Carey Lynn Agnitsch

Welcome

We are gathered here in a celebration of love, and to join together forever Randy and James. Today in the presence of family and friends, they will commit to living their lives together, two beautiful spirits sharing the most sacred of human relationships. They have invited us here to rejoice, celebrate, and bear witness to their union. They stand before you with a deep desire to share this expression of their love with you and with the world. We, their families and friends, form a community of love that together we may support and encourage them with our abundance of wishes and blessings on this day and for all of their lives.

Sermon

People have said that marriage requires things like work, commitment and sacrifice - so why do we do it? It is a tradition, yes, but we change traditions all the time, and we keep the essence of those traditions alive in their new form. Sure, it is a lot of work. Sure, it takes a lot of compromise. But at the end of the day, when you are married, you have got someone to come home to. You have got someone who has promised to love you no matter how smelly your socks get, or no matter how bad your mood is, or no matter what the universe decided to drop on your head this week. And you have got someone to have dance parties in the kitchen with, someone to laugh at the same silly inside jokes with. After a while, you will find you have even got someone you share a little inside language with. We do marriage because it helps to have someone around to walk through life with.

It is a partnership of trust and of dependence on one another to navigate the sometimes stormy seas of life. It begins with love, to be sure, but what does that mean? People say they love chocolate, is that the same as the love we need for a solid marriage? Of course not. The love we need comes from being willing to make those sacrifices. The love we need comes from being committed to working through everything together, and maintaining open communications - even when it is difficult. The love we need makes the work it takes to maintain it all worth it. On top of that foundation of love - a mixture of work, sacrifice, and commitment - we can build things like trust and intimacy, and all of the beautiful things that make a marriage worthwhile.

Ladies and gentlemen, we hold marriage up as a sacred union honoring tradition between two people who are committed to loving one another and spending the rest of their lives together, faithful to each other, and to their journey together. But we also know as a society 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. In the time I have spent with Randy and James I have seen those things. I have seen their commitment to one another, their faith and trust, and their patience - and above it all, I have seen the love that these two wonderful people have for each other.

Personal Exchange of Vows between Randy and James

Song - Mother’s Love

I do’s

In the presence of witnesses of family and friends I ask you to state your intentions. Randy and James have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourself to each other in marriage? Responses - “Yes”

Will you love and honor each other as partners for the rest of your lives? Response - “We will”

Ring Exchange

Your wedding rings are a symbol of everything you share in your hearts today. When you look at these rings, you will remember the promises you just vowed to each other. The circle of these rings is constant and continuing. With no beginning and no end. An unbroken circle that represents the returning to these promises for all the days of your life.

Randy place the ring on James’ finger, saying “I give you this ring as a sign of my love.”

James place the ring on Randy’s finger, saying “I give you this ring as a sign of my love.”

Song - Simply the Best

Pronouncement

Randy and James, before these witnesses you have pledged to be joined in marriage, you have sealed this pledge with your wedding rings. You may now seal this ceremony with a kiss.

By the power vested in me through the American Marriage Ministries, I now pronounce you partners for life.