Jack Lee Wolfe III

[intro]

Who gives this Bride?

[Minister]

“Her Mother and I”

[Father of the Bride]

Welcome everyone, on behalf of the bride and groom they would like me to personally thank all of you for being here today. We are all gathered here today to celebrate the love of Jessica and Michael. So I have now known Jessica for about 6 years and let me say I have never seen her happier than the time she has spent with Michael. I remember when Michael and Jessica first started dating, I knew things were different. I am so glad I have been able to truly call Michael my friend over the last 3 years. These two are more than perfect for one another. Who has the opportunity to look at the one person they deeply love and say "How crazy would it be to move all the way across the country and try something new?" And that person say "Let's do it!"

Jessica and Micheal have a crazy few months ahead of them, and today marks the first step on their journey. The bond of marriage is a beautiful and wonderful thing. Some days will be a roller coaster of emotions, others will just fly by, but every day will be spent with your soulmate.

This feeling of "true love" is just that, a feeling. It's hard to describe but when you're in love, you can just feel it. It's a feeling that takes over us. It's a feeling that's good for the soul, it makes us stronger, smarter, more creative, and most of all, more passionate.

You don't have to have a ceremony to have a marriage. And when you think about it, the whole thing is kind of weird, right? You're standing on a stage, looking fancy, holding flowers, and being stared at by pretty much everyone who has meant anything to you in the past twenty-something years. So why do we do it? The marriage ceremony has been an important feature across nearly every culture, religion, generation, and society. We have thousands of important moments that happen throughout our lives, but this one is regarded as one so critical, we acknowledge its special status by sharing it with others. Why this moment?

Because despite all of our differences, love is what we all share. It's the great unifier — our one universal truth. That no matter who we are, where we've come from, what we believe, we know this one thing: love is what we're doing right. That's why you’re both standing here. That's why we are all here to watch Jessica and Micheal. We have all loved in our lifetimes, and in this moment, we're reminded that the ability to love is the very best part of our humanity

All of us here today have our own love stories. Some are short, others long. Some are yet unwritten, while others are just getting to the good part. There are chapters in all of our stories that are sad or disappointing — and others that are exciting and full of adventure.

I'm here — we're all here — because we want those moments for you two. We're here to hope with you, to support you, to be proud of you, and to remind you that love isn't happily ever after. Love is the experience of writing your story. It's not one moment — not even this moment. It's every moment. Big ones like saying "I love you," moving in together, getting engaged, and moving across the country together — but mostly a million little ones that come in between the big moments. Falling asleep next to one another, making dinner together, spending holidays with your families, watching Netflix, playing with the dogs, getting a big hug when you get home from work, the list goes on and on… These everyday moments fuse together into one big experience.

And even though this experience is so incredible, words fail us when we try to explain it. That's just the way it is with love — it's meant to be felt, not described.

[Father Speech]

Jessica’s father, Lance, has prepared a reading he would like to share with the couple today.

*[Vows]

The formal exchange of your wedding vows is the most ancient part of a wedding ceremony.

These are the words that couples for centuries have spoken to one another and, while they are very simple words, they have extraordinary meaning and importance. Today Jessica and Michael will be exchanging vows they have written themselves for one another.

Jessica, you may share your vows.

Michael, you may share your vows.

[Ring Exchange]

The ring is an ancient symbol, believed by the Romans to connect the Love vein in your left ring finger directly to your heart. A ring is so simple and pure, it has no beginning and has no end. It is a circle; for love that is given comes back around again. Your rings are precious because you wear them with love. They symbolize your commitment in marriage. They remind you of who you are, where you’ve been, and where you’re going. As you wear them through time, they will reflect not only who you are as individuals, but also who you are a couple.

Jessica please repeat after me:

Michael, you are the love of my life, you are my very best friend. I give you this ring to wear, as a symbol of my abiding love, my eternal faith, and my undying devotion to you. It is an outward reminder of our inner unity.

Michael please repeat after me:

Jessica, you are the love of my life, you are my very best friend. I give you this ring to wear, as a symbol of my abiding love, my eternal faith, and my undying devotion to you. It is an outward reminder of our inner unity.

[Sand Ceremony]

Jessica and Michael have decided to do a sand ceremony today to symbolize they joing of their individual lives and their lives together.

Jessica and Michael, today you join your separate lives together. The two separate bottles of sand symbolize your separate lives, separate families and separate sets of friends. They represent all that you are and all that you'll ever be as an individual. They also represent your lives before today. As these two containers of sand are poured into the third container, the individual containers of sand will no longer exist, but will be joined together as one. Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so will your marriage be.

[Pronouncement]

Jessica and Michael, we have heard your promise to share your lives in marriage.

We recognize and respect the vows you have made here this day, before each one of us as a witness.

In the honesty and sincerity of what you have said and done here today, and by the authority vested in me by the state of Ohio, I now pronounce you husband and wife!

Michael, you may now kiss your bride!

I am honored and privileged to present

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Kelsey Brainard!