Waylon Glenn Ford

Dearly Beloved and Honored Guests,

My name is Waylon Ford. I live in Beeville Texas, and have been married to my gorgeous wife, Sandy for 20 years, and have three beautiful children Jayden, Payton, and Kayley.

It is one of my greatest honors and privileges to of been asked by Nick and Adrienne to perform their marriage ceremony. Like Nick and Adrienne, this is also my first time! I got ordained for this one occasion.

I considered this role very heavily. I thought, what makes me worthy to perform a marriage? After all, I did not attend years of seminary. I am not a priest in my catholic church, and the questions kept coming and coming. So, what better thing to do than to hit the bible and ask! Romans 13: 1-7 states, "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God."

God considers a man and a woman married when they are "legally" married. So, I lined everything up, got all my certificates and such so that I could, in the state of Texas, perform a "legal" marriage.

When they asked me to marry them, I did not even hesitate or wonder if it was possible, I said YES immediately. I knew whatever it took, I would figure it out and make it work.

Tell the story of dad telling me, you have to pick the one that fits best and then make it work.

I met Nick when he was about 17 years old at a religious retreat for young men. I was on the ministry team, and when Nick walked into the room, I knew right away that I had someone special on my hands. Little did I know, that spending one full weekend with a bunch of young men, would lead to a friendship that has been unmatched.

I hired Nick to work for me several months later, where we created the AC fixing, duct work building, electrical wiring team we liked to refer to as BATMAN AND ROBIN! We, or actually I should say, I would drive to the jobsite because no matter if the drive was 2 minutes or 50 miles, I would drive... and Nick would sleep!! Not all the time though. Many times, he would stay awake and we would visit. Or I should say nick would listen to me talk about politics, people that don't know how to drive, why or how things could be better or worse, and other things that irritated me... Then every once in a while, a great song would come on and... We would sing!

There was not much we would not get in to, from climbing in attics to riding oil well derricks, and then on some weekends he would come to the house and enjoy dinners and drinks around the fire.

Of course, him hanging around my house led to his meeting... well, I am not sure you are supposed to talk about girlfriends at a man’s wedding?? Well, the girlfriend I speak of is my youngest daughter Kayley Grace. I do not mean to embarrass her, but she was smitten with Nick Waters. He would come over and she would lite up. Not that KG and Nick would ever end up together, but as a father of two daughters, you look at "boys" different than other men do. I knew way back then, that Nick was growing up to be the man, that ANY dad would be glad to have marry his daughter.

Nick became a part of my family.

With that, we came to the part where we started seeing on Facebook, that Nick was doing an awful lot of things with this gorgeous girl. My kids would see them on Facebook and ask right away, who is Nick spending so much time with?? We did plenty of Facebook stalking, checking in and finding out who she was! It did not take us long to fall in love with her. It was only appropriate that the first time I spoke with Adrienne was on the phone because we were getting ready to send Nicholas on yet another spiritual journey, the walk to Emmaus. I was blown away! The first time I actually got to speak to Nicks future wife, was because she was planning a weekend that would bring him, and them, closer to Christ! Ladies and gentlemen, this is truly what marriage is all about!!

Definition of Commitment

Waylon:

Marriage, in my opinion, and Nick and Adrienne agree with me, is not JUST a "legal" commitment. It is a covenant. Marriage is a joyous occasion. It is connected in our thoughts with the charm of love, the warmth of home, and with all that is pleasant, as being one of the most important events of our lives. Its sacredness and unity is the most significant and binding COVENANT known in human relations. Nick and Adrienne, let me charge you both to remember that your future happiness is to be, as Michael read in the readings earlier in 1 Corinthians. Your marriage and future happiness are to be based on patience, kindness, and honor. It will not be based on jealousy, boastfulness, or pride. It is the duty of each of you to find your greatest joy in the company of the other; to remember that your love pledged in front of God and family today must remain undivided for a lifetime.

It is your duty, Nick, to be to Adrienne, a considerate, tender, faithful, and loving husband: to support, guide and cherish her in prosperity and trouble; to thoughtfully and carefully enlarge the place she holds in your life; to constantly show to her the tokens of your affection, to shelter her from danger, and to love her with an unchangeable love.

Ephesians 5:23 says "For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church."

Many want to stop with, him simply being head of the wife, but then you read, "as Christ is the head"...

Nick, you are the spiritual leader of the newly formed domestic church. God puts the spiritual health of your family in YOUR hands!

It is your duty, Adrienne, to be to Nick, a considerate, tender, faithful, and loving wife; to comfort, guide and cherish him in prosperity and trouble; to give to him the unfailing pieces of evidence of your affection; and to continue making the place he holds in your heart, broader and deeper; to support him, value him and work with him to make your marriage the very best that it can be.

Ephesians 5:24 "Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything."

Everyone wants to look at these verses as a push and shove, and that the wife does absolutely everything the husband demands, but this is not further from the truth. A marriage is not a 50/50 relationship, but instead it is a 100/100.

Ephesians goes on to say, "Husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church."

<Pause for effect> I call your attention to the seriousness of the decision which you have made and the covenant you are about to declare before God. The vows you are about to take, are not to be taken without careful thought, for in them you are committing yourselves exclusively to one another for as long as you both shall live.”

Declaration of Intent

Waylon:

“Nick, do you take Adrienne as your lawful wedded wife, to live in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you honor, love, comfort, and cherish her from this day forward, forsaking all others, keeping only unto her for as long as you both shall live?”

Nick responds: “I do” (option 2, “I will”)

“Adrienne, do you take Nick as your lawful wedded husband, to live in the holy estate of matrimony?

Will you honor, love, comfort, and cherish him from this day forward, forsaking all others, keeping only unto him for as long as you both shall live?”

Adrienne responds: “I do” (option 2, “I will”)

Wedding Vows

Waylon:

“If you are ready to assume the obligations and duties before God, as I have defined them, you will unite your hands and pledge your love and your lives to each other.”

“Nick, repeat after me.” (Waylon recites 1 line at a time for Nick to then repeat out loud.)

I Nick, take you, Adrienne,

to be my lawfully wedded wife,

to have and to hold,

from this day forward,

for better for worse,

for richer, for poorer,

in sickness and in health,

to love, honor, and cherish,

’til death do us part.”

“Now Adrienne, please repeat after me.” (Waylon recites 1 line at a time for Adrienne to then repeat out loud.)

I Adrienne, take you, Nick,

to be my lawfully wedded husband,

to have and to hold,

from this day forward,

for better for worse,

for richer, for poorer,

in sickness and in health,

to love, honor, and cherish,

’til death do us part.”

Blessing & Giving of Rings

(Waylon: Get the rings from who has them.)

“The wedding ring is a symbol of eternity. It is the sign of a spiritual bond which unites two hearts in endless love. It is a token of your love and of your deep desire to be forever united together in heart and soul.”

“Nick, please place the ring on Adrienne’s finger, and repeat after me…

I give you this ring as a sign of my love and faithfulness.”

(Nick:) “I give you this ring as a sign of my love and faithfulness.”

“And Adrienne, please place the ring on Nick’s finger and repeat after me…

I give you this ring as a sign of my love and faithfulness.”

(Adrienne:) I give you this ring as a sign of my love and faithfulness.

Closing Prayer

As Sadie read in 1 John, the bible tells us “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.” Just as Nick and Adrienne now have an obligation to love and care for each other, WE, friends and family, have an obligation to love them! To lift them up and encourage them, both in tough times and the great ones! So, with that, I ask everyone here who loves Nick and Adrienne to stretch out your hands toward the couple as we all pray a blessing over this marriage…

Prayer/blessing.

Pronouncement

Waylon: “Nick and Adrienne, having witnessed your vows for marriage before God and all who are assembled here, By the authority vested in me by American Marriage Ministries and the State of Texas I now pronounce you husband and wife!

You may now kiss the bride!

*Kiss*

Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my pleasure to introduce you to you for the first time Mr. and Mrs. Nick Waters!”

Recessional

Recessional