Andrew Gerald Haffelder

Who gives this woman to be married to this man?...

Hello everyone! On behalf of Ben and Jamey, we ask that you put your cameras and phones away during the ceremony, so that we can focus our attention on the natural beauty and friends that surround us. If you want to grab a photo before we get started, now’s the time!

Please Be Seated……Welcome and thank you, friends and family, for being here today, on this joyful occasion to celebrate love, laughter, and sunshine on Ben and Jamey’s wedding day.

Here we are standing today, in front of God and all his people, looking fancy, holding flowers, raising glasses, and We (ben and Jamey) are being stared at by just about everybody who has ever meant anything to each of you…no pressure

You’ve all been asked here today because you are an important part of Ben and Jamey’s life. Maybe you were that childhood friend who taught Ben that bugs don’t actually taste that great, or who introduced Jamey to her first sip of alcohol—don’t worry, we won’t name names, but we’re glad you’re here.

I know some of you definitely held Jamey’s hair back in her wilder days. And told Ben, “Yeah, those cargo shorts would look really good on you, you should definitely wear them around school.” And a few of you have only met these two recently, as the incredibly good-looking power couple they’ve become.

My point being, we have thousands of impactful moments that happen to us throughout our lives…but this moment, is so critical, that we acknowledge it by sharing with others…what makes this moment so important? well despite all our differences LOVE is what we all share.

Ben and Jamey (You look amazing by the way), today, your lives blend seamlessly together as you’re about to embark on the greatest of adventures. A new path is ahead of you, and to navigate it well, there are skills to be learned and practiced daily.

Let us bow our heads and take a moment to remember those who can’t be with us today, either because of distance or because they have gone before us…Thank you.

Wilferd Arlan Peterson's writing “The Art of a Good Marriage” 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, sharing a hug on national hug day – and remembering to say, “I love you,” at least once a day. It also takes patience, kindness… and remembering to put the toilet seat down…a good marriage sometimes takes a really good sense of humor.

Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Andrew and I am beyond honored to be up here, on this important day, to celebrate the love shared between Ben and Jamey.

I asked the couple what they wanted me to include in this ceremony, and they told me to keep things light and funny... but most importantly, to keep it short. I’m guessing we all want to throw back those shots of holy water a little earlier today...

I’ve come to know Ben and Jamey a great deal over this past year and let me just say, Ben those cargo shorts were not the move in high school, you’re lucky she still standing here today.

But that’s the thing I’ve noticed about Ben and Jamey’s love, it is a deep passion that runs as steady as a river and burns as bright as a fire.

These two have come a long way since playing [what they called] the slap-amendments and using crush soda cans to confess they were “Crushing” on each other.

For those not familiar with the slap-amendments, just ask Ben or Jamey to teach you after the ceremony.

The love these two share has always been there. When they first started dating, they communicated through school email because Ben didn’t have a phone at the time. The first “I love you” Ben received from Jamey was sent through an electronic message that ended up getting flagged by the school for inappropriate speech. Ben and Jamey were so scared the principle would tell their parents and forbid Juliet from ever seeing Romeo again. What a time the early 2000s were.

Long story short, whether it was the rivalry to compete with each other during the school mile, or the day you both realized you were going to spend the rest of your lives together; you have pushed each other to be the best versions of yourself and that is what love is all about.

As Jamey once told me, there was no one specific moment I fell for [Ben]”.

Which shows us that love is an ever-growing bond that you two have and will continuously work for, fight for, and always improve on

• “Love is a lot like a backache; It doesn’t show up on X-Rays, but you know it’s there.” (George Burns)

Ben and Jamey, Marriage is a lifelong partnership made publicly by those who choose to pledge their fidelity, their companionship, their love, and their trust in one another.

Vows:

We come now to the words Ben and Jamey want to hear the most today…the words that take them across the threshold from being engaged to being married.

I am honored to stand before you and reflect on the profound significance of the words and promises that will soon be spoken.

Words hold immense power. They possess the ability to uplift, inspire, and heal. They have the capacity to forge deep connections and foster understanding. And in this moment, as we witness the union of two souls, we are reminded of the tremendous impact that words and promises can have on our lives.

Vows are not mere formalities, but rather the building blocks of a lifelong commitment. They are the beautifully crafted expressions of love, trust, and devotion that bind two together. When spoken from the heart, they have the potential to create a lasting impact, shaping the course of a relationship and influencing the lives of both partners.

But it is not just the act of speaking vows that matters; it is the sincere commitment behind them. A promise is a sacred bond, a pledge of one's integrity and loyalty. Ben and Jamey, when you make your promises to each other today you are giving a part of yourselves to the other. You are entrusting your dreams, your vulnerabilities, and your future into the care of your beloved.

May these vows you are about to exchange remind you of the depth of your commitment. May they serve as a source of strength and inspiration, nurturing the love that you share. And may they continue to resonate within your hearts, echoing their transformative power throughout your journey together.

As we witness the exchange of these vows, let us cherish the significance of the words spoken today. Let us honor the promises made, knowing that they have the potential to create a world filled with love, compassion, and everlasting happiness.

Ben and Jamey you will now be making your verbal commitment to each other in the form of handwritten vows. And to see who goes first, the bride and groom would like to go head-to-head, in the most sacred of activities, a good old fashioned match of rock-paper-scissors.

**Handwritten Vows**

Benjamin, do you take Jamey to be your wife? Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect her from this day forward, for better or for worse, for rich or for poor, in sickness and in health, from this day forward until death do you part?

Ben: [“I do.”]

And Jamey, do you take Benjamin to be your husband? Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect him, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for rich or for poor, in sickness and in health, from this day forward until death do you part?

Jamey: [“I do.”]

Family and friends, as you have witnessed the verbal commitment of Ben and Jamey, I will now ask for your blessings on their marriage.

Will all of you gathered here give your pledge to honor and uphold them, and to recognize them as a family in this community, to guide and pray for them in times of trouble, to celebrate with them in times of joy, to respect the bonds of their covenant, and seek to discern the continuing presence of Christ within them?

If so please respond with a big hearty “Yee Haw”…

Exchange of Rings:

The bride and groom have elected to do a ring warming ceremony…

*Ring warming ceremony…best man to groomsman to first pew to bridal to back*

May I have the rings, please?

May the Lord bless these rings which you give to each other as the sign of your love and faithfulness. Amen.

• “I love being married. It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life.” (Rita Rudner)

Ben and Jamey, you two have worked at this, you've built this relationship, you’ve chosen love day after day, week after week, year after year.

The materials that made your rings had to be mined, molded, cooled, polished, eventually an artist thoughtfully, carefully, and intentionally, designed your rings, to be the beautiful tokens they are today.

It’s a process of making something remarkable where once there was nothing at all. Just like your love.

Of course it stems from humble beginnings, it's made perfect by imperfect beings, but like your rings, love in its truest form is not something that can appear. It always must be forged.

When you look at your rings throughout your years together, and all the seasons of life together, all the ups and downs that life will inevitably bring you, I want you to remember a few things.

Let your rings remind you of how fortunate you two are to have not only found each other and fallen in love but to be able to build the type of relationship that you have today. And when you see the rings on your hands, always remember that they are beautiful because someone made them that way. The same remains true for your life, your love, your marriage.

Ben, please place the ring on Jamey’s left hand and repeat after me:

I give you this ring / to remind you of this day / when in front of our closest community / we vowed that our love can overcome all things / that our love unites, inspires and celebrates / and will continue to do so for the rest of our lives no matter what our future holds for us.

Jamey, please place the ring on Ben’s left hand and repeat after me:

I give you this ring / to remind you of this day / when in front of our closest community / we vowed that our love can overcome all things / that our love unites, inspires and celebrates / and will continue to do so for the rest of our lives no matter what our future holds for us.

Happily ever after is not an endpoint but rather a continuous endeavor—a shared pursuit of growth, laughter, and shared experiences. May Ben and Jamey find solace and strength in one another, knowing that together they are greater than the sum of their parts.

Let us celebrate this union not only today but in all the days to come. May their love shine as an example to others, reminding us of the beauty and power of a steadfast commitment. May they live each day of their lives holding true to the vows they have made, and may their marriage be a source of joy, inspiration, and endless fulfillment.

Pronouncement:

By the power vested in me by the State of Wisconsin and American Marriage Ministries, and through the witness of all here present, I now pronounce you husband and wife.

Ben, you know what to do…

It is my pleasure to present, for the first time as a married couple, Mr. & Mrs. Lindgren (Lynn-Gren)