Giovanni Paolo Vernazzani

June 15th, 2024

Wedding

Darlene Mangandi

and

Jesus Emmanuel Valenzuela Hernandez

Guests standing while bride enters

Guests seated before invocation

Dear families, friends, loved ones…

From myself and on behalf of the bride and the groom thank you for joining us.

We are gathered here today in this beautiful place, in this beautiful day, to celebrate and witness the union between Darlene and Jesus. The celebration of a married life or, better, a shared life, is a great blessing for them and for all those that love them. By our presence, we celebrate with them the love they have discovered in each other, and we support their decision to commit themselves to a lifelong relationship.

I have known Jesus for few months, and let me tell you how honored I am to be here officiating this wedding. A sweet, honest, loving, ambitious man. And through his words and talking with Darlene recently, I know how sweet, honest and loving she is too. Every night at work, I see him calling Darlene, having their sweet time talking (hiding their conversation using Spanish). The sweetness that comes out those calls reminds me the relationship of a newly formed couple. They have been together for over 4 years now.

Life does put us, sometime, through some challenges. Some time easy challenges, some time harder. And some time these challenges risk to change the way we look at things. Some time these challenges can build a shield around our heart, to protect us. We may lose our hopes. But if you believe, life can give back what we think we have have lost.

I am sure you have been going through highs and lows or thick and thins, like any other couple. But the strong love between Darlene and Jesus, brought them here today to start their own family. Love can heal the pain in bad moments, but first of all love can exalt the good moments in the life of a married couple.

Marriage is a bond to be entered into only after considerable thought and reflection. By making this commitment today, Darlene and Jesus’ relationship will become even stronger, better, and deeper.

Today, Darlene and Jesus demonstrate their devotion to each other by dedicating themselves to a life together and they show their respect for each other. By setting forth to honor the vows they have created today, their lives, which began on separate paths, will be joined as one.

Today represents not only the joining of Darlene and Jesus but also the joining of their families and friends.

And I am sure that Darlene and Jesus would like to recognize their parents on this occasion. They offer their profound gratitude for all the love and care their parents showed in raising them. The unconditional gifts of love and support that you have continually offered, have inspired them to become who they are today. Without you, this day would not be possible.

Deep abiding affection, the magical and compelling shared impulse that makes us seek each other’s company, is among the greatest gifts of the human experience.

Any of us who has been fortunate enough to find and express the kind of loving devotion that we are celebrating here today, knows that it is an awesome and beautiful thing.

Darlene and Jesus, on your journey together, keep your spouse in the space of highest priority in your heart. The love that you share must be guarded and cherished forever, it is your most valuable treasure.

Always remember these words:

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

At this time, I would like to share 3 suggestions with the both of you:

My first suggestion is this:

Be constantly grateful for this precious person who has chosen to make a life with you.

My second suggestion is this:

Be generous with compliments. Be attentive and helpful. The world can be a tough place and any of us can be subject to rough handling.

Last, but perhaps most importantly:

Make truth the unfailing bedrock of your lives together. A happy, loving marriage is built on trust and respect. That trust and respect can only be sustained if you are both deeply committed to always being open and truthful in every exchange no matter how small.

My hope for you is this:

That you have many long years to delight in each other’s company, to feel gratitude for your great fortune in having found each other.

To a make home together that is at once sheltering and welcoming, to each do meaningful, productive work at home and in the world and to love and be loved by the friends and family who have come here today to support you.

Darlene and Jesus, do you present yourselves willingly and of your own accord to be joined in marriage?

…… them….

You have chosen not to share your vows. That is not required and is in my opinion part of a show. What really matter, is that you have shared those binding promises to love, honor, and cherish one another, between the two of you and promise to stick to them.

Jesus Emmanuel Valenzuela Hernandez, do you take Darlene Mangandi for your lawful wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, all the days of your life?

Darlene Mangandi, do you take Jesus Emmanuel Valenzuela Hernandez for your lawful husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, all the days of your life?

The rings you are about to place on each other’s finger are symbols of the love you expressed. They will remind you of the promises you have made to each other, and of the eternal love that you have for one another.

Jesus, place the ring on Darlene’s finger and repeat after me:

As this ring encircles your finger…..

From this moment forward……

So will my love forever encircle you….

You will never walk alone….

My heart will be your shelter….

My arms will be your home….

We will walk through life as partners and best friends….

I promise to do my best to love, cherish and accept you…..

Just the way you are…..

I give you my hearth until the end of time…..

This is the greatest gift I have to give.

Darlene, place the ring on Jesus’ finger and repeat after me:

As this ring encircles your finger…..

From this moment forward……

So will my love forever encircle you….

You will never walk alone….

My heart will be your shelter….

My arms will be your home….

We will walk through life as partners and best friends….

I promise to do my best to love, cherish and accept you…..

Just the way you are…..

I give you my hearth until the end of time…..

This is the greatest gift I have to give.

Darlene and Jesus, you have promised to share your lives in marriage. In the honesty and sincerity of what you have said and done here today, by the authority vested in me by the American Marriage Ministries, and in accordance with the laws of the state of Georgia, it is my honor and delight to declare you henceforth to be husband and wife.

You may seal your vows with a kiss.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my greatest honor to present you for the first time,

Mr & Mrs Valenzuela