Lara René O'Brady

hank you all for coming to Annie and John’s celebration of love. We come together because love is the best of who we all are. As your lives flow into your future remember your love for each other on this day.

We will begin with a guided meditation. (Pause)

Sit or stand comfortably and feel your feet on the ground. Feel the energy from this place coming up through your feet and continuing to travel up through your body. You body is filled with this energy, so much so that it radiates out from you and touches everyone else…everything else. Colors are magnified. Sounds are intensified. Feelings are felt deeply.

Look around again and see the beautiful flowers, and the bright sun. With this beautiful picture in your mind, close your eyes. Slowly breathe in and out. (Pause)

What sounds do you hear? Birds, bees, a distant rustle from trees (Add any sounds that are pertinent) all add to the beauty. Breathe in and out. (Pause)

With your eye still shut, what smells do you encounter? Breathe in and out. (Pause)

What feelings are present, both internal and external? Breathe in and out. (Pause)

Do you feel the sun on you? Breathe in and out. (Pause)

Now allow your senses to extend. Breathe in and out. (Pause)

Allow you spirit and your senses to travel out and play in this space. Breathe in and out. (Pause)

Imagine your spirit traveling up above and looking around. (Pause)

Do you feel the love in this place? (Pause)

With these people? (Pause)

Feel love and gratitude for your life in this time and in this place. (Pause)

Look to the ground, to the Earth. Feel yourself grounded, safe and secure. (Pause)

Look up, to the Sky. Feel yourself expansive, free, and energized. (Pause)

Come back to your body. Know that you are a spiritual being in your earthly home. You are loved and you are radiating that love to all here, and to this place, and to this land.

And so it is.

We will now begin the hand-fastening.

Annie and John, please join hands.

Left hands, Annie's on top of John's.

You can hold up/display the cords and drape them over our hands at any point during the following paragraphs--whatever feels natural.

Please envision the color brown. What do you think of? If we are lucky, we associate brown with fertile soil. Think about the smell of fresh, rich soil. Smell life and growth and change. For John and Annie, brown symbolizes our history, foundations, the earth that our lives and this union is based upon. It also symbolizes our desire to pass our connection with nature and appreciation for the simple pleasures of life onto our children. Moms and Dads, brown may evoke memories of dirty diapers and the specific smells associated with them. And as you know, the dirty diapers just don’t stop. Part of life is dealing with never ending supply of crap that comes our way. Yet, we know that crap can and will change to rich, productive soil that allows growth. We give thanks for the Earth and all that it contains. We give thanks to for our stability and foundation. (Put the brown cord over John and Annie’s hands)

Green entwines Brown. What comes from rich, fertile soil? Green, vibrate growth. (Hold up one part of the cord so all can see.) Green symbolizes Annie and John’s commitment to grow together. They promise to encourage each other. This encouragement will foster growth so that each of them and the relationship they are building will become more complete, more fulfilling, and be a positive influence on those that surround them. They will change over time in small and big ways. They will change through challenges and shifting passions. The green in this cord is their commitment to support each other through those evolutions of both themselves and their relationship.

The next cord is Red. Red is passion, playfulness, fun and exploration. If a person can’t have fun and laugh, life because a drudge. May there be many laughs as you travel together. This may come from seeing a funny cartoon, an inside joke, dancing until 2 am or a quick, coy smile that radiates from the soul. (Please Red Cord over hands.)

White symbolizes space to be individuals and pursue each person’s passions. John and Annie are intertwined but also unique people with different needs. Each of them needs to feed their soul. White is the healthy space within thier relationship. Annie and John met at the beginning of Covid, started dating, and moved in together a year later. . . into 450 ft sq ft. White is room to breathe and let others breathe. (Place White Cord over hands.)

Blue symbolizes tenderness and patience to John and Annie. It symbolizes their commitment to saying something supportive or sweet every day. They must listen and take time to hear what is said and the deeper meaning behind the words. They commit to giving time to each other and appreciating the simple pleasures in life: the pleasure of a cuddle puddle with two pets; taking quiet walks and appreciating the sunshine through the leaves or noticing the way sunlight sparkles on the water and dances to the bottom of a stream. All this and more, Annie and John tenderly and patiently commit to each other. (Place Blue Cord over hands.)

Silver is trust and commitment. Silver is strong, unequivocal, forever. These people commit to being there for each other. Both will be strong for each other. Consider a Celtic Knot. Each cord entwines with many twists and turns. These turns make it beautiful and lend it strength. When one needs strength, the other entwined cord provides that strength and resilience. (Place the Silver/Grey Cord.)

There is no cord for communication. The binding itself represents Annie and John’s commitment to communicate. They will check in with each other. They will be honest. The foundation (brown) supports them as they grow (green), explore their passions (Red), with openness, expansiveness, and freedom (White), patience and tenderness (Blue), with strength and trust (silver). They will communicate in many ways. With words, with looks, with caresses and with loving thoughts. May we bind these cords together and with them, Annie and John.

Complete knot

Annie and John will now exchange rings and vows. (Pause)

1. Will you vow to honor, trust and respect one another as equals, and seek to never break that honor?

Answer in unison: We will.

2. Will you vow to always keep your hearts open to each other and communicate fully and fearlessly?

Answer in unison: We will.

3. Will you vow to travel beside each other experiencing all life has to offer, and make time for new and enriching life adventures?

Answer in unison: We will.

4. When you falter will you have the courage and commitment to remember these promises and take a step back toward one another with an open heart?

Answer in unison: We will.

You may now exchange rings.

Hand knot to Lara. Turn and get rings from Brooke & Eddie

John: I vow that it will be your eyes into which I smile every morning.

Ring onto Annie's hand.

Annie: I vow that it will be your arms I curl into every night.

Ring onto John's hand.

This is the marriage of equals. As such, Annie and John have chosen to merge their last names. As your hands are bound together so are your hearts, minds, and souls. You are united in love, trust, and partnership through the knots of this binding. May the ties grow stronger with each new challenge and triumph. May your love be a beacon of hope and inspiration for all who know you.

You may kiss each other to complete this ceremony of love.

Please stand and applaud as I present to you wife and husband, husband and wife: John Tyler and Joanne Katharine Havenson.