Kaylee Marie Peddicord

Officiant Kaylee: Good evening, I welcome all of you here today serving as witness to the joining of Shane Mangold and Gabriele Hansen in Marriage. Your presence here today at this ceremony is important to them, and they thank you for standing with them today and always.

Officiant Kaylee: At this time, Shane and Gabriele request that you turn off and set aside your phones, cameras and other devices. They have selected this location to remind all of us to relax, enjoy the beauty of nature and their love. They have hired a wonderful professional photographer – and promise to share the photos. There will be lots of opportunities for personal pictures later – I promise! Thank you for respecting their wishes.

Officiant Kaylee: Now let’s get these two married!

>>as Shane approaches, I will reach out to shake his hand – and yank him into position.

>>wedding party enter. . . last to enter -ring bearer and flower girl

Officiant Kaylee: Please rise to greet Shane’s beautiful bride, escorted by her father.

>>father walks up to Shane, hugs/kisses Gabriele and shakes hands with Shane.

>>you (Shane and Gabriele) face one another, holding hands – (Gabriele- maids will come take your bouquet, fluff back of dress / veil if needed)

Officiant Kaylee: You may be seated.

Officiant Kaylee: Hi Shane and Gabriele, welcome to your wedding.

Officiant Kaylee: Welcome family! And each of you here IS family. Today is a celebration - a celebration of love, of commitment, of friendship, and of two people who are in it forever. It’s wonderful to be here with you and wonderful seeing this gathering. I understand that many of you traveled quite a distance to be here. Whether you have come here from near or far, your presence and your love are so appreciated. My name is Kaylee, otherwise known as the groom's sister and I am especially honored to be here, co-officiating this ceremony.

Officiant Kaylee: Shane and Gabriele, take a moment to look around. These guests are here to support you, to be proud of you, and to remind you that love isn't happily ever after, love is the experience of writing your story. There are also important and inspirational family members and friends who are no longer able to be with us in the physical sense, however, we feel their presence and know they are so very happy for this wedding.

Officiant Kaylee: Let's begin with prayer.

Lord, our hearts are filled with great happiness on Shane and Gabriele’s wedding day, as they come before you pledging their hearts and lives to one another. Help them to remember to be each other's sweetheart, helpmate, and friend, so that together they may meet the cares and problems of life more bravely. May the love that brought them together grow and mature with each passing year. Please help them find words both kind and loving and hearts always ready to ask forgiveness as well as able to forgive. Bless their families and friends, and the relationships which have supported, strengthened, and sustained them throughout their lives. Bless their home and allow it to be a place of joy and serenity. Amen

Officiant Kaylee: Everyone has a love story of some sort. But this, this is YOUR love story. And it all began at a club in DC 5 years ago. On that day, you, Gabriele, were helping a friend up the stairs as Shane was falling down the stairs at the same time. It was at that moment that fate intervened and you two became forever entwined as one. From date nights that consisted of brie cheese, Dino nuggets, pizza rolls, beef jerky, Doritos, wine, and video games, to trips to New York for tours of NBC Studios, Lunch at museums, Rock concerts in Richmond, Cherry Blossom Festivals in D.C, trips to Ocean City, Maryland and runs through the park in Occoquan, your love and friendship blossomed. It is these adventures in love that have brought you to where you are today-whether it’s coming up with theme songs for the fur babies, going on adventures with Fur Baby Colt, going to baseball games together, taking elaborate trips, going on spur of the moment adventures, arguing over who loves each other more, or spoiling the fur babies rotten, you have done it ALL together.

Officiant Kaylee: A wise person once said “True love doesn’t happen right away. It’s an ever-growing process. It develops after you’ve gone through many ups and downs, when you’ve suffered together, cried together, and laughed together.” True love has a foundation of friendship. It’s being with that person who makes you feel your truest self, who inspires you to grow for the better.

Officiant Kaylee: Marriage is a commitment to life, the best that two people can find and bring out in each other.

Officiant Kaylee: No ceremony can create your marriage; only you can do that – through love and patience; through dedication and listening; through supporting and believing in each other. You learn to make the important things matter and let go of the rest. What this ceremony can do is affirm the choice you are making to stand together despite the occasional urge to run away.

Officiant Kaylee: Still, we all know that love isn’t always perfect. It’s not always glitter, rainbows and unicorns. Love is overcoming obstacles, facing challenges, fighting to be together, holding on and never letting go. You both have already had to put in work – and you’ll need to continue to do so. It IS work but most of all, love is realizing that every hour, every minute, and every second was worth it because you did it together.

Shane, you hit the jackpot when she came into your life.

Gabriele, he describes you as a bit of a Sour Patch kid – at times sour but then also very sweet. He appreciates that you are a planner and that you encourage – okay, pull him – out of his comfort zone to try new things. Your outgoing personality allows him to stand back and observe without looking standoffish. To sum it up, Shane says you are his everything.

Now on the other side, Shane you are quiet, a bit shy, but once you warm up, you are a BIT goofy. Gabriele told me that you can make her laugh even on a bad day when laughing is the last thing she wants to do. You have a huge heart and care deeply about others, yet you keep that low key as you are so humble. You protect her, care for her, and make her feel safe, but Most of all, Gabriele appreciates all the little – and big – things you do for her. You are her best friend.

Officiant Kaylee: Before you speak your vows, I would like to ask a dear friend of yours, Ethan, to come forward and offer a special reading of Corinthians 13:1-8.

>>> Ethan will read Corinthians 13:1-8 to the congregation of witnesses to the wedding.

Corinthians 13:

Verse 1: If I speak in the tongues [a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

Verse 2: If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

Verse 3: If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, [b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Verse 4: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

Verse 5: It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Verse 6: Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

Verse 7: It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Verse 8: Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

Officiant Kaylee: We've come to the point of your ceremony where you're going to say YOUR vows to one another. But before you do that, I ask you to remember that love – which is rooted in total trust and acceptance - will be the foundation of your ever-deepening relationship. No other ties are more tender and no other vows more sacred than those which you two now assume.

>>> Shane and Gabriele Share their Vows.

>>> Gabriele will go first, followed by Shane.

Officiant Kaylee: At this time, I'm happily turning over the remainder (or next portion) of the ceremony to Judy Peabody, my Co-Officiant, she will assist Gabriele and Shane as they take their legal wedding vows.

>>>>>>>>>>>>Officiant Judy will complete the remainder of the ceremony:

Officiant Judy: Legal Wedding vows

Officiant Judy: Ring Exchange

Officiant Judy: Closing

Officiant Judy: Pronouncement

Officiant Judy: Kiss the Bride

Officiants Judy and Kaylee: Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Mangold!