and a lot of patience to make it work. I have known Ashley for 32 years, and even though she stole my playroom, she is a caring, loving, beautiful soul that I am proud to call my baby sister. This is how I know that Dave must also be a caring, loving, beautiful soul. In the time I have known Dave and Ashley as a couple, I have seen these things present within them. I have seen their commitment to one another, their faith, their trust, and their patience. Above all, I have seen the love that these two have for one another.

In the book of 1st Corinthians, the Apostle Paul describes love as it is meant to be,

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.”

Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast

anything. It is, in fact, the one thing that still stands when all else has fallen. In this life, we

have three great lasting qualities – faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

Now we move on to the vows:

To Dave -

Dave, do you take Ashley, to be your lawfully wedded wife from this day forward - to

have and to hold, in good times and in bad, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in

health, to love, honor, and cherish her for as long as you both shall live?

Dave: I do

To Ashley -

Ashley, do you take Dave, to be your lawfully wedded husband from this day forward -

to have and to hold, in good times and in bad, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in

health, to love, honor, and cherish him for as long as you both shall live?

Ashley: I do

Ring Exchange:

Now we will exchange rings.

I’d like to remind everyone that we are currently floating above the Chesapeake Bay, so

please do not drop the rings, as you can see above my head there is no rescue

floatation device at this time.

Dave, please repeat after me:

“Ashley, with this ring, I thee wed.

I promise to love, honor, and cherish you,

in good times and in bad,

for richer or for poorer,

in sickness and in health,

until death do us part.”

Place a ring on her finger.

Ashley, please repeat after me:

“Dave, with this ring, I thee wed.

I promise to love, honor, and cherish you,

in good times and in bad,

for richer or for poorer,

in sickness and in health,

until death do us part.”

Place a ring on his finger.

CLOSING:

To make your relationship work will take love. This is the core of your marriage and why

you are here today.

It will take trust, to know that in your hearts, you truly want what is best for each other.

It will take dedication, to stay open to one another - and to learn and grow together.

It will take faith, to go forward together, without knowing exactly what the future brings.

And it will take commitment, to hold true to the journey you both have pledged to today.

Now we will hear the words written in Mark 10:9 - "Therefore what God has joined

together, let no one separate."

Pronouncement:

Dave and Ashley, having proclaimed your love for and your commitment to one another

in the sight of our Lord and these witnesses before you, it is my pleasure to pronounce

you, by the power vested in me by the Church, the state of Maryland, and also the

internet people, husband and wife. Mr. and Mrs. Klimm!

You may kiss your bride.