Christopher James Bray

HOUSE ANNOUNCEMENTS

Ladies and gentlemen, before we begin the ceremony, Emma and Ryan kindly request that all cell phones and other electronic devices be turned off or silenced to avoid any distractions during this special occasion. Professional photographers and videographers are here to capture the ceremony, allowing you to be fully present and enjoy this meaningful moment.

PROCESSION

Who stands with Emma today, offering their love, blessing, and lifelong support as she and Ryan begin this new chapter together?”

Mitch Replies:

“Her mother and I do.”

INVOCATION

Good afternoon and welcome everyone. It is wonderful to see so many friends and family of Ryan and Emma as they come together to exchange their vows of marriage. My name is Chris Bray and I am a lucky man. Lucky to have gotten to know and become a friend of Ryan but even luckier to be Emma’s Uncle. Lucky to be with you all as we celebrate their decision to commit themselves to a lifelong relationship.

I must admit though that I may need your patience and Grace…I have rehearsed what I am about to say many times and have yet to make it through without my emotions interrupting or taking over.

So if I pause, if I stumble, or if I have to take a moment to collect myself, please forgive me. Being asked to officiate this wedding has been the biggest honor of my life, so I will try my best with no guarantees to make it through without breaking down!

Ryan and Emma, you are not alone as you stand here in this beautiful garden today; you are standing in the center of a circle of love. Could you please turn towards your family and friends. Take a moment and look around. (Read very slow)

(Pause for Impact: Let the couple soak in the faces of their loved ones for at least 30 seconds before continuing.)

These are the people who have raised you, supported you, cheered for you, and loved you. Many here have traveled a long distance to be here today. They have all in some way helped to shape who you are. These are YOUR people, YOUR tribe, this is your community. These are the faces you will see who will continue to give you unwavering support and love as you enter this new chapter in your life. These are the people who will champion your marriage. Take this moment and feel the love from everyone here that sits behind you at this very moment.

Pretty amazing, isn’t it?

Before we move on to the vows and the party and all of the fun we will have celebrating this union, I would like to ask Joan Dennehy, my mother-in-law and the grandmother of the bride, to come forward for a special reading.

THANK YOU MOM.

That poem perfectly reflects the meaning of this day. Before Ryan and Emma exchange their vows, I’d like to share a few brief thoughts—words of perspective, encouragement, and my thoughts on the one essential foundation of every marriage: love.

For Ryan and Emma, this day has been long-in waiting. Their story began years ago on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Ryan and Emma fell for each other. And from that moment on, there’s been something meant‑to‑be about the two of them. When I first met Ryan, they had only been dating a short while but the comfort, connection, and happiness they shared made them seem like a couple already seasoned by years of love. I may have given him a hard time about his wild hair and those jogger-style golf pants—but the truth is, being around Ryan felt less like meeting someone new and more like welcoming someone who already belonged.

Ryan and Emma share a love that is smothered in joy. They are genuinely a happy couple.

I’ve had the pleasure of being around Ryan for a number of years now, and I think I have finally figured out why they are so happy. The man exudes joy. His happiness covers you like a warm blanket on a cold, December night. It took a while for me to realize why my face hurt whenever I left Ryan, it’s because you are laughing or smiling the whole time you are with him. You’re just happier when you hang around RyGuy.

But at the same time Ryan is also a very serious person, without taking himself too seriously. He is always ready to have a deep conversation, offer or seek advice or simply just be there when you didn’t even know you needed him. I speak from personal experience that when life hits you square in the face, Ryan is there with a listening ear, and an empathetic heart.

Emma. What do I say about Emma. Ryan, I know you feel like a lucky man to be here today marrying this incredible lady…and you should. Emma has always been, since she was a wee tot, she has always just been a cool kid.  Her laugh is contagious, her smile can literally reach out and touch you, and her intelligence combined with her athleticism and a fierce competitive drive — is softened by her down‑to‑earth nature and that rare gift of making everyone feel instantly seen and at ease.

Again, speaking from experience, I can tell you that if you upset my niece she will let you know it. But eventually, after a written apology—and perhaps a brief period of reflection on your poor decision-making—you will be forgiven. Because that’s Emma: she feels deeply, speaks honestly, and loves fully.

… If anyone is interested in the Paul Harvey “Rest of the story” feel free to see me at the bar later!

Put all of that together, and it is easy to see why the two of you make such a wonderful pair. And yet, even in a moment as joyful as this one, it is important to remember that marriage is not sustained by happiness alone. Love must be nurtured, because even the shine of a new marriage can fade over time, even for a great couple.

To me, marriage is similar to a drive across western North Carolina. It’s filled with sharp turns, uphill roads, downhill roads, and surprises around every corner. But no matter what the road brings, the hard stretches will be easier to navigate when you face them together.

Marriages are constantly tested. The overwhelming sense of bliss you feel right now will be battered by mild disagreements, financial stress, different parenting philosophies, arguments over little things, arguments over big things. There will be times when you feel distant and hurt. But…when life’s storms come, as they always do, one thing will remain unwavering, one thing will mend what is broken, and that one thing will carry you forward together; your love for each other. And if it remains the central theme of your lives, none of life’s harshness can damage the bond that brings you both in front of your family and friends today to declare yourselves a unit, a team, an unbreakable force that can deal with anything thrown at you.

I think all of us are at least familiar with the great bible quote so often read during marriage ceremonies, First Corinthians 13:4:8…The traditional reading of this verse begins with Love is Patient…But recently I came across a different interpretation that begins with Love suffereth long.

I like that…Love suffereth long. To me it means that love, while patient, endures difficulties and trials without becoming angry or resentful. It emphasizes the unconditional nature of what Love truly is…tolerant and forgiving. The passage goes on to say that Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Most of all. LOVE NEVER FAILS. I cannot imagine the loneliness of having great things happen but not having a partner there to share it with. Neither can I imagine dealing with the struggles of life without someone there to provide comfort. Love never fails, no truer words have ever been said.

We know that Love is more than a feeling, it’s more than an emotion…it is a powerful force capable of moving mountains. Couples that put Love at the center of their relationship, they are the ones who stand the test of time. They are the ones who endure all of the challenges, stress and curveballs life throws at us. LOVE NEVER FAILS.

And when old age sets in, and you start to reflect back on how fast it all went by, you will be filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Thankful that you loved each other through it all.

Recently, I read a book about a couple from Georgia. He was a prominent High School and college football player and eventually became a state champion coach. She was teacher and they were in love from the early days of high school. They endured years of being apart, the ups and downs of coaching high school sports, financial challenges, a child born with spina bifida and eventually a diagnosis of ALS, Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Their love was unending and inspiring. There is a chapter of their story called I love you, period. It’s a lesson to all of us that love is without condition. It’s not I love you when you….I love you because of…its simply I love you, period.

And LOVE is the foundation of THIS relationship. I am honored to stand here today as you two amazing souls confirm your commitment to loving each other, period.

This union—made here before God, family, and friends—is not symbolic. It is not a transaction, not a merger, and far more than a contract or a piece of paper. It is a promise you make to one another, and a vow you make before all of us: that you will walk through life side by side—celebrating the triumphs, enduring the hardships, and choosing each other again and again. Today you declare what your lives will reflect from this moment forward: that you have found in one another a home, a partner and a forever love.

Are we ready to declare your intention of marriage?

DECLARATION OF INTENT

Chris:

"Do you, Ryan Taylor Crandall, take Emma Lee Kenfield to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and times of struggle, for richer or poorer keeping yourself unto her for as long as you both shall live?

Ryan to Emma:

"I do."

Chris:

"Do you, Emma Lee Kenfield, take Ryan Taylor Crandall to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and time of struggle, for richer or poorer keeping yourself unto him for as long as you both shall live?

Emma to Ryan:

"I do."

VOWS AND RING EXCHANGE

Ryan:

Today I make a solemn vow before God and all who are present here.

I vow to love you to the end of my days

to grow with you and not apart,

to make my accomplishments, ours, and your challenges, mine,

And to love you deeply and honestly, as your teammate and partner.

I promise to serve you with tenderness and respect

To learn with you and grow with you, even as time and life change us both.

To laugh with you in the best of times and carry through the worst

To share in your hopes and dreams

To consider your well-being as important as my own

And, most of all, I promise to keep choosing you, every day, forever

Emma:

Today I make a solemn vow before God and all who are present here.

I vow to love you to the end of my days

to grow with you and not apart,

to make my accomplishments, ours, and your challenges, mine,

And to love you deeply and honestly, as your teammate and partner.

I promise to serve you with tenderness and respect

To learn with you and grow with you, even as time and life change us both.

To laugh with you in the best of times and carry through the worst

To share in your hopes and dreams

To consider your well-being as important as my own

And, most of all, I promise to keep choosing you, every day, forever

THE RINGS

A ring is a strange and powerful symbol because it asks nothing to be added to it and nothing to be taken away. It is complete unto itself — a perfect circle, uninterrupted and whole. In many ways, marriage asks the same thing of two people: not perfection, but wholeness found in surrender, trust, and return.

The ring has no edges to defend and no final point to arrive at. It turns endlessly, just as love does — through seasons of certainty and doubt, through joy, grief, silence, forgiveness, and rediscovery. Over time, the metal will bear scratches and marks, not as flaws, but as evidence that it has lived a life alongside another. In that way, the ring becomes more honest than pristine. It becomes shaped by devotion.

And perhaps that is the deepest meaning of the ring: it is worn on the hand because love is not meant to remain abstract. Love must become visible in the things we carry, the burdens we share, the hands we hold, and the promises we continue to choose long after the moment they were first spoken.

So these rings are not merely symbols of a wedding day. They are quiet witnesses to a thousand future moments — ordinary moments that, together, become a lifetime.

(Ryan) Repeat after me:

With this ring, I give you my heart and my promise to love you, period.

(Emma) Repeat after me”

With this ring, I give you my heart and my promise to love you, period.

PRONOUNCEMENT

In the presence of God and this good company,

And by the authority granted to me by the state of North Carolina,

Empowered by Love, which never fails,

And because you have exchanged vows of commitment,

I now pronounce you HUSBAND and WIFE…

Ryan, you may kiss the bride (STEP AWAY)

-- After Kiss –

Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. & Mrs. Ryan Crandall

Please join us for cocktails hour in the Orchard House

Family – Please remain here in the Orchard for photos

RECESSION