Thomas Anthony Bowles

PROCESSION

WELCOME

Family and friends welcome. We gather here today to celebrate one of life's greatest moments. The joining together of Tray and Courtney. For out of the routine of ordinary life, the extraordinary has happened. They met each other, fell in love and are finalizing it with marriage. Today – the day of Tray and Courtney’s wedding – is about love. For love is genuine, honest and open, compassionate and kind, passionate and blind, love doesn’t know space or time, nor look through jealous eyes. “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.”

SOMETHING ABOUT TRAY AND COURTNEY

I’ve known Tray since he was a little boy and have been able to watch him grow, both in person and through the eyes of his mother, his grandparents and my wife, from a spunky little boy who was always happy and smiling, to a man who where’s his heart on his sleeve and will do anything for those he loves. A man who has served his country and now his community.

When I first met Courtney, I thought she was shy. Since then, I have come to see that she is a bold and straight-forward, yet kind and loving person who cares about everyone around her and fits perfectly into our family.

Everyone has a love story and sometimes the beginning can be unexpected, like Tray and Courtney. A simple meeting and a conversation that seemed to just be about common core math, was really the beginning of their journey. She noticed his smile, he thought she was beautiful and they both knew there was an immediate connection. Apparently, so did her best friend, as she told Courtney at the end of that night “You’re going to marry him” …..and here we are.

And now a reading of “Union” by Robert Fulghum which seems to describe the story of Tray and Courtney’s journey to marriage.

READING

“You have known each other from the first glance of acquaintance to this point of commitment. At some point, you decided to marry. From that moment of yes, to this moment of yes, indeed, you have been making commitments in an informal way. All of those conversations that were held in a car, or over a meal, or during long walks – all those conversations that began with, “When we’re married”, and continued with “I will” and “you will” and “we will” – all those late night talks that included “someday” and “somehow” and “maybe” – and all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart. All these common things, and more, are the real process of a wedding. The symbolic vows that you are about to make are a way of saying to one another, “You know all those things that we’ve promised, and hoped, and dreamed – well, I meant it all, every word.” Look at one another and remember this moment in time. Before this moment you have been many things to one another – acquaintance, friend, companion, lover, dancing partner, even teacher, for you have learned much from one another these past few years. Shortly you shall say a few words that will take you across a threshold of life, and things between you will never quite be the same. For after today you shall say to the world – This is my husband. This is my wife.”

VOWS

Tray and Courtney will now recite their vows to each other.

Tray recites his vows to Courtney:

- Courtney, “I promise to hold your hand every night and to never let us lose our spark.”

- "I vow to have the patience that love demands, to speak when words are needed, and to share in the silence when they are not."

- “I vow to be giving and forgiving; to make you laugh and to laugh at myself.”

- “You’re my person. The person I want to grow old with.”

- “I promise to grow with you and build with you a better life each day as we learn from each other to be patient, kind, giving, and to always cherish each day together.”

- “I vow to love you as you love me, through all hardship, darkness, and pain to reach for our joys, our hopes, and always with honesty and faith.”

- “I promise you my unconditional love, tenderness, and undying devotion, to not ask you to be more than you are, and to love you for being you.”

Courtney recites her vows to Tray:

- Tray, “I promise to hold your hand every night and to never let us lose our spark.”

- "I vow to have the patience that love demands, to speak when words are needed, and to share in the silence when they are not."

- “I vow to be giving and forgiving; to make you laugh and to laugh at myself.”

- “You’re my person. The person I want to grow old with.”

- “I promise to grow with you and build with you a better life each day as we learn from each other to be patient, kind, giving, and to always cherish each day together.”

- “I vow to love you as you love me, through all hardship, darkness, and pain to reach for our joys, our hopes, and always with honesty and faith.”

- “I promise you my unconditional love, tenderness, and undying devotion, to not ask you to be more than you are, and to love you for being you.”

EXCHANGE OF RINGS

May I have the rings.

The ring is a symbol of the unbroken circle of unity and love, representing the greater circle of life which we all are a part of. Love freely given has no beginning and no end, it begins with the gift of life and will continue through the end of time. May these rings always remind you of the vows you have taken today.

Tray, please place the ring on Courtney’s finger and repeat after me – Courtney, I give you this ring that you may wear (stop), as a symbol of the vows we have made this day (stop). I pledge you my love, and respect (stop), my laughter and my tears (stop). With all that I am, I honor you.

Courtney, please place the ring on Tray’s finger and repeat after me – Tray, I give you this ring that you may wear (stop), as a symbol of the vows we have made this day (stop). I pledge you my love, and respect (stop), my laughter and my tears (stop). With all that I am, I honor you.

PRONOUNCEMENT

Tray and Courtney, we have heard your vows and your promise of faithful love. You have exchanged rings as a symbol of your love and commitment to each other. We recognize the bond you have made here this day before each one of us as witnesses. Therefore, in the honesty and sincerity of what you have said and done here today, and by the power bestowed upon me, it is my honor and delight to pronounce you husband and wife. Tray, you may kiss your bride.

PRESENTATION OF COUPLE

Family and friends, it is my pleasure to present for the first time Mr. and Mrs. Tray and Courtney Allebach.

RECESSION

First Small Ceremony in 2018

We gather here today to celebrate one of life's greatest moments, the joining of two hearts and to give recognition to the worth and beauty of love, as we witness the joining together of Tray and Courtney. For out of the routine of ordinary life, the extraordinary has happened. They met each other, fell in love and are finalizing it with marriage.

Tray and Courtney, marriage is the promise between two people who love each other, who trust that love, who honor one another as individuals in that togetherness, and who wish to spend the rest of their lives together. A good marriage must be created, to enable the two separate souls to share their desires, longings, dreams, and memories, their joys and sorrows, and to help each other through all uncertainties of life. It is never being too old to hold hands. It’s remembering to say I love you every day and it is not just marrying the right person, its being the right partner.

Tray and Courtney, today is the affirmation and acknowledgement of all that you are to each other. Seemingly, your relationship will be as it has always been; yet there is a power in the spoken word. May that power bring you all the warmth, closeness, comfort and happiness this world has to offer.

Tray, please repeat after me.

Tray: Courtney, I take you to be my best friend (stop), my faithful partner, and my one true love (stop). I promise to encourage you and inspire you (stop) and to love you truly through good times and bad (stop). I will forever be there to laugh with you (stop), to lift you up when you are down (stop) and to love you unconditionally (stop) through all of our adventures in life together.

Courtney, please repeat after me.

Courtney: Tray, I take you to be my best friend (stop), my faithful partner, and my one true love (stop). I promise to encourage you and inspire you (stop) and to love you truly through good times and bad (stop). I will forever be there to laugh with you (stop), to lift you up when you are down (stop) and to love you unconditionally (stop) through all of our adventures in life together.

A ring is an unbroken circle, a symbol of unity and love, representing the greater circle of life of which we all are a part of. Having neither a beginning nor end, but a continuous cycle of which each of you are an element. For you, it begins with the gift of life, and will continue through the end of time.

Tray, please place the ring on Courtney’s finger and repeat after me – Courtney, I give you this ring that you may wear (stop), as a symbol of the vows we have made this day (stop). I pledge you my love, and respect (stop), my laughter and my tears (stop). With all that I am, I honor you.

Courtney, please place the ring on Tray’s finger and repeat after me – Tray, I give you this ring that you may wear (stop), as a symbol of the vows we have made this day (stop). I pledge you my love, and respect (stop), my laughter and my tears (stop). With all that I am, I honor you.

Tray and Courtney, we have heard your vows and your promise of faithful love. You have exchanged rings as a symbol of your love and commitment to each other. We recognize the bond you have made here this day before each one of us as witnesses. Therefore, in the honesty and sincerity of what you have said and done here today, and by the power bestowed upon me, it is my honor and delight to pronounce you husband and wife. Tray, you may kiss your bride.