Shelby Nykole Robinson

MARCUS & TASHA, TODAY YOU ENTER AS INDIVIDUALS, BUT YOU WILL LEAVE HERE AS HUSBAND AND WIFE. BLENDING YOUR LIVES, EXPANDING YOUR FAMILY TIES, AND EMBARKING UPON THE GRANDEST ADVENTURE OF HUMAN INTERACTION.

THE STORY OF YOUR LIFE TOGETHER IS STILL YOURS TO WRITE. ALL THOSE PRESENT HAVE COME TO WITNESS AND CELEBRATE YOUR LOVE AND COMMITMENT THIS DAY - EAGER TO BE A PART OF THE STORY NOT YET TOLD. AND, REMEMBER TO TREAT YOURSELVES AND EACH OTHER WITH RESPECT AND REMIND YOURSELVES OFTEN OF WHAT BROUGHT YOU TOGETHER.

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAKING THE OTHER FEEL SAFE AND GIVE THE HIGHEST PRIORITY TO THE TENDERNESS, GENTLENESS AND KINDNESS THAT YOUR CONNECTION DESERVES. WHEN FRUSTRATION, DIFFICULTY, AND FEAR ASSAIL YOUR RELATIONSHIP, AS THEY THREATEN ALL RELATIONSHIPS AT SOME TIME OR ANOTHER, REMEMBER TO FOCUS ON WHAT IS RIGHT BETWEEN YOU, NOT JUST THE PART THAT SEEMS WRONG. IN THIS WAY, YOU CAN SURVIVE THE TIMES WHEN CLOUDS DRIFT ACROSS THE FACE OF THE SUN IN YOUR LIVES. REMEMBERING THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU MAY LOSE SIGHT OF IT FOR A MOMENT…IT DOES NOT MEAN THE SUN HAS GONE AWAY…AND, IF EACH OF YOU TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE QUALITY OF YOUR LIFE TOGETHER… IT WILL BE MARKED BY ABUNDANCE AND DELIGHT.

WEDDING VOWS:

A WEDDING IS LARGELY ABOUT SYMBOLS; SYMBOLS ARE IMPORTANT AND HELPFUL, BECAUSE THEY MAKE AN IDEA AND A VALUE CONCRETE AND PHYSICAL – SOMETHING WE CAN SEE AND TOUCH. THEY’RE HELPFUL BECAUSE THEY SERVE AS A POWERFUL REMINDER OF A TIME AND A PLACE AND A MEMORY – A FEELING AND EVEN A PROMISE – THAT MAY HAVE FADED OVER TIME.

MARCUS & TASHA, PLEASE JOIN HANDS AND LOOK EACH OTHER DEEPLY IN THE EYES.

AS THIS KNOT IS TIED, SO ARE YOUR LIVES NOW BOUND. WOVEN INTO THIS CORD, IMBUED INTO ITS VERY FIBERS, ARE ALL THE HOPES OF YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY, AND OF YOURSELVES, FOR YOUR NEW LIFE TOGETHER. WITH THE FASHIONING OF THIS KNOT, I TIE ALL THE DESIRES, DREAMS, LOVE, AND HAPPINESS WISHED HERE IN THIS PLACE TO YOUR LIVES FOR AS LONG AS LOVE SHALL LAST. IN THE JOINING OF HANDS AND THE FASHION OF A KNOT, YOUR LIVES ARE NOW BOUND ONE TO ANOTHER.

AS ANY CHILD DISCOVERS WHEN THEY ARE LEARNING TO TIE THEIR OWN SHOES, THE FIRST MOVE IS TO CROSS THE ENDS. AS YOUR HANDS ARE BOUND BY THIS CORD, SO IS YOUR PARTNERSHIP HELD BY THE SYMBOL OF THIS KNOT. MAY IT BE GRANTED THAT WHAT IS DONE BEFORE GOD BE NOT UNDONE BY MAN.

(TIE CORD AROUND BRIDE AND GROOMS HANDS)

IF THERE ARE ANY WORDS YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ONE ANOTHER, PLEASE STATE THEM NOW. (WAIT)

(TO THE GROOM)

MARCUS, PLEASE REPEAT AFTER ME:

I, MARCUS RAY BROWN, TAKE YOU TASHA TO BE MY WIFE (Wait)

MY PARTNER IN LIFE AND MY ONE TRUE LOVE (Wait)

I WILL CHERISH OUR UNION (Wait)

AND LOVE YOU MORE EACH DAY THAN I DID THE DAY BEFORE (Wait)

I WILL TRUST YOU AND RESPECT YOU (Wait)

LAUGH WITH YOU AND CRY WITH YOU (Wait)

LOVING YOU FAITHFULLY THROUGH GOOD TIMES AND BAD (Wait)

REGARDLESS OF THE OBSTACLES WE MAY FACE TOGETHER (Wait)

I GIVE YOU MY HAND, MY HEART, AND MY LOVE (Wait)

FROM THIS DAY FORWARD AND FOR AS LONG AS WE BOTH SHALL LIVE. (Wait)

(TO THE BRIDE)

TASHA, PLEASE REPEAT AFTER ME:

I, TASHA MAREE DEPUY, TAKE YOU MARCUS TO BE MY HUSBAND (Wait)

MY PARTNER IN LIFE AND MY ONE TRUE LOVE (Wait)

I WILL CHERISH OUR UNION (Wait)

AND LOVE YOU MORE EACH DAY THAN I DID THE DAY BEFORE (Wait)

I WILL TRUST YOU AND RESPECT YOU (Wait)

LAUGH WITH YOU AND CRY WITH YOU (Wait)

LOVING YOU FAITHFULLY THROUGH GOOD TIMES AND BAD (Wait)

REGARDLESS OF THE OBSTACLES WE MAY FACE TOGETHER (Wait)

I GIVE YOU MY HAND, MY HEART, AND MY LOVE (Wait)

FROM THIS DAY FORWARD AND FOR AS LONG AS WE BOTH SHALL LIVE. (Wait)

BY THIS CORD YOU ARE NOW BOUND TO YOUR VOW. MAY THIS KNOT REMAIN TIED FOR AS LONG AS LOVE SHALL LAST. MAY THIS CORD DRAW YOUR HANDS TOGETHER IN LOVE, NEVER TO BE USED IN ANGER. MAY THE VOWS YOU HAVE SPOKEN NEVER GROW BITTER IN YOUR MOUTHS. TWO ENTWINED IN LOVE, BOUND BY COMMITMENT AND FEAR, SADNESS AND JOY, BY HARDSHIP AND VICTORY, ANGER AND RECONCILIATION, ALL OF WHICH BRINGS STRENGTH TO THIS UNION. HOLD TIGHT TO ONE ANOTHER THROUGH BOTH GOOD TIMES AND BAD, AND WATCH AS YOUR STRENGTH GROWS.

MAY YOUR LOVE BE ONE BASED ON FREEDOM. FOR, THOUGH, YOUR HANDS MAY TOUCH, IT’S YOUR HEARTS THAT HOLD. WHEN YOU HOLD LOVE WITHIN YOUR HEART, YOU RADIATE A LIGHT, WHICH SHALL BRIGHTEN ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIVES AND BEYOND. EVERYTHING WE TRULY LOVE BECOMES A PART OF US FOREVER. SO TAKE YOUR TIME WITH EACH OTHER. LET YOUR LOVE'S SEED GROW AND MATURE WITH THE SEASONS, TO PROVIDE YOU WITH WARMTH, SERENITY, JOY AND ACCEPTANCE THROUGHOUT ALL THE YEARS OF YOUR MARRIAGE. LOVE IS NOT A WALL; IT IS A BRIDGE. LOVE DOES NOT CONFINE; IT SETS YOU FREE. IT LEADS, AS A PATHWAY, WINDING, TO PLACES UNKNOWN AND MYSTERIOUS. WITH LOVE TO LIGHT THE WAY, YOU CAN MEET ANY CHALLENGE, TOGETHER.

IF ANYONE OBJECTS TO THIS MARRIAGE, PLEASE COME FORWARD OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE.

SO SHALL IT BE, BY THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME BY AMERICAN MARRIAGE MINISTRIES AND THE STATE OF KANSAS, I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU HUSBAND AND WIFE. I PRESENT MRS. AND MRS. MARCUS BROWN! MARCUS, YOU MAY NOW KISS YOUR BRIDE!