Todd Joseph Tschiggfrie

Welcome everyone. We are gathered here, not to join Jonathan and Marieke in the legal union of marriage, but to reaffirm the choice they made on this day, one year ago. Last year, we saw the world turned upside down, bringing with it many new challenges, no one really knowing how things would be on the other side. 2020 was the reason you were unable to celebrate with them in person. There were moments when we did not know if it would even be possible for us all to be here together. And yet here we are, having lived through that confusing, scary, mess of a year, but coming out stronger than ever. The pandemic did not stop these two from forging ahead on their journey. They held on to the hope that whatever the future had in store, they would be able to rise to meet it, together.

Jonathan and Marieke, you are building a life together, and there are no walkthroughs for this sort of thing—it is your story to write.

Still...your squad is going to try anyway. Here are some brief thoughts they would like to share on love and marriage.

[Groom’s side]

Cat: The world is indeed full of peril and in it there are many dark places. But still there is much that is fair. And though in all lands, love is now mingled with grief, it still grows, perhaps, the greater.

Dan: It is something that grows over time…a true friendship. A feeling in the heart that becomes even stronger over time…The passion of friendship will soon blossom into a righteous power and through it, you will know which way to go.

Rita: Marriage is the greatest adventure of them all. It’s filled with pitfalls and setbacks and mistakes. But it’s a journey worth taking…’cause you take it together.

Jack: There’s a lot of things you need to get across this universe. Warp drive…wormhole refractors… You know the thing you need most of all? You need a hand to hold.

Rick: We are Groot.

[Bride’s side]

Courtney: We are all a little weird and life’s a little weird, and when we find someone, whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into mutual weirdness—and call it love.

Lindsey: To be fully seen by someone, and be loved anyhow – now, this is a human offering that can border on miraculous.

Emily: Say you’ll share with me one love, one lifetime. Say the word and I will follow you. Share each day with me, each night, each morning. Anywhere you go, let me go too. Love me, that is all I ask of you.

Jacob: My dearest friend, if you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to join you by your side. Where we could gaze into the stars, and sit together, now and forever. For it is plain as anyone could see, we are simply meant to be.

Dana: Always.

A loving relationship does not exist in a vacuum. It is our family and friends that first show us how to love and help us grow as people. They have been the ones who supported the two of you when you found each other. So, the real act of marriage does not take place in a location, but rather takes place in the heart. It is a choice you make; not just on your wedding day, but over and over again; and that choice is reflected in the way you treat your partner every day. A marriage deepens and enriches every facet of the life you choose to build together.

A wedding vow is a solemn promise, pledge, or personal commitment spoken by the couple during a marriage ceremony. Jonathan and Marieke have written their own vows to share. Please join hands as you declare your intentions to each other.

[we will write our own vows that we’ll read to each other at this time]

If you will remember, last year, Jonathan and Marieke chose temporary bands to serve as a reminder of their union. Today, to mark the one-year anniversary, they will exchange a more permanent representation of their love and commitment that remains eternal in their hearts.

Wedding bands are thought of as a perfect circle, with no beginning and no end. But they do in fact have a beginning. Rock is dug up from the earth. Metal is liquified in a furnace at a thousand degrees, then molded, cooled, and painstakingly polished. Something beautiful is 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.

At this time, it is appropriate to confirm the meaning of the rings you’ll wear going forward.

[When giving Jon the ring] Rick: It’s dangerous to go alone, take this.

Jon you may place the ring on the finger of your bride and repeat after me:

Jon: I vow, once more, to love you without reservation, to honor and respect you. I will continue to support you, protect you from harm and to comfort you in times of distress. Now and forever more, you'll be in my heart, always.

By the same token Marieke, you may place the ring on the finger of your groom and repeat after me:

Marieke: With my whole heart, I promise to remain devoted to you, to continue to grow with you, in mind and spirit, and to practice patience, kindness, and understanding. Once more, I vow to love you 3000 and cherish you for as long as we both shall live.

You have symbolized this renewal by the joining of hands, the taking of vows, and the exchanging of rings. It is with great pleasure that I conclude this renewal ceremony. You're married again. Go on, kiss the girl!