Brent A Duncan, PhD

PROCESSION

[Brent & Zachary up front. Brent faces the audience; Zachary stands to the minister’s left (right side of the audience). Zach’s right hand must be unhindered in case he has to draw his sword to defend the bride.]

[Cue Music.]

[Procession led by Phoenix & Wyatt, followed by Devon, Harper, Leigh, Palmer. Alexis & Lois follow the procession.]

[Alexis stands to the minister’s right (left side of the audience).]

[Alexis and Zachary, side by side, hold hands.]

GREETING

As we gather today, we humbly ask for the presence of God with the love and support of family and friends to celebrate the union of Zachary Denver Duncan and Alexis Dyann Bowling in marriage.

This moment is a testament to the divine gift of love, a covenant ordained by God, where two souls come together not as one leading the other, but as equal partners walking side by side, bound by faith, hope, charity, resilience, and mutual devotion as you aspire to accomplish a shared purpose.

ORIGIN STORY

[Brent: Before we begin the formal invocation and vows, I invite you to hear the origin story of Alexis and Zachary—a tale of serendipity, distance, and the quiet gravity that draws two kindred souls together, as read by Penny.]

Once upon a time, in the faraway land of Rishikesh—along the sacred Ganges River at the foot of the mighty Himalaya mountains—two wandering adventurers crossed paths. What followed was a brief but unforgettable chapter of a story that will last forever.

They danced barefoot beneath the stars, painted walls in jungle ruins, and shared laughter and ideas that flowed as easily as breath. For a few days, time itself seemed to hold still in that distant land, and their connection took root.

Though their journeys diverged, a quiet current lingered—an invisible thread stretched across continents.

As time passed, that thread gently pulled them back into each other’s orbits. A phone call became a reconnection. A layover in Denver became a turning point. From that moment, their lives began to entwine again—through visits, conversations, and even across oceans while Zachary traveled abroad.

When he returned, Alexis and Zachary didn’t just look back on what had grown—they dreamed forward.

And when they said “I love you” for the first time, they said it together.

Today, on the Summer Solstice, the longest and most luminous day of the year—Alexis and Zachary stand here, not just to marry, but to shape a life grounded in shared vision, deep devotion, and a love that first stirred beneath distant skies. As the sun reaches its highest point, this day marks not only abundance and light, but the turning of a season—a perfect mirror for a marriage built to endure, evolve, and flourish with purpose.

Long before plans were drawn, before vows imagined or foundations poured, Alexis and Zachary each carried within them a quiet blueprint. Neither could see its lines at first, but when their paths crossed—whether by chance or by destiny, it was as if that hidden design stirred to life. What began in a far-off land has become the architecture of something lasting: a love built with care, shaped by shared purpose, and destined to rise.

And it is our joy, as their family and dearest friends, to witness the beginning of this extraordinary new chapter—one built not only on love and memory, but on the enduring architecture of a union designed to flourish beyond a lifetime. A cornerstone laid with care, shaped by mutual devotion, and set with shared purpose—so that generations to come may rise upon the strength of what begins here today.

[Brent: And so, as Alexis and Zachary prepare to enter this sacred covenant, we turn now to the deeper meaning of marriage itself, what it offers, and how it reflects the divine love that calls us into communion with one another.]

AS I HAVE LOVED YOU

In the Gospel of John 15:9-12, Jesus speaks of the depth of this love:

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

These words call you, Zachary and Alexis, to abide in God’s boundless love, to let it strengthen your resilience through life’s trials, to deepen your respect for one another as beloved children of God, and to inspire mutual service that reflects Christ’s selfless love.

A SACRED COVENANT

Marriage is a sacred journey, a commitment to stand together with unwavering faith and charitable deeds. Marriage…

• Demands resilience—to face challenges with God’s strength as your guide.

• Calls for respect—a deep honor for each other’s hearts, dreams, and distinctiveness.

• Thrives on mutual service—where you lift each other up with humility and together serve God’s purpose for your shared life.

• Opens the door to family—a sacred calling to nurture and cherish children, as a reflection of God’s love and legacy.

GOD CENTERED UNION

Your union today lays the foundation for a family built on faith and charitable works, where love extends beyond yourselves to embrace the gift of children and the community of loved ones who surround you.

Ecclesiastes 4:12 reminds us,

The cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

With God at the center, your union becomes an unbreakable bond, a beacon of love for your family and the world.

Zachary and Alexis, today you pledge to walk this path as equals, hand in hand, with hearts open to God’s guidance. May your union, grounded in the love of Christ with guidance from the Holy Spirit, be a light to the world, showing the beauty of a family built on faith and unity, centered on God.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

As we stand together in this sacred moment, we give thanks for the love and support of the family and friends who have gathered to witness this union. Your presence is a reminder of the community that surrounds Zachary and Alexis, upholding them in prayer and encouragement as they begin their life together.

Reading

Lois Ann Preston reads 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Love is patient, love is kind.

Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, is not rude, is not self-seeking,

is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs.

Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth.

It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

DECLARATION OF INTENT

[Miss Harper, please receive the bouquet from Alexis.]

[Zachary and Alexi, please face one another and hold hands.]

Zachary

Zachary Denver Duncan, do you take Alexis Dyann Bowling to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love, honor, and cherish, to serve and respect as your equal partner, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, forsaking all others, as long as you both shall live?

[Zach: "I do."]

Alexis

Alexis Dyann Bowling, do you take Zachary Denver Duncan to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love, honor, and cherish, to serve and respect as your equal partner, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, forsaking all others, as long as you both shall live?

[Alexis: "I do."]

VOWS

Zachary, please repeat after me:

I, Zachary Denver Duncan, take you, Alexis Dyann Bowling, to be my wife. I promise to love you with all my heart, to respect and honor you, to serve you with humility, and to walk resiliently by your side, guided by God’s grace, all the days of my life.

Alexis, please repeat after me:

I, Alexis Dyann Bowling, take you, Zachary Denver Duncan, to be my husband. I promise to love you with all my heart, to respect and honor you, to serve you with humility, and to walk resiliently by your side, guided by God’s grace, all the days of my life.

[Option: Read personal vows]

Zachary and Alexis have asked to read personal vows…

RING EXCHANGE

The wedding ring is a symbol of eternity, reflecting your unending commitment to walk together as husband and wife.

As you place the ring on each other’s finger, may it remind you of the love, respect, and service you pledge today, with God’s love as your foundation, as Jesus taught us to remain in His love.

Zach

[Mister Phoenix, please present the ring to Zachary.]

Zachary, as you place the ring on Alexis’s finger, please say:

With this ring, I thee wed, and pledge my love, respect, and service to you, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Alexis

[Mr. Wyatt, please present the ring to Alexis.]

Alexis, as you place the ring on Zachary's finger, please say:

With this ring, I thee wed, and pledge my love, respect, and service to you, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

BLESSING

Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gift of love and the sacred bond of marriage. Bless Zachary and Alexis as they unite as husband and wife. Grant them resilience to face life’s challenges, respect to honor each other’s hearts, and a spirit of service to reflect Your love, as taught in John 15.

May their home be a haven of Your peace, where their love extends to children and family, nurturing them in faith and love. Strengthen their union with Your grace, and let their lives be a testament to Your purpose. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

PRONOUNCEMENT

Zachary Denver Duncan and Alexis Dyann Bowling, having declared your love and commitment before God and these witnesses, and having sealed your vows with the exchange of rings, it is my joy and privilege, by the authority vested in me through American Marriage Ministries and the state of Tennessee, to pronounce you husband and wife. What God has joined together, let no one separate.

Zach, you may now kiss your bride.

[Ring Bells.]

Closing

Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to present to you, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Duncan! Surrounded by the people who love you the most, may God bless you both as you walk together in love, faith, and unity, building a family rooted in His love.

[Recessional follows.]