Jessica Lee Downing

(processional music begins – live string players)

May I please ask everyone to rise to welcome the bride?

(processional music quiets)

Thank you everyone. You may be seated.

(Leah - hug/kiss Natida, Leah - hug Marlin as Natida hands off bouquet to Yaeto, Natida and Marlin take each other’s hands, Leah takes seat)

Welcome everyone! Thank you so much for joining us on this fabulous evening to share our excitement and well wishes with this lovely couple. Let us relish the last of the day’s sun and the breeze off the water while we celebrate in the company of your dearest family, and friends who have become family.

Love is something we all share. No matter who we are, where we come from, or what we believe in, Love brings us together.

If we asked everyone here to describe what Love is, we would hear it explained 100 different ways. Even though love can look different from one person to the next – we all know it when we see it.

And we all see it right here.

A Love that is genuine, honest and open, compassionate and kind, passionate and blind, that was strengthened over distance and time.

Love is exactly why Natida and Marlin are standing here today, and their Love is what we are all here to bear witness to.

Marlin and Natida, I want you to hold onto a little piece of this ceremony just for yourselves. Close your eyes and take a moment to -just --breath... Keep your eyes closed. Let any tension or nervousness fall away… Give each other a little squeeze… Let yourself feel all “the feels”…

Now open your eyes and take in the full sight of the stunning human standing across from you that you are about to marry!...

And look out at all of these amazing people, looking fabulous and fancy, dressed in their best, here to celebrate the two of you on your wedding day!

Everyone here has their own love stories. Some of our stories are short, some are long. Some are simple and sweet, when others are crazy and complicated. While some stories may yet be unwritten, some of us (glance at couple, wink, nod) are just getting to the really good part.

These two beautiful souls couldn’t have made it to this "good part" all by themselves. Without all of you, this day would not be possible. Natida and Marlin are so thankful for all your love and support. As they were learning, growing, and becoming the unique individuals they were destined to be, and while their relationship blossomed, you’ve been imparting your knowledge, giving sage advice, and loving them every step of the way.

Marlin and Natida,

I ask you both in the presence of these witnesses here,

Have you come freely and without reservation to pledge your hearts in marriage? (We have)

Marlin: Do you accept Natida as your one true love, to stand by your side for now and always, as your lawfully wedded wife? (I do)

Natida: Do you accept Marlin as your one true love, to stand by your side for now and always, as your lawfully wedded husband? (I do)

Your love story already has pages full of unique adventures. Inside the cover is a map with a line connecting Oregon to Connecticut, and from Connecticut to Oregon, lines passing through New York and New Jersy, and one ending in Massachusetts.

Weathering three years of DM’s, texts, and long-distance calls, counting down to visits, and difficult goodbyes—you’ve built something that distance couldn't shake.

You made it through college, esthetician school, moving to Amherst, starting your careers, and everything that came with it—not just as individuals, but

as partners. Supporting each other, cheering each other

on, and maybe occasionally arguing over who has to clean up after the pets.

And now, here you are – food lovers, videogame enthusiats, “Busy Bowser” parents, building a life full of laughter, curiosity, and teamwork.

It doesn’t matter how near or far you are, or where you choose to settle; You've been creating your home in each other's hearts all this time and will continue being each other's safe haven no matter where life takes you.

Marlin and Natida, Now your book of life is open to a fresh, clean page so you can start to fill it in together, as husband and wife. This chapter begins by making the ultimate commitment to your best friend and soulmate, to be partners in life and partners in all things that may ebb and flow in your future.

Natida and Marlin have searched their own hearts for the perfect words to share and promises to make to one another. Marlin, would you like to read first?

(hand Natida and Marlin their vow booklets)

(Natida’s vows)

The more I learn about you, the more reasons I find to love you. Somehow, I keep finding new pieces of you to fall in love with, over and over again. You’ve been there through some of the hardest moments of my life and you’ve celebrated some of my happiest ones. You’ve seen parts of me that I don’t always know how to love and somehow, you’ve loved them anyway. As long as you’re here, I don’t think anyone could ever love me as deeply, patiently, and completely as you do. Thank you for showing me what that kind of love feels like. Thank you for your grace. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for choosing me, even on the days when I’m not easy to love. And most of all, thank you for loving me exactly as I am. I want to share my life with you, wherever it takes us. I want the ordinary days, the difficult days, the adventures, the quiet moments and everything in between. As long as we’re walking through it hand in hand, I know I’ll be happy. Come hell or high water, I vow to always be by your side. You are my polar star. The light I follow when I don’t know where I’m going. And wherever life takes you, I’ll gladly follow, because if you’re where I’m headed, then I know I’m exactly where I’m meant to be. 11 years later, after everything we’ve been through, I’d still choose you. I love you more than you could possibly imagine. My head is completely overflowing with these words of love. I love you so much.

(Marlin’s vows)

Natida, when I first met you, at the time, I just finished my first year in college, and I was lost. I took a break from college because I didn’t know what I wanted to do and honestly. Whatever I was doing, I wasn’t doing so good. Meeting you during my break saved me. I was working a dead end job at the grocery store and it felt like my life was meaningless. Then, out of nowhere, a random Instagram post brought you to me. You had no idea how much that helped me. We connected instantly and you made me feel alive. Feel like trying. You helped me grow stronger. I never regret any moment with you. I fell for you. For your beautiful voice, beautiful personality, beautiful smile, and beautiful everything. You could turn into a rock and I will still say you are beautiful to me. In my life there is nothing in the world could compared to you… Thank you my love. With that being said I promise: to always love you. to always be with you. to always listen to you. to always care for you. to always be your gaming partner. to always watch a ‘program’ w/ you. to always be your dining partner. to say ‘thats what she said’ at the right moment. to being silly with you, or say brainrot stuff. I want to end this with something we always say to each other when we were long distance. “I love you to the moon and back, and I will always love you way more”

Lucas, may we please have the rings?

(Lucas places rings in the palm of my hand)

These rings were once just bits and pieces of simple raw elements found in the earth, that were melted, shaped, and polished to create a work of art, a beautiful, complete, and whole piece that can no longer be separated.

The love you share is just as simple. You both came into this relationship as separate individuals, two raw souls, changed and merged over time to form work of love, a beautiful, complete and whole union that can no longer be separated.

Let these unending circles stand the test of time as a symbol of your unending love and commitment to one another.

Marlin, please take Natida’s ring. While placing the ring on her finger, repeat after me…

With this ring

I join my life with yours.

I give you all that I have

And all that I am.

I vow to love who you are now,

and who you are yet to become,

Wherever our life’s journey takes us.

Natida, please take Marlin’s ring. While placing the ring on his finger, repeat after me…

With this ring

I join my life with yours.

I give you all of my heart

And all of my being.

I vow to love everything you are,

asking you to be no other than yourself,

Wherever our life’s journey takes us.

Natida and Marlin,

Continue to travel forward through time together as partners and best friends.

Travel back though memory together to appreciate all of your experiences, the big things… and the little things, and every precious moment in between.

Find new reasons to love each other every day.

Keep being each other’s favorite person.

May your epic love story be filled with chapters of celebration, lines of laughter, pages of passion, and amazing adventures.

With the power bestowed upon me by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,

It is my pleasure and honor to pronounce you husband and wife.

(Step off to the left for the first kiss)

You may kiss your bride!

(Kiss)

(Natida takes bouquet back from Yaeto, N & M join hands, turn to crowd, pause, walk)

(Recessional music begins)